Ireland’s O’Connor climbs to strong result in elite-U23 field in Italy | Sticky Bottle

*Ronan O'Connor finishes the U23-elite race Zane Monte Cengio in Italy yesterday; the 18-year-old taking his best result since joining Colpack Ballan*

Irish rider Ronan O’Connor has taken his best result since re-locating to Italy to race this year. He was 6th yesterday in the U23-elite race, Zane Monte Cengio.

The 130km event featured a hilly finale where the strongest riders, O’Connor among them, rode clear to contest the honours after an earlier breakaway had been caught.

The final 3.5km of the finishing climb featured an average gradient of 10 per cent, on which some of the stronger teams set the pace, ensuring the remains of the peloton split to pieces.

O'Connor - who started his career with Orwell Wheelers and was Irish junior road race champion two years ago - showed he is really starting to find his feet in Italy and was among the select few on the final climb riding away from their rivals.

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The race was won by Davide De Pretto, a 20-year-old Italian riding Zalf Euromobil Fior, who won the bronze medal in the U23 road race at the Europeans two weeks ago.

He crossed the line, in very wet conditions, four seconds clear of Luca Cavallo (Beltrami TSA Tre Colli) with Matteo Tarolla (SC ValleSeriana-Cene) in 3rd, a further four seconds back.

O’Connor (18), who is riding this year with top Italian development team Colpack Ballan, placed 6th at 16 seconds; his best result since he went to Italy to race after concluding his Leaving Cert exams.

The Irish rider last month competed in Valle d’Aosta-Mont Blanc, one of the hardest stage races for U23 riders in Europe. He went on the attack on stage 4 and though his move was eventually caught, he enjoyed a strong showing out front.