Emily Birchall and Ciara Doogan, above, wore the Irish colours with pride in France and though they didn't threaten a medal in the 12.7km TT they both banked more valuable experience (Photo with thanks to Jessica Osouf)
By Brian Canty
Irish junior riders Xeno Young, Ben Walsh, Ciara Doogan and Emily Birchall banked huge experience yesterday at the European Championships in France.
While none of the four threatened a medal in their tests that started and finished in the town of Plumelec in the north-west of the country, they each put in a good shift.
Young was 32nd of 54 starters over 24.5km, some 2:50 behind the winner.
Walsh – the reigning national time-trial champion - was further down in 49th, at 4:19.
Alexys Brunel of France won in a time of 35:58 with Marc Hirschi (Switzerland) second at 11 seconds and Ivor Knotten (Norway) rounding out the podium in third a fraction of a second slower.
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Given both Young and Walsh are juniors again next year, the performances auger very well as when the big days come in the future this kind of top-level exposure can only be good for them.
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Ben Walsh, above, flat out during his TT effort at the European Championships yesterday (Photo with thanks to Jessica Osouf)
The 25.4-kilometre test would have been as long or longer than anything they'd ever have done at home so it was no surprise that the distance would catch them.
Similarly, Birchall and Doogan are two of the country’s brightest and best talents.
They’re probably more at home on the road as opposed to the all-out tests against the clock and the road race should be where we see the best of them.
They’re both in their final year as juniors and will be keen to leave the age category having left a mark on it.
Birchall was 38th of 41 starters and Doogan 28th, 4:20 and 2:27 down on winner Lisa Morzenti who clocked 19:02 for the 12.7-kilometre test.
The Italian rider edged her teammate Alessia Vigilia by 14 seconds while Juliette Labous of France was third a further eight seconds back.
Next up for the juniors is the road race on Friday with the women off at 9am and the men at 1pm.
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