Mullen dominates opening night of nationals

Ryan Mullen was last night crowned national U23 and elite time trial champion after he beat Eddie Dunbar (NFTO) and Martyn Irvine (Madison Genesis) on the opening night of this year’s championships.

Between now and Sunday morning, when Mullen lines out to defend the combined road race crown he took in Multyfarnham 12 months ago, he holds the elite and U23 road titles and time trial titles; the first man to achieve that feat.

A former TT silver medalist at the European Junior Championships, Mullen took silver in the U23 test at the World Road Championships in Spain last year.

On that occasion he was beaten by Australian Campbell Flakemore by less than half a second, the champion having since signed for WorldTour team BMC.

Against the backdrop of a phenomenal pedigree, it looked impossible before last evening’s racing started that anyone in the field could beat him — this despite even the presence of Irvine in the line up.

Irvine is the only Irish rider still racing who is more decorated on the international stage than Mullen — his elite track world title and two world silvers, not to mention a gold and two silvers at UCI World Cup level, trumping anything Mullen has done since leaving the junior ranks two years ago.

Mullen, still only 20, is riding in the colours of An Post-Chainreaction for a second season this year.

He has insisted several times that he has a long way to go before he develops into the kind of rider who can consistently hold his own at WorldTour level even if he was offered a place there.

But having finished 3rd in An Post Rás last month where he also won the U23 classification and taken what was perhaps a career-best results of 8th at the European Games in Baku against WorldTour opposition, his development both on the road and against the clock is clearly continuing unabated.

While taking an Irish title has never secured a pro contract for any former champion, his victory again last night — and more importantly the margin and predictability of it — is further evidence suggesting that he is on the cusp of a career in the big time.

Meanwhile, Siobhan Horgan of Aquablue took the elite women’s crown at the National Time Trial Championships in Omagh, Co Tyrone, last evening.

Having taken a break from cycling to focus on duathlon in recent years, Horgan saw off the challenge of Garda CC rider and road international Eve McCrystal who took the silver medal.

The defending champion, Caroline Ryan, also of Garda CC, came home in the bronze medal position.