Jamie Blanchfield leads Seamus Sinnott in the early escape; the Carrick teenager having the legs to stay the pace and take a fantastic bronze medal after an injury-hit period (Photo: Karen M Edwards)
By Brian Canty
Carrick teenager Jamie Blanchfield put in the breakthrough ride of the day in yesterday’s National Junior Road Race Championships in Blarney, Co Cork; taking the bronze medal and revealing the class that has unfortunately been hidden due to injury this year.
He took to the start line sporting a hefty wrist support on his right side after crashing heavily a couple of weeks ago when coming back from three months off the bike due to a knee injury, with the small matter of the Leaving Cert frustrating his return.
While he said himself he was surprised to take a medal away from the championship race, those around him say he is a rider who would have shown that kind of ability long before now had it now been for his succession of bad luck, which he has hopefully shaken off now.
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“I’m absolutely delighted,” he said at the finish yesterday; a layer of salt caked around his face telling the story of an exhausting contest.
“I was in a crash last week so I just said I’d be aggressive today and I attacked from the gun. My thinking was to ride a few laps and see what happens.
"There were four riders in the first move and then five came across, so we sat up and waited for those lads,” he explained of the formation of the early breakaway.
“As soon as Eddie (Dunbar) and Michael (O’Loughlin) came across I just got in behind Michael. I know what he’s like because I train with him in Carrick.
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“I hung onto them as long as possible, for maybe three laps. Martin O’Loughlin (Michael’s father) shouted out the window and told me I had four minutes on the group so even though I got distanced from the boys I said I’d just drive it on my own for the last three laps to try and get bronze. It paid off.”
On his recent travails, he explained: “I was injured lately and only got back on the bike really in the last couple of weeks.
“I’m so thrilled to get a medal, I didn’t expect it. I thought I’d be destroyed, pulled out. I think I was lucky.
“I never looked back to see was there anyone behind, though I knew Daire Feeley was trying to bridge.
“I just drove it and said ‘if they come up, they come up’. It was my first year racing last year and I only rode the Junior Tour this year and last so I’m happy with the year.”
Jamie Blanchfield had the bravery to get up the road early and the legs to hang on as the rest of the breakaway fell away under the pressure of Eddie Dunbar and Michael O'Loughlin (Photo: Dave Coleman - Dc Images)
