Adam Rafferty (Hagens Berman Jayco) has taken a strong result in top tier U23 racing in Italy, on a day when the four Irish involved passed a stern test at GP Palio del Recioto.
As well as Rafferty, Jamie Meehan (AVC Aix Provence Dole) was also in action, after his 10th place at Giro del Belvedere (1.2U) the previous day, with Ronan O'Connor (Team Skyline) and Killian O'Brien (Petrolike) also riding very well.
That quarter, and the likes of Seth Dunwoody (Bahrain Victorious Development) - and others, of course - will make strong Irish U23 selections in the months ahead, with other Irish U23 riders based at home and abroad also riding very well.
O'Brien seems to be making a good recovery from the knee injury that blighted his early season - the first in the U23 ranks for the climber - as he coped very well in yesterday's race, which featured 3,000 metres of elevation gain over the 147km race distance.
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Rafferty was best of the Irish riders involved yesterday, placing 11th after finishing in a nine-man group some 1:20 down on race winner Lorenzo Nespoli (MBH Bank Ballan CSB). Nespoli attacked solo with 40km to go and raced over the final three climbs, with two minutes advantage at one point.
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The remains of the peloton split significantly on those climbs, with various groups forming. Meehan was just 31 seconds behind Rafferty, in a small group of his own, placing 20th on the day.
O'Connor and O'Brien finished together - 28th and 29th - in a group 5:50 down, on a day when there were just 39 finishers in the 165-rider race.
More to come.
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