By Shane Stokes
Irish county team riders were immediately in the thick of the action on Wednesday’s opening stage of the Rás Tailteann, with no less than four riders out of the top eight racing for those squads. Perhaps a reflection of the race’s step back from the UCI calendar, it was nevertheless a very strong achievement, given the number of international teams in the race.
Matteo Cigala was the best-placed of those county team riders, with himself and his Carlow Dan Morrissey teammate Adam Stenson taking third and fourth behind stage winner Matthew Teggart (Cycling Ulster) and Rory Townsend (Ireland National Team).
Odhran Doogan (Dublin Pintergy Orwell Wheelers) was the best under 23 rider in netting fifth, and Conor Murnane (Dublin UCD) was eighth.
Speaking to stickybottle after the finish, Italian-born Ireland-based Cigala said that he could have been closer to the victory had his run to the line been a little smoother.
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“It was a fast finish. I had to brake with 350 metres to go and I think that caused me to lose a little bit of momentum,” he said. “I was coming quite fast but not fast enough to take the win.”
Cigala has a strong history in the race, having taken top ten finishes now on no less than nine occasions. He has placed second, third, fourth, fourth, sixth, sixth, eighth, ninth and tenth in the past. He also finished fourth overall in the points classification the last time the race was run in 2018.
“This week I am only looking for a stage win,” he said, making clear that he wants to add the most important number to that sequence of placings.
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“This is my 25th stage, three Rases in the past, and I got basically every spot on that top five or top ten or whatever. So I want to go home with a stage win.
“Third is a good result, it is a good start to the week, but certainly we are looking for more.”
Cigala has been supplementing his road racing with Zwift competition and also Gran Fondos, and looks to be in very good condition. Does the 28 year old think this is the year when he finally tops the podium in the race?
“Yeah, I am hoping for that…certainly this year I feel good. I have been focussing a lot more on climbing, and I lost a bit of weight. So maybe I lost that bit of sprint, but I think the next couple of days will suit me really well.”
Thursday’s second stage includes the steep climb of Crags Cave on the ten kilometre finishing circuit, potentially paving the way for a select sprint and, if he is there, a big opportunity for Cigala.
Doogan finished two places behind him on Wednesday, taking fifth and being the best of the 47 under 23 riders in the race.
“I am happy with the start. I can’t complain about fifth,” he said. “The stage was good, it was a tight stage. Very fast from the start. Tight enough hills with the Irish boys on the front drilling it to get back the break. They got it back then and eyes were on the prize.
“I came to the front sooner than I would have liked. I just hit it with 200 to go and it was just too far. A few boys came around me, I think I might have finished fourth or fifth. But I’m happy enough.”
Like Cigala and the other county team riders who were prominent on Wednesday, he will be psyched for today’s second stage and what could be another fast finish into Castleisland.
