A surprised but delighted Lauren Creamer on her way to silver in the women's time trial championships last night. (Photo: Stephen McMahon)
By Gerard Cromwell
Having finished 19 seconds behind track star Caroline Ryan to claim silver in the women’s elite time trial championships last night, Lauren Creamer admitted she was surprised with the result as it’s the first year she has "paid much attention" to the race against the clock.
“I’m extremely happy, a bit surprised more than anything,” said the Pearl Izumi Sports rider.
“I guess I shouldn’t be, as I’ve put the training in," she added.
“The team have been fantastic this year and Sarah and Barney Storey have invested a lot of time and money in equipment. And with such a good time trial calendar in the UK, I’ve been given plenty of options to get some time trialling in.
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“It’s the first year I’ve paid much attention to it though and I do believe that I’m still quite naive in the discipline and still have a lot to learn.”
Despite the rain that greeted riders on the start line, Creamer says she went into the race stress free and just treated the test as any other time trial, putting no pressure on herself to get a result.
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Creamer competed on the Irish team in Rás na mBan a couple of seasons ago and on the basis of her ride last night and her relative youth - aged 22 years - she may be set for much bigger things wearing the green of Ireland in the years ahead (Photo: www.blackumbrella,ie)
“I attacked it like any other time trial of that distance that I’ve done. I set myself into a rhythm and knew that there was going to be an easterly headwind on the way out.
“On the way back, it felt like it was a constant rise and I hummed and hawed about my position on the road and what gears I should be pushing.
“Every so often I’d look down and see what speed I was doing. I’d notice that I was in the hardest gear and wonder if I was going to blow up before the last hill.
“I kept pushing though. The crowds pushed me along as well, definitely passing through Rochfortbridge, the support was fantastic.”
Birmingham born Creamer, whose father hails from Leitrim, will now be hoping for a repeat of her medal winning ride in the women’s road race tomorrow.
“I’ve ridden the nationals for the last few years and I rode on the national team at Rás na mBan so I know the girls and the girls know me.
"I think I’ll approach it like the time trial; happy, stress-free with no pressure. I know what I’m capable of and I know what I deserve.
“Although my time trialling is getting better, my strength still lies in the bunch racing so it’s all still to play for tomorrow.”
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