Dillon Corkery shows his delight at winning the opening stage of the Charleville Two-Day. The Cork Giant race team man will wear the yellow jersey into the time-trial but accepts he will probably lose it in the 8k test (Photo: John Coleman/DC Images)
By Brian Canty
Dillon Corkery took the biggest win of his career today, claiming the opening stage of the Charleville Park Hotel Two-Day in Cork.
The Cork Giant man won a bunch sprint at the end of the 85-kilometre race which featured A2 and A3 riders and he will wear the first yellow jersey of the race into Sunday morning’s 8k time-trial.
The race was a really fast one with plenty attacks firing off the front in the early stages.
Corkery, a first-year junior, had Ronan Tuomey with him for company and they tried several times to go clear but on each occasion were reeled back in.
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With Tuomey’s pedigree against the clock no secret to anyone, he was given very little rope to go anywhere.
Eventually, a two-man escaped clipped off the front but never managed to pull out enough of a gap to threaten the stage win.
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A nasty climb on the run-in to the finish thinned out the peloton but feeling strong, Tuomey tried his luck there and though he strung the bunch out he was back in the thick of it before long.
With the break brought back it was all about getting into position and despite plenty jostling and jockeying for the prime spot towards the nose of the bunch, Corkery ducked and weaved his way to the front.
Locked onto the wheel of his teammate he launched his sprint late but managed to take the win by around a bike length.
“The plan with a lap to go was to hope Ronan could pull a gap on the climb but unfortunately, he was a marked man,” said Corkery.
“We said the best chance then was to try to get me to the line and with about 3k to go it was lined out.
“I was fourth wheel behind Ronan with 1k to go so he took up the leadout and I had the legs to finish off the job,” added the winner.
Though he reckons his chances of holding the jersey are slim, Corkery said he won’t give up without a fight.
“I'm looking forward to it; my chances are probably slim (in the TT) but I hope I won't lose major time.
“Any time I do lose I hope to gain it on the road stage because it's a nice stage.”
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