Brilliant Chris McGlinchey crowned king of Munster

Chris McGlinchey wrote his name into Irish cycling history with a truly stunning ‘gun-to-tape’ victory at the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan yesterday.

The 21-year-old Belfast rider, making his debut in the Easter showpiece in Kerry, managed to stave off a host of challengers over a gruelling four days of hectic racing to be crowned this year’s champion.

Taking the yellow jersey after winning Friday’s opening stage, the former downhill mountain biker successfully defended the race lead since then, albeit with the help of his incredible Irish Development squad teammates, Ian Richardson, Darragh O’Mahony, Fintan Ryan, and Craig Macaulay.

McGlinchey has endured it all over the course of the 500-kilometre race; brutal climbs and driving rain on Saturday, savage crosswinds and frantic chases on Sunday as well as a nerve-racking 120 kilometres on yesterday’s final stage.

But he prevailed and was over a minute clear of runner-up Ali Macaulay (ASEA-Wheelworx) with the latter’s teammate — and Saturday’s stage winner Bryan McCrystal taking third.

Macaulay also had some consolation for finishing second as he took home the polka dot jersey as winner of the mountains’ classification while they also won the team prize.

But it was all about McGlinchey and the manner in which he won.

“I’m over the moon,” he said.

“I went into the race with big ambitions, training was going well and I knew I had good form so to be able to pull off the plan from day one was just perfect.

“Defending the yellow from day one is great in theory but it was easier said than done, but the team were really strong and we were more than capable of doing it,” he added.

The turning point, he said, was Saturday when he managed to stave off a brave assault on the yellow jersey by stage winner Bryan McCrystal.

“Saturday was a bloody tough day and defending it was not easy, but as a team, we rode a perfect race.

“I think that moment when I knew I could win; I was with two ASEA-Wheelworx lads and dropped Ali (Macaulay), chased down McCrystal to bring him to within to four seconds.

“Obviously things can happen on the road and it wasn’t safe after that; Sunday was still a really hard day and I had to work for it in the last 30 kilometres but definitely, when I pulled back Bryan, I knew I was going well.”

No rider in recent years has done what he managed — hold yellow from day one in the face of constant attacks.

In fact, the race is notorious for final-day concessions of the jersey, as Ryan Sherlock (2012) and Paddy Clarke (2014) will attest.

“I was surprised with how good I was but I went in to win the race in good shape, I was speaking with my trainer and my power numbers have been good so it was just a matter of pulling it off…and to actually do it was amazing.” Yesterday’s final stage was won by Mark Dowling (ASEA-Wheelworx), who came in ahead of Sunday’s stage winner Anthony Walsh (Aquablue) and Paul O’Reilly (UCD-Fitzcycles.ie).

That trio had been part of a large break of 12 riders who got away inside the opening 20 kilometres before they were trimmed back to nine and later three.

For the winner, it’s all systems go for the Tour of Ulster and a debut An Post Rás in May.

“I’ll just take the season as it comes and see how it pans out,” he said.

“I don’t want to be over ambitious, but I’ll just keep working hard, go into Ulster and the Rás and see what I can do. I don’t plan too far ahead, I don’t want to stress myself.”