Magnificent Damien Shaw demolishes 200-rider field for Lacey Cup solo win in The Kingdom

Damien Shaw rode like a man possessed to leave the huge field for dust in Tralee, Co Kerry, this afternoon (www.blackumbrella.ie)

By Brian Canty

Aquablue rider Damian Shaw has stormed to a stunning solo victory in the Lacey Cup in Tralee this afternoon, completely demolishing a field of over 200 riders.

Shaw started the race with the scratch group but wasted no time in getting down to business and bridged across to the A2 and A3 groups before taking off on his own inside the opening half of the race.

With such a star-studded field - which included strong teams from UCD and the host club Tralee BC, amongst others - it seemed like a bold move.

But having just returned from a spell of warm-weather training, not to mind putting down a solid winter training block which featured his own simulated altitude tent in his home town of Mullingar, Shaw was simply unstoppable.

One observer said Shaw never dropped below 50kph on the main stretch of road from Annascaul to Castlemaine, while on the final climb - which is a nasty 3 per cent drag - Shaw's speed wasn't far off 40kph.