JB Murphy wins Gorey opener as bunch loses huge time
Dillon Corkery leads the winning break out front on the opening stage of the Gorey Three Day into the Co Wexford town. With him are John Lynch and JB Murphy of Murphy Surveys Kilcullen CC and Kevin Barclay of Spokes Racing Team (All Photos by Sean Rowe)
Riding high having been selected to represent Ireland at the World Cyclocross Championships earlier in the year, JB Murphy has claimed the opening stage of the Gorey Three Day.
The junior rider was best in the sprint to the line between the strongest men in the breakaway.
Unusually for this event, there are quite significant gaps in the general classification this evening.
A group of 10 riders gained more than one minute on the main field.
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At the finish in Gorey Murphy beat another up and coming junior Eoghan McLaughlin (Nicolas Roche PT) for victory.
Rounding out the podium was Kevin Barclay (Spokes Racing Team). McLaughlin’s team mate Dillon Corkery was 4th.
The top four finished on the same time, with JB Murphy’s team John Lynch back un 5th at 11 seconds. He finished with Cian Smalls (Team Munster).
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Top, JB Murphy takes stage victory on the uphill finish. Middle, Cian Smalls of Team Munster leads the chasing group. Above, Shane Baker keeps himself right in contention by gaining time on the bunch.
Dylan Hughes (Spokes Racing Team) was 7th some 17 seconds off the winner, with Brendan Flanagan (Powerhouse Sport) in 8th another six seconds back.
In 9th place, also finishing on his own on the uphill finish, was Finn Crocket (Spokes Racing Team). He was 42 seconds down on the winner. And Liam Curley (Nicolas Roche PT) was 10th another two seconds down.
There was then a big gap of some 39 seconds before the always strong veteran Shane Baker scorched up the finishing drag.
He took 11th exactly one minute and 23 seconds after JB Murphy had crossed the line in victory. And Baker's arrival was followed by 12 riders all finishing within a couple of seconds of each other.
And immediately behind them came the bunch, brought home by Dan Scarffe (Isle of Man). He won the sprint for 24th place and was 1:40 on the winner.
The early breakaway was comprised of Murphy, Lynch, Barclay and Corkery. Two others, one from Orwell Wheelers and one from Lucan CRC, were also in the move but lost touch near Carnew.
After the leaders had fled and built a sizeable gap a chase group formed.
It included eventual runner-up McLaughlin, Smalls, Flanagan and Hughes. And once the breakaway and the chase group moved away from the peloton they were not seen again.
More later.
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