Paidi O’Brien only needed a sniff of the line in Carrick to make sure of another win
By Brian Canty
Paidi O’Brien won his second race in as many weeks when he galloped to victory in yesterday’s Carrick Wheelers Cup in Carrick-on-Suir.
The Planet-Tri rider looked in real trouble when he became distanced from a front group of over 20 riders that broke away from the peloton midway through the race.
But the Banteer native never panicked and when the two groups merged in the final third of the race after some strong riding, he did what he is best at, taking the sprint ahead of Simon Ryan (Visit Nenagh) with Michael Lucey (Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers) in third.
O’Brien, one of the most feared riders on the domestic front is a shrewd operator and is as vigilant to breakaways as he is prolific in sprints. But it could have all been so different yesterday had that front group co-operated better and maintained a gap that at one stage swelled to a minute and a half.
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Just how it happened is mystifying because the peloton itself was an unusually small one, and with the likes of Timmy Barry and Sean Lacey absent, the Aquablue team were not only hampered in their efforts, but the race was one of the most open editions in recent years.
From the drop of the flag, then, the pace was hectic with several riders trying to break clear. Blarney’s Barry Twohig was strong from the outset, while Aquablue’s triumvirate of Olan Barrett, Joe Fenlon and Keith Gater all put in some stinging accelerations.
Another to feature prominently on the opening lap was recently upgraded A3 rider Cathal Moynihan –winner of Rás Luimni and the Cycling Pursuits Cup over the past fortnight.
But despite wave after wave of attack, nothing succeeded in getting any leeway – until the second lap when, inexplicably, the peloton was almost split in half.
In that front escape was the likes of Twohig, Ryan O’Donovan (Cork County CC), the Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers pair of Michael Lucey and Martin Mijgayski, Mark Power (Dungarvan), Stephen Murray (also Dungarvan), Simon Ryan and Richard Hooton (Visit Nenagh), amongst others.
Eventual runner-up Simon Ryan, explains what went wrong, however.
“There wasn’t anyone working, including myself. We worked at the start, a few did some turns but that stopped. The gap did go out to 1:30 at one stage but there was a lot of attacking then because there was too many people sitting on and then it just kind of came to nothing really.”
That merging happened inside the final 30 kilometres and as soon as it did, three men broke clear and formed a dangerous-looking escape.
Dermot Radford (Tipperary Wheelers), Eddie Barry (Planet Tri) and Liam Ryan (Blarney CC) worked well together and pulled out over 30 seconds as the bunch stalled behind.
But, with no Aquablue man present, and several of them in the main bunch, they got to work in reeling in the trio out front.
Barrett, Fenlon and Gater all did strong turns – which undoubtedly hampered their own chances in the finale, and played into the hands of O’Brien and many others who would have fancied their chances.
The trio were caught with just three kilometres to go which paved the way for the bunch sprint.
However, riders had to contend with the rain that was now falling which made for a dicey finale and Barry Twohig - many people’s favourite for a win yesterday came off the worst, crashing on the last bend and out of contention.
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Stephen Halpin, the defending champion, who had been in the original split went early and took O’Brien with him but he faded towards the finish and Ryan was the one who profited, gluing to O’Brien’s wheel but not having the horsepower to come around him.
Still, the Tipperary man was happy with his day’s work.
“I was very happy. I felt on the first laps my legs were heavy, I was trying to get up the road a lot. On the second lap then I got into a big split. There was a lot of attacking going on and I just followed wheels and ended up in this split. But then it came back together so it didn’t really matter anyway. Coming in for the sprint then I just made sure to be in Paidi’s wheel. Fellas were jostling a bit for position. Halpin attacked just outside the town, and Paidi jumped on him. Then I went on Paidi and nearly took Mark Power down and with about 250 metres to go Paidi jumped to the right and he got that gap on me and I couldn’t close it. But I’m still happy to get second. There’s no shame in coming second to a man like him.”
Meanwhile, in the A3 event Dylan Foley maintained his outstanding start to the season by winning his second event following his win in Navan two weeks ago.
The Nicolas Roche Performance Team rider was easily the strongest of a large peloton who contended over 100 kilometres and three laps of the usual course. He came in ahead of Dennis O'Shea (Killarney CC) and Eoin Greene of the host club. Foley's teammates Danny Bruton and Fintan Ryan also placed in the top six in a good day for the team.
Elsewhere, Barry Meehan (Worldwide Cycles) followed up his win in Caherconlish last Sunday at Rás Luimni with a fabulous sprint victory yesterday, coming in several bike lengths ahead of Michael Crowley (Killarney CC) and Patrick Clifford (Killarney CC).
Barry Meehan takes the A4 race in Carrick yesterday after victory in Caherconlish last weekend
Dylan Foley has been the Nicolas Roche team’s start turn thus far, taking another A3 win yesterday
2013 Carrick Wheelers Cup sponsored by Thompson Funeral Directors Waterford Results
A1/A2 Race
1st Paudi O’Brien – Planet Tri
2nd Simon Ryan – Visit Nenagh
3rd Michael Lucey – Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers
4th David Walsh – Slaney CC
5th Robin Kelly – Aqua Blue
6th Trevor Robinson – Comeragh CC
7th Mark Power – Dungarvan CC
8th Martin Mizgajski – Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers
A3 Race
1st Dylan Foley – NRPT
2nd Denis O’Shea – Killarney
3rd Eoin Greene – Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers
4th Danny Bruton – NRPT
5th Fintan Ryan – NRPT
6th Luke Maguire – Wexford Wheelers
7th Michael Aherne – DCC
8th Eoin O’Donoghue – Limerick CC
A4 Race
1st Barry Meehan – Worldwide Cycles
2nd Mick Crowley – Planet Tri
3rd Patrick Clifford – Killarney CC
4th Paul Smith – Waterford RC
5th Kevin Sheehan – Bandon CC
6th Shane O’Neill – Aqua Blue
7th Conor Henebry – Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers
8th Paul Bourke – Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers
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