After winning yesterday's C3 race at the Annaclone Grand Prix with a 50km solo effort from just after the start, Curtis McKee has pulled of a similarly impressive performance at the Phoenix GP today.
The first-year junior got clear in a breakaway before taking off on his own and going solo all the way to the line. In the process, he caught and passed the C2 bunch and the C2 breakaway; coaching from former leading international Tommy Evans clearly going well.
Under the new Cycling Ireland grading system first-year juniors like McKee (Spellman Dublin Port) start their seasons as C3s, even though he is already a junior international, having ridden for Ireland in cyclocross during the winter.
McKee, a 16-year-old from Ballinderry, Lisburn, told stickybottle he soon hoped to be in the higher category as the longer races would help develop him, especially towards a goal like Dornan Rás Mumhan at Easter, when the stages in Kerry will be much longer and harder.
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"I took off (after the start) and put some small efforts in to see who was there, who was doing what," he said of the start to his winning ride today at the Phoenix GP.
"And then maybe a lap in, we got away and then that just stayed away until 1½ laps to go and on a drag I put the hammer down and I was gone from there," he said of getting clear solo. "I caught the C2 bunch and then the C2 breakaway."
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In that move with McKee were: Patrick Knapcok (Inspired Cycling), Lee Harvey (VC Glendale), Colin Murtagh (Island Wheelers), Aaron Fegan (North Down CC) and Elliott McKeegan (Team Madigan CC).
McKee said he was happy with how he was going but was very hopeful, and felt he needed, a quick move up the category as some of the C3 races were 50km, but the stages at Dornan Rás Mumhan may be 140km at Easter.
Behind McKee today, Patrick Knapcok (Inspired Cycling) was 2nd, Lee Harvey (VC Glendale) 3rd, Colin Murtagh (Island Wheelers) 4th, Elliott McKeegan (Team Madigan CC) 5th and Aaron Fegan (North Down CC) 6th.
Having taken a big step forward during the cyclocross season, including winning silver in the junior race at the National Cyclocross Championships, McKee said he was delighted to keep his form going.
"During 'cross I had never done any specific efforts, anything that would build fatigue," he said. "I was looking to the road throughout the cyclocross season and then I just never really took a break, kept the momentum going."
He added his big move up in performance during the cyclocross season, and now into his first junior road season, was down to "grit and determination and just really wanting it more".
Having been annoyed at himself during his second year as an U16 last year, he said he decided to become more professional and has enjoyed - and was clearly succeeding - working under Rás Tailteann winner Evans as coach.
