Michael O'Loughlin proved best of the Irish U23 team in the L'Etoile d'Or Nations Cup event in France today.
The 180km race from Lussac-les-Châteaux to Civaux concluding on finishing circuits with a sketchy descent to the line.
As the riders swept down into the finish a crash at the front of the peloton saw it split a little and the Irish lose some vital positioning.
O'Loughlin, Ben Healy and Conn McDunphy were in the hunt near the front but the crash threw a spanner in the works and it was the front 10 or 12 riders that were not impacted by the fall.
Italian national team rider Alexander Konychev, who normally competes in the colours of Dimension Data for Qhubeka, got a gap coming down the descent where the crash occurred.
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He swept into the finishing straight with a handful of seconds in hand to win it well; by two seconds from Dutchman Marten Kooistra.
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Michele Gazzoli and Alberto Dainese were next home; claiming 3rd and 4th for Italy.
O'Loughlin was 13th at 12 seconds while Healy and McDunphy were 30th and 32nd at 15 seconds.
The Irish trio had a great chance of combining to take a top 10 placing at least, until the crash intervened.
Adam Stenson was 48th at 29 seconds and Darragh O'Mahony was 81st at 5:50. Dillon Corkery was 86th at 10:04.
The racing came together late in the day after a breakaway was caught by a reduced peloton just before the approach to the finish.
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