Mark Downey thought his chance was gone on the Baby Giro but came through very strong for a great result on the final road stage.
Mark Downey 4th on Baby Giro final day
Mark Downey has taken 4th place on the final road stage of the Baby Giro. The Team Wiggins man came through at the end of a short sharp stage for his best result of the race.
The field split to pieces on the 72.8km contest from Conegliano to Valdobbiadene. And with an undulating final 3km, just 40 riders were sprinting for victory.
Italians Alberto Dainese and Francesco Di Felice were 1st and 2nd respectively. Belgian rider Julian Mertens was 3rd, with Downey next.
He adds his 4th place on the morning stage 9a - before the afternoon TT - to his 11th in the prologue TT and 9th on stage 6.
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“I woke up not feeling so well so sat at the back for the first 20km feeling sorry for myself,” said Downey of today’s morning stage.
“And then as the stage went on I knew I was going well as I looked at other people's faces.
“It was a rolly parcours and blew to bits mid way. And I got an easy ride back on and focused on the sprint.
“I started my sprint a bit far back and that cost me dearly. I had the legs; I thought it was to be my day.
“Maybe it was a missed opportunity. But I know I'm knocking on the door with the best U23s in the world now.
“So I have to be happy. I came for a stage win but it is what it is.”
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Matt Teggart also rode very strongly today; making the front group and finishing in 12th place.
Daire Feeley (Union Cycliste de Monaco) was a little further back, finishing in 122nd some 4:45 down.
Downey comes in just off a podium placing on this morning's road stage before the afternoon test ended the Baby Giro.
The field was split as the short morning stage saw plenty of attacks. And a crash near the front of the bunch with about 10km remaining saw the chances of many wiped out.
One of those to lose out was race leader Alejandro Osorio of Colombia. He limped home 1:26 down having started the day just eight seconds ahead of Russian Aleksandr Vlasov in the general standings.
The stage result saw race lead switch to Vlasov with just the afternoon 22.4km TT remaining. In that test the new leader was 7th, some 1:13 down on stage winner Robert Stannard of Australia, and wrapped up the outright victory.
João Almeida, a 19-year-old from Portugal riding for Hagens Berman Axeon, was 2nd overall.
He would have won the race outright after his 2nd place in the final test but for losing 50 seconds on this morning's road stage due to the crash.
Of the Irish; Feeley was best placed overall. He rode very solidly on the climbs in the nine-day race and ended it 34th overall, at 47:03.
Teggart was 43rd some 54:58 down. And Downey finished 65th, at 1:13:34. Their team mate Mark Donovan, who had the race lead at one point, finished 2nd overall at 15 seconds.
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