One of emerging young riders on the Irish scene, Aoife O’Brien
has been crowned junior women’s road race champion for 2021, capping what has
been a fantastic season for her.
The Westmeath teenager is a first year junior this season
and has already been selected to ride both the Europeans and the World Championships
for Ireland.
Today in Co Wicklow she justified her status as ‘first
name on the team sheet’ by winning the title race. Disappointingly, the event
attracted just three entrants, which will be of concern to Cycling Ireland,
especially as some very good junior riders apparently chose not to take part.
However, young O’Brien won a round of the elite National
Road Series as an U16 two years ago and was 3rd in one round – the tough John
Beggs Memorial – this year as a first-year junior. And if today’s race had
attracted a much bigger field, O’Brien would still have gone into the contest
as a red hot favourite for the gold medal.
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The Torelli-Assure-Cayman
Islands-Scimitar rider claimed the
title today ahead of Emma Smith of
Navan Road Club, with Annie
Roche (Scott Quanta Racing) claiming
bronze.
O’Brien got the
better of Smith in the sprint to the finish line after 53.8km of racing, with
Roche a further 20 seconds back after an event that was marked by plenty of
action despite the small field.
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O’Brien, who has
been a very prolific rider in the youth ranks since she started cycling, was
understandably delighted having won the gold medal today.
“I tried to break up the race as much as possible,” she
said. “I went on the second lap and I had about three laps by myself. I just
misjudge it; (attacked) a bit too early. And the two girls kept me under
pressure the whole way.
“When they caught back on it was just a case of recover
and get myself ready for the sprint. I tried to break it up again on that drag
on the last lap and Emma kept with me.
“And when we work up until the line; and it was just cat
and mouse and I was delighted to get it. I had nothing left. It was such a
tough race.”
During the race O’Brien said she felt confident, though
when she was clear on her own she was gaining on Smith and Roche on the climbs
and losing group to them on the flat when they could work together.
“As the time gap was slipping a bit I was, like, ‘OK,
they’re going to catch me’,” she said, adding she was “just delighted” to win
because even with a small field it is always very hard to predict a race
outcome.
O’Brien said while she loved racing, she would also
recommend cycling to any girls her aged as it was always “a great way to clear
your head”, adding there was also a real sense of camaraderie in the sport.
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