Another one of the categories where Ireland has real talent - that could go all the way in cycling - the Irish juniors were in action in the road race at the European Championships today, with Oisin Ferrity best of them and Seth Dunwoody not too far behind.
In the elite women's race, the field split pieces while Ireland's best finisher Alice Sharpe - in a two-rider team with Fiona Mangan - was not helped by a crash when the pressure was really on.
In the junior men's race, the remains of the bunch exploded on the Col du Vam climb last time on the way to the chequered flag, after 111km racing and eight ascents of that climb. And though Ferrity and Dunwoody slipped back a little in that final big push for the line, they were not too far away. Indeed, both riders - and Adam Rafferty - coped very well with the speed and the climb today, surviving as the peloton was whittled down further lap after lap.
Advertisement
Patrick Casey and Liam O'Brien also finished today's race, with O'Brien's efforts seriously undermined by a puncture which forced him into a long chase. Though O'Brien regained the bunch after a change of front wheel - as did Dunwoody after being forced to change bikes - it was a blow to O'Brien's chances.
The only non-finisher was Cal Tutty, the Dungarvan rider who has forced his way into the national set-up this year with the manner of his riding, including bronze in the road race at the National Championships. Unfortunately for Tutty today, the group he was in was stopped from commencing their final lap, which denied him a finish.
Slovenia's Anze Ravbar won the gold medal today after the 18-year-old rode really impressively last time up the climb; having the bravery to attack and get a gap and then the legs to push home his advantage all the way to the line for a fantastic victory.
Matys Grisel of France won the drag race to the line from the bunch for the silver medal with another of the Slovenians, Žak Eržen, taking the bronze medal. The bunch numbered about 60 riders when he reached the base of the final ascent of Col du Vam to the line, with splits appearing through the field.
Related News
Ferrity was 26th, at 10 seconds, with Dunwoody placing 30th at 12 seconds, Rafferty was 54th at 36 seconds while Casey was 67th at 2:51 and O'Brien placed 69th at 3:00.
In the women's elite race, the title was won by Mischa Bredewold (Netherlands) after she attacked with about 10km to go and managed to keep her effort going all the way up the climb, holding on to win. She claimed the gold medal from two highly fancied riders - Lorena Wiebes (Netherlands) and Lotte Kopecky (Belgium).
That duo - Wiebes taking silver and world champion Kopecky the bronze - were at the front of the bunch, some four seconds behind the winner. Such was the power of Wiebes and Kopecky, they opened a gap in the final sprint of four seconds to the next rider to finish; Pfeiffer Georgi (Great Britain) in 4th.
Of the Irish, Mangan lost contact with the remains of the peloton on the third last passage of the Col du Vam climb - negotiated five times - and finished in 70th in 8:56. While Sharpe remained in the bunch for longer, she suffered a crash on the last lap and finished in 53rd at 2:54.
Mischa Bredewold wins the women’s elite road race in her home country ?
She follows Lorena Wiebes who also took this crown for the Netherlands last season ??#EuroRoad23 | @UEC_Cycling pic.twitter.com/g0uq2gH40T
— Eurosport (@eurosport) September 23, 2023
