Mark Downey shows his delight at winning stage 6 in France; a victory he takes as his development as a rider continues at a pace (Photo: Laurine Philippe)
Having taken a medal at a major championships while a junior and excelled during his recent first ride at the An Post Rás, the rise and rise of Mark Downey has continued with a fantastic victory on France.
Riding for VC Toucy, the 19-year-old Banbridge man went away in a breakaway yesterday on the 167.8km final stage of the Tour Nivernais Morvan in central France.
And when he reached the finish line in the escape, the young Irishman didn't need an invitation to finish the job.
He powered up the finishing straight to grab the win; his victory salute indicative of how much the performance meant to him.
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The winning move went very early into the stage, with the first of the riders getting clear with only 5km completed.
Downey on the front of the breakaway, which would swell to a much larger number of riders (Photo: Laurine Philippe)
A number of teams had several riders in the escape and with none of those up front a threat in the general classification, the breakaway was given some leeway.
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And with a clear winning margin going into the last 15km, the breakaway began to attack each other; those teams with several members in the move clearly looking to press home their numerical superiority.
Having won the prime earlier in the day, Downey knew he was on a good ride and rode a sensible final, letting the teams with most riders cancel out each other’s attacks but making sure he didn’t miss the boat as the group split.
Despite the aggression coming in the road, the honours were settled in a gallop from the breakaway.
Downey started his kick from a long way out and while he was a distance behind the first three men on the road, he managed to keep it going all the way to the line.
He hit the front only in the last 15 metres, his ability to maintain stop speed longest clinching a great win for him in what is regarded as a significant stage race for bigger teams spotting emerging riders.
Behind him, three members of the Guidon Chalettois squad were 2nd, 3rd and 4th; unable to see off the Irishman.
Downey's time gain on the final stage - with the 11-man escape finising 2:25 ahead of the next group - saw him move up to 14th overall.
Downey, who took a silver medal in the junior points race at the European Track Championships two years ago, enjoyed a very strong Rás and has clearly emerged from it in great form.
He was 13th overall in the Irish showpiece event having finished in the top 15 on five of the eight stages.
We’ll have an interview with Downey later.
Stage 6: Crux-La-Ville to Decize (I67.8km)
1 Mark Downey VC Toucy 4h01'55"
2 Ronan Racault Guidon Chalettois
3 Emilien Clère Guidon Chalettois
4 Enzo Boisset Guidon Chalettois
5 Dorian Lebrat VC Villefranche Beaujolais
6 Victor Gousset CM Aubervilliers 93
7 Jean-Marie Gouret Sojasun espoir-ACNC
8 Benjamin Favre-Teylaz Team Vulco-VC Vaulx-en-Velin
9 Gordian Banzer Team Hörmann
10 Loïc Suchet VC Villefranche Beaujolais
11 Stefan Achermann Team Hörmann @7"
12 Kévin Francillette UC Nantes Atlantique @2'55"
13 Simon Guglielmi CR4C Roanne
14 Guillaume Bonnet Team Probikeshop Saint-Etienne Loire
15 Jan André Freuler Team Hörmann
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