Dunne stuns favourites to claim national title

Luke Maguire

Conor Dunne was crowned Irish national champion yesterday in Sligo as he rode home to a spectacular solo victory.

The 26-year-old who rides professionally for the Cork-based Aqua Blue Sport team held off the likes of Sam Bennett and Nicholas Roche to take the biggest victory of his career to date.

In a day full of surprises, it was two of the youngest riders in the race — Darnell Moore (Omagh) and Mark Downey (Team Wiggins) — who rounded out the podium.

Team Aqua Blue’s Conor Dunne celebrates winning the Cycling Ireland Road Racing National Championships in Sligo. Picture: Bryan Keane

Race winner Dunne, who won a stage of the Rás Tailteann aged just 19 back in 2013, was clearly in good form from the outset on the lumpy 170km course as he infiltrated the early 15-man breakaway.

This breakaway included most of the big hitters with Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe), Nicholas Roche (BMC), Eddie Dunbar (Aqua Blue Sport) and Robert-Jon McCarthy (JLT Condor) all present.

Despite the pedigree of his breakaway companions, Dunne struck out on his own in the final 20km to hang on to a solo victory in front of a big crowd in Collooney, Co Sligo, to add to his bronze medal from last year’s championships in Wexford.

Pre-race favourite Nicholas Roche (BMC) had to settle for sixth on the day.

Standing at 6ft 7 inches, Dunne is known throughout the international cycling world for being the tallest rider in the professional peloton. He will now have the honour of wearing the Irish jersey as national champion for the next 12 months.

Runner-up Darnell Moore also claimed the under-23 crown to add to his silver medal, and the Omagh youngster will no doubt be on the radar for stepping-up to the professional ranks in years to come.

In the women’s’ event, Eve McCrystal claimed her first national title in an enthralling four-rider sprint finish ahead of Lydia Gurley (Aerocoach), Alice Sharpe (Torelli-Brother) and Kelly Murphy (Chapter 2).

The victory comes after a turbulent year for the Louth rider, whose season was rocked with the death of her father earlier in the year.

The last thought I had coming into the final corner; I just remember telling my dad ‘you better be behind me’. That was the last thing I remember.

“I came into and out of the corner fourth and just put my head down and went for it,” she said of her winning sprint.

McCrystal adds this title to her Paralympic, World Championship and World Cup titles as sighted pilot with Katie George Dunlevy.