Liam O'Brien has put in a very strong ride at the European Cyclocross Championships in the Netherlands today; the teenager battling to a top-20 finish having been gridded at the back of the field.
The Cork teenager is completely new to the junior ranks, and new to international cyclocross, meaning he effectively had a low seeding going into the race today.
That ensured he was at the very back of the grid at the start; gridded 51st of the 65 starters.
However, he did not let that undermine his approach to the race and from the outset of the seven-lap event he set about picking off those ahead of him.
He made relentless progress through to the field; catching the vast majority of those ahead of him and being passed by nobody through the 47-minute race.
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By the time the young Irish rider took the bell he had just about nudged into the top 20, before going on to the finish the race in 19th place - a great performance considering the work he had to do to pick his way through the field.
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The European junior title was won by Belgium's Aaron Dockx in a time of 47:06 after a dominant ride from the front.
David Haverdings of the Netherlands claimed the silver medal, at 47 seconds. Luca Paletti of the Italy claimed the bronze, just one second behind Haverdings.
Ireland's O'Brien was an U16 on the road this year and will be a junior on the road next year. That means he has already gone into the junior ranks for the 2021-2022 cyclocross season.
Having impressed in recent months - including winning the criterium title at the U16 road nationals this year - the Fermoy Cycling Club rider was selected onto the Irish junior team for today's European title race in Col du Vam.
Travis Harkness, the VC Glendale rider who was also an U16 on the road this year, was also picked to ride the junior men's race for Ireland.
However, he fell ill just before he was due to depart for the Netherlands. That meant he was unable to travel, which was a major disappointment for him.
More to come, including report on Ireland's U23 women.
