Damien Shaw has opened his account for 2016 with another swashbuckling display. The An Post Chainreaction man was too strong for Sean McKenna (Aquablue) and Ian Richardson (UCD CC) after they had broken away from a large break that animated the 110-kilometre contest. (Picture: Sean Rowe)
By Brian Canty
Damien Shaw claimed his third straight Cycleways Cup this afternoon, the An Post Chainreaction man once again leaving the peloton trailing in his wake.
To be fair to those who ran him closest, namely Sean McKenna (Aquablue) and Ian Richardson (UCD CC), they tried valiantly to shake the Mullingar man but to no avail.
As is often the case in the Navan Road Club-promoted event, the break goes quite early and that was the case again today with a group of around eight clipping off the front inside 10 kilometres.
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At that point in the three-lap affair, the pace was frenetic and on draggy roads it really was a war of attrition.
Those who made that initial split included the aforementioned McKenna and his teammate Greg Swinand, Keith Gater (Waterford Racing team), Craig Rea (Phoenix CC), Adam Armstrong (ASEA-Wheelworx), Daire Feeley (iTap), Timmy O'Regan (Dunboyne CC), Michael O’Loughlin (Team WIGGINS) and Ian Richardson (UCD CC).
Shaw missed the move but as he tends to do, he stormed across and when he did, they all got down to work and really drove a searing pace.
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The returning Conor Murphy (Caldwell Cycles) also managed to get across and he too added to the lively clip the break travelled at.
They were never seen again, though they had to work all afternoon to establish even a gap of 1’30”.
On the last lap, Shaw unleashed his trademark attack and with him went Richardson and McKenna as the remainder began to splinter behind.
Those who remained as legitimate chasers included Feeley, Gater, Armstrong, O’Loughlin and Rea.
With 10 kilometres to go, Richardson, McKenna and Shaw were still clear and it became clear they’d contest the finish, though their advantage did dip under 20 seconds at one point.
As the finish line approached Shaw and McKenna went 'mano-o-mano' with the former coming out on top and Richardson having to be content with third.
See full results here.
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