Out of Limerick: Stephen Clancy has taken a career-best result on the third stage of the Tour of China (Photo: Novo Nordisk)
By Brian Canty
Ireland’s Stephen Clancy has claimed his best ever result by taking fourth in the bunch gallop that decided the third stage of the Tour of China on Monday.
The Limerick man, racing for Team Novo Nordisk, rewarded his team’s faith in him with a fine result after their main sprinter was taken out by a crash in a hectic finale.
Clancy said he found himself with just one teammate for company coming to the line, adding while it was unusual for him to be in contesting a bunch sprint he was determined to make the most of it.
“It was a messy sprint on a gradual downhill where I had to stop and start my efforts a few times,” he explained.
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“I’m pleased with the result and really proud of how the team rode today.”
The 125-kilometre stage that started and finished in Huangshi city saw a number of breaks go clear, with Clancy in the first of them.
Though that was brought back, another move of 10 riders clipped away.
And with no Novo Nordisk man present they were forced on the offensive to try and bring it back.
The world’s first all-diabetic team took control of the peloton and with the help of Avanti Racing Team and RTS-Santic Racing Team chased down the break.
Clancy sits third in the Novo Nordisk train on the way to 4th on stage 3 of the Tour of China (Photo: Novo Nordisk)
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With three kilometres remaining and the break reeled in, a crash took down a large portion of the peloton including the team’s top sprinter, James Glasspool.
“I went over the climb with 10 km to go in the first few positions, and when James was held up in the crash, I had to focus on the sprint myself,” Clancy said.
“I am rarely the one at the front in the final kilometre, but I did my best to follow the wheels and ended up with a top five.”
Johim Ariesen (Netherlands National Team) sprinted to the win ahead of Tomas Vaitkus (Rietumu-Delfin) and Andriy Kulyk (Kolss BDC Team).
Stage four on Tuesday is a 109.2-km circuit race featuring several climbs and a nearly flat finish in Wuhan Caidian.
Clancy is now 20th overall, just 20 seconds behind race leader Neil Van Der Ploeg of the Avanti Racing Team.
Adding to a fantastic day for the Irishman it has also emerged he will be with his ProContinental team for at least one more season, having signed a contract extension with them.
Clancy was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2012, not long after being voted rider of the year in Ireland.
While it was a shock to him and a potentially devastating blow to his cycling career, he secured a trial with the Type 1 team and gained a full time place with them.
The squad has since been rebranded Novo Nordisk, having secured new sponsorship, and U23 international Clancy is now coming to the end of his third full season with the squad.
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