Michael Crowley romps home for today's final stage in Kanturk; his third from four stage wins saw him consolidate his yellow jersey (Photo: Brendan Slattery)
By Brian Canty
Michael Crowley enjoyed his best ever weekend on a bike when he won three stages of the Corkman A4 event in Kanturk as well as the overall. He is now upgraded to A3, and based on his performances over the last three days he’ll have no trouble adapting to the upper echelon.
The Planet-Tri rider, whose father Patsy played a key role in putting the team together, didn’t have it all his own way but said he was thrilled to have won, with just three seconds to spare over Michael O’Mahony (Killarney).
“Ah yeah, I’m delighted,” said Crowley.
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“It was tough going. Sunday was probably the hardest day defending yellow after I won the time-trial.”
Crowley was seventh on the opening leg on Saturday afternoon when the field had to contend with two laps of a hilly circuit.
“The tempo on the first lap was high going up the climb. It was all together, I tried going away once or twice but there was no escaping,” he explained.
“On the last lap, it was handy going up the climb but it picked up when we came into Newmarket and going into the last corner in Kanturk it was all strung out. Shane Power attacked on his own and got three or four bike lengths and I thought he’d be caught in the sprint but I died coming to the line and finished up seventh.”
But all that was about to change when he blasted to victory in the TT on Sunday morning in a time of 11.39.
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“I was a bit disappointed with Saturday but I knew I’d come back. I’d been out practicing the TT and I got a loan of a bike so I knew I’d do a good TT. In the end I had three seconds to spare over Michael O’Mahony I think.”
Then came the afternoon stage and defending yellow.
“It was fast; there was a lot of attacking. I was at the front for most of it, trying to keep it together or bring it back. It was tough. There was a group of about four got away on the second lap and we brought them back on the third lap.”
“It all stayed together then, the pace picked up coming in the main road and as we came into the last corner two fellas jumped and Michael O’Mahony went with them. So I knew I had to follow him because he was only three seconds down. The bunch came up them and caught them so with about 200 metres to go I went and I won that.”
He gained no time bonus for the win, meaning he still only had three seconds on O’Mahony going into today’s final stage.
“Shane Power from Waterford and another fella took off from the word go and had 45 seconds at one stage on the first lap. I was at the front driving it with John Colleran. We brought them back and then going over the hill the second time I got distanced but got back on so from there on I just hid in the bunch for the rest of it.”
“Michael threw in a dig to try and get away approaching Kanturk and he strung it. There were three or four broke, I was there with another fella Rory Sexton and we went across to the few ahead. As we were coming up the hill then I just dropped a gear and went for it and said I should be able to get it and luckily I did.”
It was a superb win, his third from four stages, and wrapped up the overall in convincing style.
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