Marcus Christie takes Belgian kermesse win in just second outing of foreign racing stint

Marcus Christie with his winners' bunch of flowers after his first win of the season in Belgium today (Photo courtesy of Dany Blondeel of The Belgian Project)

Fresh from an eye-watering run in time trials on home roads in the past couple of months, comeback man Marcus Christie has relocated to Belgium for a stint of racing and has already come up trumps with his first win there today, Sunday.

The Foyle CC rider blasted his way to victory in the UCI 1.13 kermesse for U23 riders in Boezinge near Ypres today.

The top tester, who has recently joined a very small and exclusive club of Irish riders to beak 19 minutes for a 10 mile time trial, was a clear winner after 115km.

He came home some 49 seconds ahead of Belgian Jonathan Van Betsbrugge in second place with fellow Belgian Timothy Claeys a further nine seconds back in third. Next home was Thomas Ashley of New Zealand, with Irishman Marc Potts taking a strong 5th place.

The Omagh rider Potts is competing in the colours of Tomacc Cycling Team while in Belgium and has already had a good campaign in Ireland, with victory in the Annaclone GP his best result.

That's a fantastic result today by the two Irish riders, with Christie really finding form now after a number of seasons in the wilderness due to a very near career-ending Achilles injury.

He returned to racing last year but it has only been this season that he has put a decent run together and begun to realise the potential that he had shown before his progress was derailed; breaking the 50 mile TT Irish record by more than 5 minutes being one top result for him this summer.