Irish riders, representing both Munster and Leinster, have put on a fine display on the last stage of Junior Tour of Wales, going on the attack as they raced towards the Tumble Mountain finish.
And once that final stage was done, two of the Irish were in the top 10, with a podium finish in the general classification by Killian O'Brien of Cycling Leinster; a result that may yet convert into national team selection.
But while O'Brien mounted the biggest challenge over the four days of racing, both the Cycling Leinster team and Munster Tarrant Skoda really shone today.
They displayed a complete lack of fear, and a commendable willingness to get up the road and race from the early stages, despite the prospect of such a hard finish laying in wait ahead of them.
Advertisement
Cal Tutty (E Tarrant & Sons Skoda Munster) was the best Irish finisher on the queen stage today, taking 7th place on Tumble after riding in the breakaway and just holding off some of the general classification men.
Those GC riders include Leinster's O'Brien, who went into the stage 3rd overall, and finished 8th on the day to retain that 3rd place finish after five stages of racing.
Tutty was in a 10-man breakaway today that gained over two minutes, some of whom survived at the very front to fill the top positions on the stage. O'Brien came across to the breakaway riders, with some of the other GC men, on the final climb to the line.
After 111kms today, raced in 2hrs 5mins, the stage victory went to James Sawyers (Train Sharp Development Team) by 20 seconds from Alistair Gardner (Velo Club Venta). Luke Meyer-Eland (VC Londres) was 3rd at 26 seconds; all three having been in the stage-long breakaway.
From an Irish perspective, that 10-rider escape group included Tutty and his Munster team mate Michael Collins as well as Matthew Walls of Cycling Leinster. They battled on, building a lead over two minutes, which began to come down as the final ascent of Tumble Mountain approached.
Related News
Once the breakaway hit the climb it blew to pieces. Behind the leaders, the strongest of those who missed the boat began to fly up the climb. Some of them caught and passed those who lost most ground from the breakaway on the climb.
Tutty finished in 7th place, some 36 seconds down on the stage winner and alongside Tofauti Everyone Active team mates Matthew Peace and Ollie Boarer. O'Brien was just one place and four seconds behind Tutty, in 8th, with the south Dublin rider distancing the best of the British riders at the finish.
Race leader, and overall winner, Sebastian Grindley (Fensham Howes-MAS Design) gave up three seconds to O'Brien in the final surge to the line, for example.
Josh Callaly (Cycling Leinster) was 17th today, at 1:16 and as he was not in the breakaway, his ascent of the final climb was one of the best in the race. Matthew Walls (Cycling Leinster) was 19th on the same time as Callaly, a great ride. Willem O'Connor (E Tarrant & Sons Skoda Munster) placed 32st at 1:43.
After his breakaway efforts, Michael Collins (E Tarrant & Sons Skoda Munster) was 42nd today at 2:15. Patrick O'Sullivan of Cycling Leinster was 50th at 2:32. Eoghan Lattimore (E Tarrant & Sons Skoda Munster) was 55th at 2:58, with Rory Condon (E Tarrant & Sons Skoda Munster) 59th at 03:03. David Harrington (Cycling Leinster) was 77th at 5:15.
Sebastian Grindley (Fensham Howes-MAS Design) ran out the overall winner by 1:50 from Elliot Rowe (Scotland), with Leinster's Killian O'Brien 3rd at 2:35. Minster's Tutty was 17th overall at 6:01.
Stage 5 | Abergavenny-Tumble Mountain (110.7km)
1 James Sawyers trainSharp Development team 2:05:33
2 Alistair Gardner Velo Club Venta 0:20
3 Luke Meyer-Eland VC Londres 0:26
4 Elliot Rowe Scotland 0:28
5 Matthew Peace Tofauti Everyone Active 0:36
6 Ollie Boarer Tofauti Everyone Active
7 Cal Tutty E.Tarrant & Sons Skoda Munster
8 Killian O'Brien Cycling Leinster 0:40
9 Sebastian Grindley Fensham Howes - MAS Design 0:43
10 Dylan Sage Wales FJ2Wal 0:47
17 Josh Callaly Cycling Leinster
19 Matthew Walls Cycling Leinster
31 Willem O'Connor E.Tarrant & Sons Skoda Munster 1:43
42 Michael Collins E.Tarrant & Sons Skoda Munster 2:15
50 Patrick O'Sullivan Cycling Leinster 2:32
55 Eoghan Lattimore E.Tarrant & Sons Skoda Munster 2:58
59 Rory Condon E.Tarrant & Sons Skoda Munster 3:03
77 David Harrington Cycling Leinster 5:15
Final General Classification
1 Sebastian Grindley Fensham Howes - MAS Design 8:14:57
2 Elliot Rowe Scotland 1:50
3 Killian O'Brien Cycling Leinster 2:35
4 Dylan Sage Wales FJ2Wal 3:52
5 Oliver Dawson Fensham Howes - MAS Design 3:54
6 Alistair Gardner Velo Club Venta 4:03
7 Max Hinds Fensham Howes - MAS Design 4:35
8 Thomas Mead Lee Valley Youth Cycling Club 4:36
9 Lewis Tinsley HUUB BCC Race Team 5:19
10 Louis Herring Harrogate Nova Race Team 5:24
17 Cal Tutty E.Tarrant & Sons Skoda Munster 6:01
23 Willem O'Connor E.Tarrant & Sons Skoda Munster 6:35
32 Matthew Walls Cycling Leinster 8:36
40 Patrick O'Sullivan Cycling Leinster 9:34
48 Rory Condon E.Tarrant & Sons Skoda Munster 11:51
52 Michael Collins E.Tarrant & Sons Skoda Munster 13:23
53 Eoghan Lattimore E.Tarrant & Sons Skoda Munster 15:36
63 Josh Callaly Cycling Leinster 21:25
74 David Harrington Cycling Leinster 31:48
