Darren Rafferty and Dean Harvey have put in very strong performances for Team Ireland at the UCI World Road Championships in Stirling; both powering their way around the U23 TT course and securing results they can be very happy with.
While Rafferty was a genuine medal contender for the event, coming away from the race today with silverware was always going to be difficult given the global talent in the U23 category. And at the end of the contest he was just a few seconds off the bronze medal position.
He ended the 36.2km race in 5th place, some 56 seconds down on the new world champion Lorenzo Milesi, an Italian rider racing with Team dsm-firmenich this year. The highly fancied Alec Segaert (Belgium) took silver, 11 seconds down, while Australian Hamish McKenzie claimed the bronze, at 51 seconds.
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Raúl Pierna García (Spain) was 4th at 54 seconds, with Rafferty next; placing 5th at 56 seconds, which was just five seconds off the bronze medal. That was a fantastic ride by Rafferty, a 20-year-old from Co Tyrone who turns pro with EF Education-EasyPost next season.
Britain’s Josh Charlton looked set for the podium but he faded as the long TT unfolded. He had an issue with his chain, which slipped onto a very small gear at the start of the final climb up to the finish. However, he was not forced to stop and quickly righted himself. In the end, he was 6th some 16 seconds down on Rafferty in 5th, a much bigger gap than the time he lost on that final climb.
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The runner-up, Segaert, was another rider who faded today as he was fastest at the two first checkpoints, but did not demonstrate the same staying power as gold medal man, Milesi.
While Rafferty shone for Ireland, his team mate Harvey should also be delighted with his performance. Riding for Trinity Racing this year, Harvey placed 19th today, of a 79-rider field; a class result for him. Harvey was 2:08 off the winner.
More to come.
