Ryan Mullen pips Nicholas Roche to land fifth Irish time-trial title

Ryan Mullen said it was one of his best performances after a difficult season and gives him huge confidence ahead of the weekend.

Ryan Mullen wins the Senior Men's race at the  2021 Cycling Ireland Time Trial National Championships. Picture: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

Ryan Mullen warmed up for Sunday's elite national road race championships in Co Wicklow on Thursday with a narrow 16-second victory over Nicolas Roche to claim his fifth Irish time-trial title.

The 27-year old Trek Segafredo rider said it was one of his best performances after a difficult season and gives him huge confidence ahead of the weekend.

“I’ve not had the best off seasons so I’m really happy to turn it around today,” he said.

“But this is a good fillip for my self-confidence ahead of next year when I move to Bora-Hansgrohe. I really wanted to bring a national champs jersey into the team and this was my best chance.

“In terms of power it was up there with my best rides (this year). Nico pushed me hard and he’s clearly in great shape, so it should be exciting on Sunday.”

Rounding out the podium was Marcus Christie who was just over a minute behind Mullen, while defending champion Conn McDunphy was sixth.

Ryan Mullen, Nicholas Roche and Marcus Christie celebrate after the race. Picture: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

Mullen was the strong favourite, but the same will not be the case for Sunday's hilly 160-km contest which features six laps of a circuit containing three very hard climbs and 2500 metres of elevation.

Among those likely to contend for the gold medal are reigning champion Ben Healy (Trinity Racing) and Eddie Dunbar (Team Ineos) as well as 2019 winner Sam Bennett (Deceuninck Quick Step).

There are still question marks over the latter's fitness after he withdrew early from the recent European championships and he pulled out of the World Championships a week ago, meaning the evergreen Roche is probably the favourite to land his third title.

But with a stacked field of very strong amateur riders, it could open the door for some of the home-based men to land a major upset and among those most likely to contend are Christopher McGlinchey (Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus), Daire Feeley (All Human VeloRevolution Racing Team) or Matt Teggart (Velo Club Villefranche Beaujolais).

Rory Townsend (Canyon DHB Sungod) is a brilliant sprinter and if he can survive the climbs and come to the line, he will be the man most likely to challenge Sam Bennett.

Senior Women’s champion, Joanna Patterson recently made the switch from triathlon to cycling, surprising herself with the victory on Thursday.

“I’m really happy, I’m really surprised actually. It is a small field but strong riders, Eve is a really strong rider, I saw her in Tokyo and she is like really inspiring to me, so it’s really surprising but I’m really happy to win today.

“I wanted to get this right today just based on sort of the wind and the hills, so I tried to ride it more sort of to the course rather than focusing on average power or anything. So, I was trying to just push on the hills and when there was headwind or when it felt slow just try and push a bit more and then take wee breaks when it got really fast.” 

Multiple Tokyo Paralympic medallist, Eve McCrystal could not defend her 2020 title and had to settle for silver. 

The women's race is down for decision on Saturday and they will cover 93 undulating kilometres.

Defending champion Lara Gillespie is unable to attend this year, so the Irish champion's jersey will rest on someone else’s shoulders for next year and among the top contenders will be Megan Armitage, fresh from the World Championships, Caoimhe O’Brien, Fiona Mangan, Eve McCrystal and Imogen Cotter. Multiple Road and Track National Champion, Lydia Boylan will also be in the mix.

The other races down for decision this weekend are the junior men's final on Saturday morning, the Master's women´s race on Saturday afternoon, the junior women's road race on Sunday morning while the U23 men´s road race is incorporated within the elite race on Sunday afternoon.

Cycling Ireland National Time Trial Championships, Co Wicklow.

Senior Men Ryan Mullen (Trek-Segafredo) 40’30”. 2) Nicholas Roche (Team DSM) 40’46”. 3) Marcus Christie (PerformanceSBR) 41’41”.

U23 Men Kevin McCambridge (Amical Velo Club Aixois) 41’55”. 2) George Peden (Team PB Performance) 42’40’’. 3) Cian Keogh (Willebrord Wil Vooruit) 43’11” 

 Senior Women Joanna Patterson (Independent Peadlers) 47’00”. 2) Eve McCrystal (Bellurgan Wheelers) 47’51”. 3) Linda Kelly (Barrow Wheelers) 48’21”.

Masters Women Jane Wilkinson (Bann Wheelers CC) 37’07’’. 2) Ciara Havern (Newry Wheelers CC) 37’20’’. 3) Yvonne Doran (Orwell Wheelers CC) 37’35’’.

Junior Men Darren Rafferty (Villeneuve Cycliste) 42’34”. 2) Ronan O’Connor (Orwell Wheelers CC) 45’28’’. 3) Stefan Caulfield-Dreier (Kilkenny CC) 46’10”.

Junior Women Caoimhe May (Orwell Wheelers CC) 37’46’’. 2) Katie Neill (TC Racing) 38’06’’. 3) Maria Mc Allister (TC Racing) 39’13”.

Tandem Damien Vereker and Marcin Mizgajski (Comeragh CC/Rossbury Racing) 43’39”.

Paracycling C1-C5 Solo Richael Timothy (Castlerea Cycling Club) 2) Scott Drummond (Cork County CC) 

 Paracycling H1-H5 Declan Slevin (Rosemount Cycling Club) 38’58”. 2) Seamus Wall (Barrow Wheelers) 44’04”. 3) Allister Macsorley (Un-attached) 44’06”.