Jack Wilson in storming ride at Euro Champs; makes breakaway and final hunt for medals

Jack Wilson made a key escape in the U23 road race at the European Championships and was still in the hunt at the head of the race at the finish.

By Brian Canty

Ireland’s Jack Wilson has taken a strong result in the U23 road race at the European Championships in Nyon, Switzerland this afternoon; bagging 17th place from a reduced group that were sprinting for the win.

Wilson, a former national junior and U23 champion, was very active throughout today’s 170 kilometre race in appalling conditions and managed to escape in an early move of nine riders.

It was a perfect move to infiltrate as there were a range of nations represented included Germany, Czech Republic, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Estonia, Slovenia and Norway.

But with so many more missing the move, it was brought back and the attacking started again.

An Post Chainreaction rider, Wilson did not make it into the next move and for a time it looked like it would be the one that would stick for the rest of the day. There were eight riders present and they pulled out almost three minutes with 50 kilometres remaining.

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That break contained Jabrayilov Samir (Azerbaijan), Kenneth Van Rooy (Belgium), Loic Chetout (France), Matthias Plarre (Germany), Alessandro Tonelli (Italy), Sven Erik Bystrom (Norway), Rúben Guerreiro (Portugal) and Thery Schir (Switzerland).

However, they were slowly reeled in; one rider puncturing out not helping their cause. On the last lap, another five-man group went away with Wilson in the much depleted peloton of around 35 to 40 riders.

Inside the final kilometres, Stefan Kueng (Switzerland), Iuri Filosi (Italy) and Anthony Turgis (France) jumped away to contest the finish, coming over the line in that order.

The small group containing Wilson just caught them on the line. Kung, who rides for BMC Racing Team, demolished the field in the World University Games in Poland earlier in the week, winning both the time trial and the road race.

Next best of the Irish today was Eoin McCarthy in 80th at 3:29, with Conor Dunne in 90th just behind him and Daniel Stewart around 10 minutes back.

Stefan Kueng of Switzerland gave home fans something to cheer about when he sprinted to victory at the U23 European road race championship. Ireland's Jack Wilson is in the group that caught the leading trio on the line but did not pass them.