www.robertjustynski.com)
James Swift has taken his chance bravely off the front of the Claremorris GP to score an impressive win against senior competition.
The junior rider from Mayo was one of only six A4s left standing at the end of a wet contest.
And when they just about held off a group containing some of the A1 scratch men, Swift's confidence won it for him as much as his legs.
With the group closing in on them, Swift took up the sprint very early, hitting the front and move away from the opposition all the way to the line.
The group he was in was just caught on the line in the finishing sprint up a slight incline. However, their work during the race was rewarded with the top six placings.
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Best of the scratch men was Charlie Prendergast, coming through for 7th on the back wheels of the six breakaway men.
That escape group had forged clear as attrition whittled down the A4 group to a breakaway that worked hard all the way.
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After one lap of the 18km course the scratch
group had taken three minutes out of the A4s, who were left with four minutes
in hand with 36km remaining.
However, while the odds looked stacked
against any of the A4s surviving out front for one more lap, never mind two,
cooperation among the A1s was lacking.
They began attacking each other two early,
handing the advantage to those up front who were working well as their 16 rider
group was reduced to six of the strongest.
Some of the scratch men caught the A3s with
just 3km to go and it looked like they would get up to the six leaders before
the finish.
However, while the six out front had just a
few seconds advantaged in the final kilometre, they just about made it.
Swift powered up the finishing straight to
take victory for Castlebar CC. Anthony Hammond (Ballina
CC) was 2nd and Francis Togher (Cunga
CC) claimed 3rd place.
They trio they were with also survived to
claim 4th through 6th place; Eoin Waldron (Annagh
Wheelers) 4th from Patrick
Murtagh (Ballina CC) and Colin Loughney (Western
Lakes CC).
James Swift wins Claremorris GP
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