Dowling’s late break delivers knockout blow to Clarke hopes
Dowling (DID Dunboyne) started the day equal on time with Clarke, knowing he would have to shake off the Liquidworx-Fitscience man on a notoriously fast and dangerous circuit around the town.
Dowling, who won a stage of the race back in 2012 and briefly held the yellow jersey, did just that with 25 of the 115km stage remaining when he clipped off the front with a group of seven and maintained a lead of around a dozen seconds over the peloton (containing Clarke) for the remainder of the race.
“I’m just completely relieved,” said the winner, whose father Mick is a former Olympic boxer and respected RTÉ analyst.
“I knew all I needed was a second to take the jersey off Paddy but it’s a lot tougher than it sounds. His team rode incredibly well for the first half of the race — which I knew they would — but the lads in my team just told me to bide my time and wait to make my move. I could see Paddy was losing men because they were getting tired from having to chase so many and I knew one good attack would see me get away.
” So I waited and waited and on the drag just after we turn left at the top of the town I attacked and managed to get a gap and took a few more with me. At that point it was all or nothing. If I was brought back or faded I’d be swamped by the bunch.
“But with two laps to go [6km] I felt I had it in the bag, barring a major disaster. To ride up the town and seeing the crowds and my parents there was just magic. I’m so over the moon but I do feel for Paddy, he rode so well all weekend and was in every move that mattered.
“It’s been a long time coming for me though, and in this race you need as much luck as you do legs and thankfully I had both.”
For Clarke’s part, he crossed the line completely spent but offered no excuses or regrets.
“It’s heartbreaking to lose like that,” he sighed. “I was in the break Saturday all day for 140km and the same on Sunday and we thought we were in a good position midway through the stage today because my team rode so strongly and chased down attack after attack.
“But eventually that effort took its toll on them like I knew it would and I had to fend for myself. I had all the numbers of the guys I needed to watch written down on my handlebars and memorised. But sometimes it’s not just meant to be. I’m gutted but I’m proud of how I rode all weekend and I will be back.”
The stage was a fast and furious one with many of the 176 riders who signed on trying to escape, but the first meaningful attack involved Bryan Long (St Finbarr’s CC/Centra) jumping clear and taking Simon Ryan (Nenagh CC), Simon Holt (Felt Colbornes), Aquablue’s Robin Kelly and Keith Gater as well as Omagh CC’s Marc Potts with him. They went 50 seconds ahead and stayed clear before eventually fading.
After that followed a period of intense attacking but it was Aquablue powerhouse and Irish track rider Bryan McCrystal who went clear next and took three more with him — Anto Walsh (UCD CC) among them. And they contested the finish with McCrystal taking it on the line from Walsh. The mountains’ jersey went to the youngest rider in the race and one of the most promising riders in the country, Dylan Foley of Aquablue, but riding in the colours of the Irish U23 development team, while the best U23 rider in the race was Sjors Dekker of the West Frisia team from Holland.
They also took the prize for the best team in the race. Sean Lacey (Aquablue) was the best Kerry rider while another Kerryman, Brendan Cassidy, won the jersey for the highest placed A2 category rider.
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