Richard Maes dives for the line at the end of today's second stage of the Suir Valley Three-Day in Clonmel. The Killarney CC man took the win by mere inches courtesy of a last-ditch bike throw.
By Brian Canty
Richard Maes has taken a stunning win in the Suir Valley Three-Day, throwing the bike across the line to just about get the verdict at the end of this morning’s second stage.
The Killarney CC man was a doubt to start this morning as he’s been suffering with flu-like symptoms the last couple of days.
But he put that to one side in the final kilometres when he sensed victory was within his grasp.
He stayed towards the head of a JLT-Condor P/B Mavic controlled bunch coming to the line in Clonmel after a chaotic and brutally fast 92-kilometre leg before launching his sprint coming off the final bend in the town’s main street.
Advertisement
He was kept honest all the way to the line by a host of riders but a last-ditch bike throw saw him awarded arguably the biggest win of his career.
It had been a really absorbing stage with Daire Feeley one again lighting up the contest with an all-or-nothing attack some 40 kilometres out.
Related News
The iTap man started the day just four seconds down on yellow jersey wearer Stephen Williams (JLT-Condor P/B Mavic) but when he took flight solo it looked like a rather long-range effort.
But the men in black clearly underestimated the young Roscommon man because in the space of a few kilometres he was out of sight and his advantage growing.
His cause was helped by the flying Eoin Morton (UCD-Fitzcycles.ie) and Anthony Walsh (Aquablue) who stormed across to him.
That trio worked like savages to gain an advantage but they never had more than a minute as JLT-Condor deployed all men to keep them in check.
But when the yellow jersey crashed with 15 kilometres to go things looked to swing in Feeley’s favour.
Some of Williams teammates went back to help, others were in two minds whether to wait or drive on to bring back Feeley.
The speed was frantic in the final kilometres and Walsh popped with three kilometres to go but it was a cracking ride by him once again, his muck-spattered face and bloodshot eyes telling the story of a man who had emptied the tank.
Morton and Feeley dangled out front as the pace ramped up even more and credit to Williams he got back on to ensure he lost no time.
A couple of crashes disrupted the run-in but Maes avoided all the danger by staying right on the nose of the bunch and when he sensed the time was right he let fly for a truly brilliant win.
Topics
