Eddie Dunbar leads from Lindsay Watson and Darragh O'Mahony during an action-packed men's National Road Race Championships (Photo: Sean Rowe)
Video men's Irish Road Cycling Champs 2018
The combined elite and U23 road race at the National Championships was an aggressive affair in Co Sligo on Sunday.
Eire Og Cycling Club picked a tough circuit with a challenging climb. And as the men negotiated the course 10 times the field constantly split and regrouped.
But each time it came together again the bunch got smaller and smaller. Eventually a four-man group pulled clear, with three laps remaining.
It contained Conor Dunne (Aqua Blue Sport), Jamie Blanchfield (Panduit Carrick Wheelers), Robert Jon McCarthy (JLT Condor) and Darnell Moore (Caldwell Cycles Omagh).
Dunne and Moore prevailed to take gold and silver. Behind the Team Wiggins men, Mark Downey and Michael O'Loughlin, broke clear for 3rd and 4th.
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The U23 podium was Moore, Downey and O'Loughlin; a sprint between the latter two settling their finishing order.
There's some great footage in here of the climb, the break riding away, the finish and the riders before and after the race.
By Colm Watson
Finish line photos by Sean Rowe
The winner, Conor Dunne.
Darnell Moore was 2nd and also became U23 Irish road race champion.
Mark Downey beats Team Wiggins team mate Michael O'Loughlin for 3rd place.
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Marc Potts claimed 5th on the day.
Nicolas Roche takes 6th just behind Marc Potts.
Eddie Dunbar leads in the group for 7th from James Curry (left) and Lindsay Watson, partially obscured from view.
A very strong ride by Curry.
Irish amateur James Davenport rounded out the top 10. He was the second Irish-based rider home - Darnell Moore the first.
Darragh O'Mahoney takes 11th from Ronan McLaughlin and Alexis Roche; McLaughlin's Viner-Caremark-Pactimo outfit claiming the team prize.
Luke Smith finishes in 14th, leading in Dermot Trulock, Eoin O'Connell and Craig Rea.
Daire Feeley finishes in 18th.
Mark Dowling heads for the showers after his 19th place finish.
Jamie Blanchfield put in an aggressive shift; he rounded out the top 20 having given a very good account of himself.
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