The men of the race; winner Damien Shaw and runner-up Eddie Dunbar embrace at the finish after a magnificent National Road Race Championships (Photo with thanks to Stephen O'Shea)
Having finished in the top three on the last three stages of the An Post Rás and been third at the National Road Race Championships two years ago, Damien Shaw was today crowned king of Irish cycling in Omagh, Co Tyrone.
The Mullingar fireman, riding for Team Asea, made his way into the early breakaway, with no fewer than three team mates for company.
And when that move built a gap of over five minutes, it was clear some of the big favourites who missed the boat again this year were out of the running.
Eventual winner Shaw would then pull clear going out onto the final lap with 18-year-old Eddie Dunbar (NFTO Pro Cycling).
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Chris Reilly and Ali Macaulay of Team ASEA leading what would prove to be the winning breakaway at the National Road Race Championships (Photo: Toby Watson)
Once off the front they ate up the road on the last lap; two of the real powerhouses of Irish cycling building a huge lead of 2:15 over the remainder of the breakaway that split to pieces in their dust.
Clearly smarting from having been beaten for victory in the Rás three days in a row, Shaw was intent on not leaving the fight for the gold medal to a sprint up the finishing straight.
He managed to distance Dunbar just a few kilometres from the finish, with Dunbar holding on brilliantly for silver and the U23 title.
Conor Dunne of An Post Chainreaction, who was in the main escape of the day and made a brave solo bid for home with two laps remaining, took the bronze medal.
Daniel Stewart of Phoenix CC would take the silver medal in the U23 contest, with Sean Hahessy of Fitscience taking the bronze.
How it unfolded
Like last year’s contest in Multyfarnham, there were constant attacks off the front of the bunch. Those active included: Marc Potts of promoting club Omagh Wheelers, Conor McConvey (Team 3M) and Damien Shaw (Team ASEA), among others.
However, it was not until the first lap had been completed and the field headed out onto the second circuit that the race began to take shape.
And once the escape became established it looked like it had a very strong chance of making it all the way, in a repeat of last year when Ryan Mullen (An Post-Chainreaction) triumphed.
The 14 riders in that front group were: Marc Potts (Omagh Wheelers), Ali Macaulay, Damien Shaw, Chris Reilly, Roger Aiken (all Team Asea), Eddie Dunbar (NFTO Pro Cycling), Daniel Stewart (Phoenix CC), Conor Dunne (An Post-Chainreaction), Sean Hahessy (Fitscience), Stephen Clancy (Novo Nordisk), Anthony Murray (Subaru Albion) and Mark Dowling (DID Dunboyne).
Special mention must be made of the other man in the escape; Stevie McKenna of Omagh Wheelers.
As race director of the championships, he took off his organiser's hat today and threw himself into the title race and was active off the front early on.
While he made what would prove to be the winning move, and indeed was one of the first men to form it; the pressure of such a long and tough week organising the racing took its toll.
He would lose his place as the gap on the bunch was opening.
However, his aggression and place in the key escape underlined the ambitious approach he took to the events of this week; going as hard at the racing as he did putting on what was a fantastic show in Omagh.
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The scenario was almost identical to last year except the team dominating the breakaway this time around was the domestic squad of Team Asea rather than the An Post-Chainreaction outfit.
Those up front worked very hard and with a number of really strong engines present it was no surprise to see the gap grow out to over five minutes as the laps ticked by.
Behind, not long after the escape had taken shape and begun to build its huge lead than the peloton split to pieces under the attacking of many of the main favourites who had missed the move but were keen to get back on terms.
With three laps remaining a group with some very strong names had formed and were chasing the breakaway hard; bringing down the gap to 3:40.
However, while that chase looked strong and serious, it always seemed they may have let the gap get too big and left their pursuit too late.
McKenna leads the chase group that left it too late, with Fyffe just behind him followed by McCrystal, Brammeier and Irvine (Photo: Toby Watson)
In that 10-man chase group were, among others: Matt Brammeier (MTN (MTN-Quebeka), Martyn Irvine (Madison Genesis), Ian Richardson (UCD CC), Javan Nulty (DID Dunboyne), Paidi O’Brien (Osbourne Meats-McCarthy Cycles), Angus Fyffe (Omagh Wheelers), Ryan Mullen (An Post-Chainreaction), Sean McKenna (Aquablue) and Bryan McCrystal (Team Asea).
Up ahead the race was splitting and with a couple of laps remaining it was Conor Dunne who struck out first, building a modest gap on his own but eventually being caught by what remained of the front group.
And by the time the front of the race came into Omagh to begin the last lap, there were just two leading; Dunbar and Shaw.
And that was how it would remain, as the two powerful riders up front worked together to pull out of a gap of over one minute and then north of two minutes to ensure one of them would be champion.
And Shaw would prove to win that battle; getting the better of Dunbar when he pulled away from him in the closing kilometres to take a very popular win.
It was still an amazing ride by Dunbar, who is still only 18 years old and was 2nd in the combined senior and U23 TT on Thursday.
He comes away from these championships with silver in the U23 TT, silver in the senior TT, gold in the U23 road race and silver in the senior road race.
The bronze was taken by Conor Dunne.
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