Deignan was strong in the finale in Belgium today
By Graham Healy
Philip Deignan (Unitedhealthcare) put in a decent showing today when he finished in 16th position in the Grand Prix Pino Cerami in Belgium. Deignan finished the 195-kilometre race in the same time as winner Gaetan Bille of the Lotto-Belisol team.
An early attack by three riders was reeled in three kilometres from the end, and the Letterkenny man held his position well towards the front of the 75-man group.
There was also some good news for three other Irish riders who have been hit with illness in recent weeks.
An Post-Sean Kelly’s Sam Bennett showed he is recovering from a virus that wrecked his early season, finishing 50th today and seemingly getting back into full action just ahead of next week’s Nations Cup races in Holland and France.
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His team mate Connor McConvey, who has also been ill in recent weeks, was well enough for today’s assignment, coming home in 84th place and losing just 35 seconds as time gaps appeared in the peloton at the finish.
Irish road race and time trial champion Matt Brammeier (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) has been sidelined from the spring classics because he is still getting over a bout of bronchitis but made a welcome return to racing today and lasted the distance, coming home in 108th.
Grand Prix Pino Cerami (1.1), Hainaut, Belgium
1 Gaetan Bille (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 4:52:11
2 Romain Feillu (Fra) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
3 Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
4 Guillaume Boivin (Can) Spidertech Powered By C10
5 Ryan Anderson (Can) Spidertech Powered By C10
6 Christophe Laborie (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
7 Moreno Hofland (Ned) Rabobank Continental Team
8 Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team
9 Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda's
10 Marco Minnaard (Ned) Rabobank Continental Team
Selected others
16 Philip Deignan (Irl) Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling Team
34 Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) An Post - Sean Kelly
43 Niels Wytinck (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly
50 Sam Bennett (Irl) An Post - Sean Kelly all same time
84 Connor McConvey (Irl) An Post - Sean Kelly @35 secs
96 Mark McNally (GBr) An Post - Sean Kelly
108 Matt Brammeier (Irl) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 1:23
121 Pieter Ghyllebert (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly 1:54
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