By Brian Canty
John Lynch (Murphy Surveyors) has won the opening leg of the Paddy Flanagan Two-Day in Kildare today, Saturday, after he edged out Joe Fenlon (Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes) in a bizarre stage that was shortened by almost 30 kilometres due to an oil spillage in the town of Kildangan.
Indeed, confusion reigned in the finale as 10 riders had been away. They split equally into two groups of five, but reformed later and were riding well together when a 1km to go sign suddenly appeared when the riders believe there was over 20km remaining.
Aidan Crowley, riding for DID Dunboyne, who would have been fancied by many to win it if it came down to a sprint in normal circumstances, explained the situation that left the breakaway scratching their heads:
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“We suddenly just saw a 1km to go sign and John Lynch and Fenlon (Joe) went for it and attacked but we weren’t sure (if it was the finish) and then with 200 metres to go Andrew Meehan and Colm Cassidy went for it but I managed to come around them for third,” he said.
But credit to local man Lynch, who used his knowledge of the circuit, and having just finished a gruelling Rás last month he grabbed his first win of the year.
Just 48 riders signed on for the event in Kildare today with Leinster TT champion Ryan Sherlock being among those on the start-list.
However, he proved one of the big losers of the day when he somehow missed the initial split that saw Lynch, Fenlon, Crowley, Olan Barrett (Fermoy CC), Mark Nugent (Waterford Racing CC), Colm Cassidy (UCD), Andrew Meehan (DID Dunboyne), Shane Baker (Usher IRC) and Derek Cunningham (Bray Wheelers) and David Walsh (Slaney CC) break away.
That group split on the Windy Gap after approximately half the stage covered with Nugent, Fenlon, Cassidy, Baker and Meehan distancing themselves from the quintet behind and quickly building a lead of 50 seconds.
However, that was as much as they got and the five behind, featuring some strong rouleurs, worked well to trim that gap back to 15 seconds before disaster struck the five out front when they overshot a bend and were forced to turn around, losing valuable time.
They were subsequently swallowed up by the chasers before Walsh punctured, making it nine up front.
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Behind, Sherlock was doing all he could to bridge but his misery was compounded with the shortened stage, hampering his hopes of making his way across. He managed to got clear with Dan Clifford and Fiachra O’Mhuire (both DID Dunboyne) and closed up to the break to within 47 seconds by the finish. The bunch was 2:22 down.
Others to miss that move were Ian Richardson (UCD) – another very useful tester
However, with a 5km time trial tomorrow morning and a criterium in the afternoon, it is still very much all to play for.
In the Ned Flanagan for A3 and A4 riders, Eric Downey (Orwell Wheelers) took the honours in a bunch sprint from local man Derek Byrne (Laois CC) and Aaron O’Donoghue (U/A).
Results
Paddy Flanagan Stage One
1 J Lynch (Murphy Surveyors)
2 J Fenlon (Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes)
3 A Crowley (DID Dunboyne) @2secs.
4 M Nugent (Waterford Racing C) @s/t.
5 C Cassidy (UCD) @s/t.
6 A Meehan (DID Dunboyne) @s/t.
7 S Baker (Usher IRC) @s/t.
8 O Barrett (Fermoy CC) @s/t.
9 D Cunningham (Bray Wheelers) @s/t.
Ned Flanagan
1 E Downey (Orwell Wheelers)
2 D Byrne (Laois CC)
3 A O’Donoghue (U/A)
4 A Stanley (Trinity)
5 G Houreau (Velo Club, ECKwersHeim, France)
1st unplaced A4 S Duggan (Wexford wheelers)
2nd Unplaced A4 M Gilbert (Swords)
3rd Unplaced A4 C McGarley (Epic)
1st woman A Dalton 9Orwell Wheelers)
1st Junior J Whelan (Inspiration)
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