Mullen powers to Irish TT Champs gold, amateur Peden splits World Tour men

*Ryan Mullen dug deep to win gold at the National TT Championships, the tenth elite Irish title on the road for the 30-year-old*

Ryan Mullen (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) has emptied the tank at the National TT Championships in Co Westmeath to take an incredible 10th national elite title on the road; seven in the TT and three road race crowns.

Though the former TT specialist turned lead-out man is one of the best testers Irish cycling has ever seen, he was pushed hard in Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath, tonight by amateur rider George Peden (PB Performance).

Peden, a noted time trialist, pulled off something quite special in splitting the two fancied World Tour men in the field; Mullen and Darren Rafferty (EF Education-EasyPost). However, given the tight margins at the top of the results, on a wet and cold evening, Peden's silver medal ride may give him some sleepless nights in the weeks ahead.

Now mixing his cycling with working full time - for the first time - Peden came to within six seconds of pulling off what would have been a huge shock. And the 25-year-old may spend some time in deep reflection on where he could have found those few seconds he needed for gold.

But there is no arguing with Mullen as Irish champion. A medal winner an the U23 Worlds and elite Europeans against the watch in the years when TT was a bigger focus for him, he can clearly still turn it on against the clock.

He blasted around the 25.4km course in an average speed of 51.896kmph to beat Peden by six seconds, with reigning road race champion Rafferty taking 3rd, at 14 seconds.

“Obviously I come here every year really motived to try and win, but every year it’s getting harder and harder to win," said Mullen after his gold medal ride.

Related News

Lara Gillespie attacks Dolomite stage as Giro hits high mountains

Video - Ireland's Meehan climbs with best on brutal Alpine terrain

"It’s always a big relief to come and pull this off – everyone thinks the World Tour guys come in and lap it up, but there’s a lot of stiff competition and you have to really work for it.

"I had a feeling it was going to be pretty windy, and I didn’t plan for the rain but here we are, in the middle of Ireland, nothing new there. It was challenging, had to be cautious at the roundabout.”

The road race champion from two years ago, Rory Townsend (Q36.5 Cycling Team) was 4th, at 27 seconds. Marcus Christie (Isle of Man), who has medaled three times at the elite TT championships, was 5th at 30 seconds, with Ian Inglis (Kinning Cycles) taking 6th place at 1:22.

Conn McDunphy (Team Skyline) was 7th, at 1:23; the former elite Irish TT champion perhaps not enjoying his best outing despite his recent win at Tour de Beauce (2.2) in Canada. Jason Kenny (UCD Cycling Club) was 8th on the night at 4:06.

The U23 men's TT podium was comprised of the three Irish riders who rode so well at the recent Giro Next Gen in Italy. Both stage winners in that race, Adam Rafferty (Hagens Berman Jayco) and Seth Dunwoody (Bahrain Victorious Development) took gold and silver, with 23 seconds separating them.

Just four seconds behind Dunwoody, Ronde de l'Isard (2.2U) runner-up, Liam O'Brien (Lidl Trek Future Racing) was 3rd. Then came Conor Prendergast (Velo Performanc), in 4th place at 1:34, followed by Con Scully (Dan Morrissey Pissei) in 5th, at 1:41, and Ronan O'Connor (Team Skyline), in 6th at 1:50.

Men Elite 25.4km