National U23 Time Trial winner, Ryan Mullen feared he had done too much too early in the test but put in a really storming ride (Photo: Stephen McMahon - Sportsfile)
Silver medalist at the Junior European Time Trial Championships last year, IG Sigma Sport’s first-year professional Ryan Mullen has claimed another Irish title. He stormed to victory in the U23 national time trial championships in Carlingford, Co Louth, ahead of Belgian-based Conor Dunne (VL Tekniks-Abutriek) and Marcus Christie of Foyle CC.
“I haven’t actually seen what time I’ve got but I’ve just heard I won so I’m happy with that,” said Mullen directly afterwards.
“I have an SRM now but I don’t know how to work it so I’d no clue what time I was on. I was a bit worried about Conor Dunne. He looked close to me at the turn but obviously I paced the ride pretty well and I was able to pull out a bit of a margin coming back home.”
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Although still only aged 18 years, Mullen bettered every time on the night bar that of elite champion Michael Hutchinson, finishing just 16 seconds slower than the Antrim man who has made a living out of racing against the clock.
“That’s good. That’s quite comforting to hear,” smiled the teenager.
“I’m pretty happy with my form at the moment but there’s still room for improvement if I’m 16 seconds behind him.”
“Over the last few years he’s been the guy I’ve kind of aspired to be. I’ve been looking at his times. In the British ‘10’, I was about a minute behind him. I did a good ‘25’, was around 45 seconds behind Hutch there and now I’m only 15 seconds behind him here, so I’m on for some good form heading into the Europeans. I’m happy with where I’m at.”
A big powerful rider, the mainly flat out-and-back course suited Mullen’s style although, like a lot of riders, he admitted he misjudged the wind slightly on the way back.
“Going out, it was pretty quick but I kind of got the wind direction wrong. I was thinking ‘Jesus, I’m on for a great day’ on the way out, but when I turned around it was a headwind and I thought ‘uh, oh’, but it was alright.”
“I kind of held back a little bit up the hill and put the pressure on down the hill again to try and make up time. It was a really good course. It had a bit of everything. The road was a bit dead in places and kind of sapped the legs. It was tough but I think I rode quite an intelligent time trial, which is a first for me.”
Mullen’s nearest rival was this year’s An Post Rás opening stage winner Connor Dunne and it’s no coincidence that both men were brought up in the UK, where the race against the clock is seen as being far more important than it is here.
“I didn’t feel that great to be honest,” said Dunne, who is only recently back after crashing out of the Rás and fracturing his elbow.
“I was going really well at the Rás but I lost that top end stuff. It improved quite quickly but it just took it out of me. I didn’t really know what to expect today with having the time out so I just kind of did the best I could.”
“It wasn’t terrible but it wasn’t what I normally reckon I can do. But I’m hoping I’ve got the road legs for Sunday. I had about 10 days of 30 minute rides after the Rás crash but I still managed to get a decent block in. I got a couple of races in Belgium, got fifth and eighth, so I was alright on the road.”
Without Nicolas Roche and Dan Martin in the field this year, Dunne is hoping Sunday's road race will be a bit more open and is hoping to be up there come the end of proceedings.
“Normally when those guys ride, they blow it apart when they go full gas. It’s going to be a tough race though, 170km of everyone taking chunks out of each other.”
“I’m looking forward to it though. Hopefully I’ll have the legs to mix it up. I’m hoping the form will come good now for the Euros which is what I’m aiming to peak for.”
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“I have the U23 title in the back of my mind but I want to win the race. That’s my goal, so we’ll see. There are a lot of good guys there. I’ll have to ride it really cannily but when you go into any race you’re aiming to be at the top. Whether it happens or not is a different story.”
Mullen too has an eye on the road race and with no serious climb on the circuit, could be another surprise package.
“I had a quick look at the course,” he admits.
“The course does suit with the long straight roads. It’s not as flat as everyone says it is. On the back straight there’s a few little lumps and after 100k you’re going to feel them.”
“I did a 205km race in the UK recently, the Tour of the Fens and I was attacking from the gun in that and spent 198km in the breakaway so I’m happy with how I’m going. I did a big block of training a few weeks ago with big miles, along with the Tour Series.”
“It was a pretty intense period but I think I’m reaping the rewards now. The U23 is the aim of course, but if I can get a medal in the elite then why not?”
Full Results - U23 National TT Championships
| RYAN MULLEN | TEAM IG SIGMA SPORT |
00:50:22 |
| CONOR DUNNE | VL TECHNICS – ABUTRIEK |
00:51:27 |
| MARCUS CHRISTIE | FOYLE CYCLING CLUB |
00:51:28 |
| DANIEL STEWART | EAST ANTRIM CC |
00:53:24 |
| CONOR MCILWAINE | ERRIGAL CYCLING CLUB |
00:54:47 |
| SIMON RYAN | VISIT NENAGH – TEAM DMG |
00:56:40 |
| BEN DELANEY | WEXFORD WHEELERS |
00:57:33 |
| MATTHEW HEANEY | CLANN EIREANN |
01:03:25 |
| STEPHEN CLANCY | TEAM NOVO NORDISK | DNS |
Conor Dunne (VL Technics - Abutriek) has recovered well from a fractured elbow to take silver in the U23 test in Carlingford and has big designs on Sunday's road race (Photo: Stephen McMahon - Sportsfile)
