Tom Lane, the Irish U16 champion, was delighted with his win in Belgium (Photo: Kurt Vermeerbergen-cyclingsitebe)
Tom Lane (Dan Morrissey) has already shown great promise on home roads, winning a senior stage race last year as a first-year U16, and now the youth national champion has taken a fine win in Belgium.
He lined out at an U16 kermesse in Voortkape, in the province of Antwerp in northern Belgium, alongside Bohermeen CC's Eoin Davis, with both riding for Cycling Leinster.
Throughout the race, the two Irish riders were to the fore, repeatedly attacking and stringing out the bunch. However, while they managed to get clear in small groups, the Belgian riders were racing hard to close them down, and not letting anything go.
On several occasions, Lane and Davis went very close to splitting the race with their relentless pace on the front. But when splits emerged in the peloton, they were closed up again.
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Just when it looked like they may have to settle for fighting for a result in a bunch sprint, Lane made his move with only two laps of the circuit remaining.
When one of the local riders attacked, Lane waited for him to get a gap and then went after him, with the riders in the bunch now more fatigued and not responding as quickly this time.
Lane, a 16-year-old from Cork, got up to the lone leader and then went past him, doing a long pull on the front in a bid to secure a race-winning advantage.
However, when he nudged his elbow to ask the other rider to come through, his efforts were not to Lane's liking. The Irishman took off solo and blast away towards victory.
His late burst of power, over the final two laps, meant he took a solo victory, in front of a large crowd, by over one minute.
More to come.
