The Cycling Ireland Talent Team have produced a truly remarkable performance in Belgium by taking six of the top seven places in a tough circuit race near the country's spiritual heartland, Oudenaarde.
By Brian Canty
The Cycling Ireland Talent Team 2020 has secured a remarkable result on Belgian soil this afternoon, with the boys U16 squad taking six of the top seven places in a 60km road race.
Team manager Martin O’Loughlin branded it “the best day in five years" of the project after Adam Ward led home a strong field on his own at the end of a gruelling contest in Zingem, near Oudenaarde.
A quality field of 72 riders representing nine different nationalities signed on with the race unfolding over thirteen 4.6-kilometre laps.
Ward, a 15-year-old from Omagh Wheelers, attacked with five laps remaining and he immediately gained a 30-second advantage.
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Irish riders PJ Doogan, Aaron Doherty, Adam Ward and Mark Smith with the organisers of the event their dominated today.
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He held that gap to the bell before Mark Smith jumped clear and went in pursuit of his teammate.
Alas, the finish line came too soon for him but he did hang on for a very strong 2nd place for the Irish.
Behind, the battle was on for third and after a massive lead-out, rising star Aaron Doherty from Westport Covey Wheelers won the bunch gallop with Conor Halvey fifth, PJ Doogan sixth and Liam Curley seventh.
Doogan also won the sprints competition putting the icing on the cake as far as the Irish were concerned.
The team has been in Belgian for over a week now as guests of the Sean Kelly Academy under the guidance of team managers O’Loughlin and Nicola McKiverigan.
Yesterday, the team raced in Bornem and Erpe-Mere where Liam Curley finished runner-up, Doherty was fourth, Doogan was fifth and Halvey ninth.
In the women’s race yesterday in Erpe-Mere, 14 year-old Maeve Gallagher (Castlebar CC) was ninth while Amanda Gallagher was 23rd.
The team are headed towards the Dutch border for their next assignment in the town of De Lier, near Amsterdam.
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