The Irish U23 team went into the road race at the UCI World Road Championships in Glasgow today with a real chance of a medal, even gold, through Darren Rafferty. But, after a frustrating day, they came away empty-handed.
In an unlikely scenario, the early breakaway stayed clear, helped by very poor weather and the intensity inexplicably petering out of the racing back in the back with a couple laps of the circuit in Glasgow remaining. Ireland had four finishers, of five starters, today; a more than decent return from a group that now goes to Tour de l'Avenir.
And while the breakaway men rode hard today, and took their chance, the disappointment of the outcome was written all over Rafferty's face, and was clear to hear in his post-race remarks. In the end of the gold medal went to Axel Laurance, a French 22-year-old who has been riding at ProConti level for the last two years and steps up to the Alpecin-Deceuninck World Tour team next season.
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Silver went to António Morgado from Portugal, a team mate of Rafferty's at Hagens Berman Axeon and who worked as domestique for the Irishman when he won Giro Ciclistico della Valle d'Aosta - Mont Blanc (2.2U) last month. The podium was completed by Martin Svrček of Slovakia, who has been riding his first season at World Tour level this year.
Lorenzo Milesi (Italy), who had already won the U23 TT at these championships, began the winning breakaway with an attack with 150km remaining, long before the race had reached the 14km circuit for seven laps.
In very heavy rain, and windy conditions, an eight-man breakaway formed: Axel Laurance, Antoine Huby (France), Jack Rootkin-Gray (Great Britain), Lorenzo Milesi (Italy), Moritz Kretschy (Germany), Trym Brennsæter (Norway), Brody McDonald (USA) and Alastair Mackellar (Australia).
While the breakaway was never given too much leeway, they gained about two minutes and still had about half that gap when they reached the circuits, where the front group split. With three laps remaining, the leaders were down to four; Milesi, Rootkin-Gray, Kretschy, and Laurance.
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While there were several efforts from riders in the peloton to make it across to the leaders, including by Ireland.s Rafferty and the Belgians, only two men made it; António Morgado of Portugal, and a team mate of Rafferty's at Hagens Berman Axeon, and Martin Svrček, a 20-year-old Slovakian riding for Soudal-QuickStep this season.
While British rider Rootkin-Gray was arguably the revelation of the day - the Saint Piran mad in his first full season at Continental level was year - proving very strong and aggressive in the breakaway. However, it was Laurance who made the winning move, going solo from the front group with two laps to go.
He only hung on by two seconds, but took gold ahead of the five-up sprint for the silver and bronze; Morgado 2nd, Svrček 3rd and Rootkin-Gray 4th. Milesi was 5th and Kretschy. Best of the rest was TT runner-up, Belgium's Alec Segaert in 7th at 1:01.
Rafferty was 25th, in a group 3:16 back, on a day when the silver medal - with no disrespect intended - went to a man who was working as his domestique just a few weeks back as the Irishman was attacking and climbing his way to overall victory in Giro Ciclistico della Valle d'Aosta - Mont Blanc (2.2U).
Doogan was 66th today at 12:25, with Dean Harvey and Jamie Meehan in the same group, placing 70th and 71st and Aaron Wade among the non-finishers, of which there were very many on a very tough day out over 168.4km of racing.
