No stranger to medals on the world stage, Ryan Mullen has motored to a career-best time trial ride at the European Games in Baku (Photo: Sirotti)
Any hope Ireland may take a medal from the elite men’s and women’s time trials at the European Games have been put to bed.
Neither Caroline Ryan nor Ryan Mullen threatened in Baku, Azerbaijan, today.
However, 20-year-old Mullen still put in a very decent ride to finish 8th in a 40-rider field with its fair share of WorldTour men.
And given the quality of the field he was up against, his ride is arguably the best time trial result of his career.
Belarusian Vasil Kiryienk, who riders for Team Sky and recently took the tough time trial stage in the Giro d’Italia, was victorious today.
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He was the only rider to go under the hour for the 51.6km test, in a time of 59:36 and average speed of 51.94kph.
Holland’s Stem Clement, who normally rides for IAM Cycling, took silver some 1:10 off the flying winner. Spain’s Luis Leon Sanchez, who rides for Astana, took the bronze medal and was 1:46 adrift of the winner.
Mullen’s average speed of 49.7kph saw him concede 2:41 to Kiryienk.
Caroline Ryan gets her test underway in Baku this morning; she came home 15th in a 30-rider field.
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And while the Irishman took silver in the U23 TT and the World Road Championships last year and 7th in the Tour of Britain TT last September, today’s result is arguably the best of his career.
He had come into these Games in excellent shape, taking 3rd overall in the recent An Post Rás and winning the U23 classification there.
He will be joined by his An Post-Chainreaction team mates Sean Downey, Conor Dunne and Jack Wilson for Sunday’s road race in Baku, along with Eddie Dunbar of NFTO Cycling.
Conor McConvey of Team 3M was on standby but was not called up. His selection as a reserve rider rather than gaining full selection surprised many.
Caroline Ryan was 15th in the 30-rider field today. The title was won by Holland’s Ellen Van Dijk who clocked 32:26, or 47.72kph over the 25.8km course.
Hanna Solovey of Ukraine was 2nd, some 37 seconds back with the new champion’s compatriot Annemiek Van Vleuten taking the bronze, some 1:07 down.
Ryan lost 3:05 to the winner to average 43.626kph.
Ryan is the national time trial champion and while she has never made a podium in that event at a foreign race she has a World Track Championships bronze medal in her palmares.
She won that in the scratch race in Melbourne, Australia, in 2012 and also took bronze at the UCI World Cup in Mexico the following year.
The 35-year-old is hoping to qualify for her first Olympics in Rio next year.
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