Ryan Mullen on his way to taking two national titles in Omagh and making a significant piece of history along the way (Photo: Stephen McMahon - Sportsfile)
The quickest man of the field in last year’s National Time Trial Championships, Ryan Mullen only went home with the U23 gold as Cycling Ireland rules prevented him from taking the elite title as well.
But this evening in Omagh he was crowned double champion after rule changes since last year when he stormed to victory on the 37km course just outside Omagh.
He saw off Eddie Dunbar (NFTO Pro Cycling), who won silver, and Martyn Irvine of Madison-Genesis who took bronze.
However, the margin of victory was not as big as many would have expected, underlining how far Dunbar has come not to mention the kind of form he is in ahead of Sunday’s road race.
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Mullen completed the 37km course in 47mins 46secs, with Dunbar - who despite being a former junior champion is not a TT specialist - just 25 seconds back.
And Irvine was a further 46 seconds down.
A flying Eddie Dunbar shows the strain on his way to a fantastic silve medal in both the elite and U23 men's race on the night (Photo: Stephen McMahon - Sportsfile)
But between now and Sunday morning, when Mullen lines out to defend the combined U23 and elite road race crown he took in Multyfarnham last year, he is now the holder of the elite and U23 road titles and time trial titles; the first man to achieve that feat.
A former TT silver medalist at the European Junior Championships, Mullen took silver in the U23 test at the World Road Championships in Spain last year.
On that occasion he was beaten by Australian Campbell Flakemore by less than half a second; the champion having since sighed for WorldTour team BMC.
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Most riders would dine out for years on the two bronze medals Mullen won at the U23 European Track Championships two years ago.
But it is a mark of his ability that they are almost a footnote in his career to date, as is his 4th place 18 months ago in the individual pursuit at the elite World Track Championships.
And against the backdrop of that pedigree, it looked impossible before this evening’s racing started for anyone in the field to beat him.
This was despite even the presence of Martyn Irvine in the line up.
The most decorated man in the field, Martyn Irvine had to be content with bronze but is one of the hot favourites for Sunday's road race (Photo: Stephen McMahon - Sportsfile)
Irvine is the only Irish rider still racing who is more decorated on the international stage than Mullen – his elite track world title and two worlds silvers, not to mention a gold and two silvers at UCI World Cup level, trumping anything Mullen has done since leaving the junior ranks 2½ years ago.
Mullen, incredibly still only aged 20 years, is riding in the colours of An Post-Chainreaction for a second season this year.
He has insisted several times that he has a long way to go before he develops into the kind of rider who can consistently hold his own at WorldTour level even if he was offered a place there.
But having finished 3rd in the An Post Rás last month where he also won the U23 classification and taken what was perhaps a career best results of 8th at the European Games in Baku against World Tour opposition, his development both on the road and against the clock is clearly continuing unabated.
A while taking an Irish title has never secured a pro contract for any former champion, his victory again tonight – and more importantly the predictability of it – is further evidence suggesting he is on the cusp of a career in the big time.
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