Junior Jason Prendergast surprises elites with late winning move in Tourmakeady

Jason Prendergast of Cunga CC on his way to a strong lone victory at the Tourmakeady Festival Race in Co Mayo (Photo: www.shutterstills.com)

Up and coming junior rider Jason Prendergast has clearly gained some very good form from the recent Junior Tour of Ireland, taking victory against the elite riders in last night’s Tourmakeady Festival Race in Co Mayo.

The Cunga CC rider went clear in a strongman’s breakaway after the groups merged in the 50km handicapped event, and not content with waiting for the finishing sprint, he took off on his own with 2km to go and got a winning gap to take a really impressive win.

The handicappers allowed a time gap of six minutes cover the field from limit men to the scratch group. By the halfway point, the strongest riders starting with the scratch group had gone through the field to make contact with the head of the race.

When the juncture was made the racing was on from that point, with veteran strongman Padraig Marrey of promoting club Western Lakes CC the first to have a go.

He moved clear but his effort was scuppered by the fact he was left alone out front and gradually he was reeled in. Just as he was recaptured, the eventual winner Prendergast took flight, with Marrey then going after him.

These two toiled away out front and were joined by three more; Sean O’Malley (Western Lakes CC), Cale Coen (Castlebar CC) and Charlie Prendergast (Polygon Sweet Nice).

This was to prove the winning escape and was the group the younger of the Prendergast brothers attacked with 2km to go to win on his own.

The aggressive Marrey was second, denying the Prendergasts a 1-2, with Charlie coming home in third place. O’Malley took fourth with Coen who like Jason Prendergast is a junior rider taking a good 5th place in a field with some very strong senior riders.