Sean McKenna, Matt Teggart ride strongly in France
Matt Teggart and some of his team mates sit just behind Direct Energie in pursuit of the early breakaway (Photo: Mathilde Clouard)
Sean McKenna and Matt Teggart put in strong rides for An Post-Chainreaction at the weekend in Paris-Troyes.
The two Irish riders finished in a reduced peloton on a day when almost half the field was dropped or failed to finish.
The 179km UCI 1.2-ranked race was won by Yannis Yssaady (Equipe Cycliste Armée de Terre) from Thomas Boudat (Direct Energie) and Bert Van Lerberghe (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise).
While the race has split in crosswinds in the past, conditions were calmer than usual on Sunday when the French sun also greeted the riders.
An early breakaway went clear but was gradually reeled in by the bigger teams.
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When the field hit the finishing circuits, with two climbs each lap, the intensity of the action increased.
Bas Tietema and Przemysław Kasperkiewicz were both in the breakaways on the finishing laps for An Post-Chainreaction.
And though those escapes were recaptured and a bunch sprint decided the honours, the Irish team showed themselves well in the final.
Sean McKenna was 44th and Teggart 55th, both on the same time as the winner.
The main field was whittled down to 100 riders, with another 40 men scattered nine minutes down the road.
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And with the race final run-off on a finishing loops; the inevitable large number of abandons reached just over 40.
Developing to rigours of pro racing
It was a decent ride by the two Irishmen, both of whom are in their first full season at this level.
McKenna rode part of the season with An Post-Chainreaction last year.
But he joined the team quite late into the summer meaning he did not get much top flight racing into his legs.
He is still effectively in his first months of pro racing and has looked well able to hold his own at this level so far.
McKenna looked especially good at the recent Volta ao Alentejo in Portugal when he was on the attack several times.
Similarly, while Teggart raced in France last year for AC Bisontine, he is new to Continental-level racing this year.
He was sidelined with a knee injury very early in the season and Sunday was only his second race back.
The fact he came through it and survived in the bunch suggests he is back on track.
Both now have a long season ahead to gain experience and physically develop to meet the rigours of stepping up to this level.
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