Eoin Morton survives scares as Simon Ryan wins final battle
Simon Ryan claims the final stage of the AmberGreen Energy Tour of Ulster after a day of real drama (Photo: Stephen McMahon - Tour of Ulster)
Simon Ryan has taken a great stage win on the final day of the Tour of Ulster. But the man with the race lead this morning, Eoin Morton, has taken the 2017 title.
Morton held the leader’s pink jersey going into the final stage two years ago.
And while he looked in a very strong position to win, a day of hard riding left him vulnerable.
Mark Dowling would exploit that clinically with a late attack to win the race outright.
Since then, however, Morton’s stock has rocketed. He has become one of the very best riders in the country, his Rás stage win last year simply underlining that fact.
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And so he makes the journey from the north back to Wicklow this evening with the title on his palmares and the cup to show for his efforts.
However, it wasn’t all plain sailing today for Morton. And one he owes a beer is UCD FitzCycles team mate Ian Richardson.
He dropped back from a dangerous breakaway to take his place at the front of the peloton. And that turned the race back in Morton’s favour, as the leader was stranded at that point.
With a 75.8 mile stage to contend with today, the riders faced seven laps of a circuit before finishing in Moy.
Morton had been in the winning breakaway on stage 1, when he was 4th. And yesterday he rode clear with Robert Jon McCarthy (JLT Condor).
They would take 1:40 out of the nearest challengers. Morton won the race after McCarthy showed a real touch of class in waiting for the UCD man when he punctured near the finish.
It meant starting out this morning Eoin Morton had the lead overall and in the climbers’ and points classifications.
In the overall standings Morton began the final stage 49 seconds to good over McCarthy, a former Australian international.
And the winner of the opening stage Darragh O’Mahony, guesting for Waterford Racing, was 3rd overall at 1:40.
Top, Morton crowned winner of the race overall this afternoon. Above, winning stage 2 just ahead of McCarthy (Photos: StephenMcMahon)
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So top of Morton’s ‘things to do today’ list was to keep a close eye on McCarthy. However, when an early moved went McCarthy was in it and Morton was absent.
As well as McCarthy and the aforementioned Richardson two Aqua Blue Sport Academy riders were there; Mark O'Callaghan and Anthony Walsh.
The now ever present Darnell Moore (Caldwell Cycles Omagh) was also imposing himself alongside a duo of Cycling Ulster riders; Chris McGlinchey and Lindsay Watson (Cycling Ulster).
David McFall (Omagh Wheelers Cycling Club) also made the move as did David Watson (The Bike House CC).
That line-up contained some very serious horse power. And it was no surprise to see the gap grow.
It nudged towards one minute after 20 miles, making McCarthy – riding for Monaghan this weekend - the race leader on the road.
However, Richardson decided he would sit up. And though he was not contributing to the breakaway, his sitting up dropped huge wattage into the chase behind.
With 30 miles done the lead was still around one minute. But 10 miles late the hard riding in bunch and breakaway started to show.
McFall lost his place in the escape and the gap was now down to about 40 seconds. However, it soon went back to one minute.
Showing calmness that perhaps absent two years ago and cost him dearly; Morton adopted a steady approach.
With the breakaway just up the road, the chase reeled it in very gradually until the catch was made with just 8 miles remaining.
But then fresh danger presented.
No sooner had McCarthy and the rest of the escape been caught than a 14-rider group clipped off the front.
Yet again, McCarthy was in the group and Morton was absent.
Matteo Cigala (Aqua Blue Sport Academy), Conor McCann (Caldwell Cycles Omagh) and Marc Potts (Cycling Ulster) were in the breakaway.
Craig Rea (Phoenix CC), Conn McDunphy and Dermot Trulock, both Lucan CRC, were also in the escape.
Mark Dowling, James Davenport and Michael Fitzgerald made the cut for Strata3-Velorevolution Cycling Team).
Also in the move were David Brody (Team iTAP), Keith Fox (Team Planet X Carnac), Toni Ballester Llobera (Team Sportactive Racing) and Lewis Ferguson (The Bike House CC).
Robin Kelly (Waterford Racing) and Kevin McKinney (CCT) also made it across. And while the escape gained no more than 15 seconds, it was still a danger for the stage and overall.
However, with just over a mile to the finish, it was back together again and Morton have overall victory in the back.
Simon Ryan got the better of a bunch full of top riders in good form and took the stage.
Cigala was 2nd and Marc Potts (Cycling Ulster) rounded out the podium. In 4th place was a man worth watching; Belgium-based teenager Marc Heaney (Carn Wheelers) getting up for 4th after a tough weekend of racing.
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