Ben Healy powers to victory in time trial to claim national crown in Tipperary

Healy claims victory in Nenagh at Irish elites

Thu, 23 Jun, 2022 - 21:26

Brian Canty

Ben Healy was crowned Elite national time-trial champion for the first time on Thursday night after he crushed the field to win the title for the first time.

The 21-year old, riding for WorldTour outfit EF Education-EasyPost, clocked a blistering time of 37´50.33” for the 32.13-kilometre test, an average speed of just over 50kph.

The out and back course which started and finished outside the Five Alley Pub on the old N7 Nenagh to Limerick Road saw riders battle a stiff headwind for the opening half, only to have it at their backs for the homeward leg.

Healy judged his effort to perfection and at the first split he was almost a minute up on one of the other big favourites, Eddie Dunbar (Ineos-Grenadiers).

With five-time elite national time-trial champion Ryan Mullen opting to skip the nationals as he puts the finishing touches on his preparation for the Tour de France next week, it meant there was always going to be a new name on the trophy.

Another big favourite who was forced to miss last night´s contest was 2020 elite gold medallist Conn McDunphy, the EvoPro Racing rider still recovering from a recent bout of Covid and being too unwell to take to the start-line.

It's unlikely they would have beaten Healy anyway who looks in superb condition heading into Sunday's elite men's road race. He will be looking to claim his second title after he was victorious also in 2020.

George Peden (Team PB Performance) took silver, with Dunbar third by a mere fraction of a second.

In the women's time trial last night, Kelly Murphy put in a storming ride to edge last year's champion Joanna Patterson (Independent Pedaler – Nopinz) by just over a second.

Murphys gold makes it elite title number three for her after she also won in 2018 and 2019.

Last year's junior TT winner Darren Rafferty (Hagens Berman Axeon) claimed the U23 title in fine style by beating defending champion Kevin McCambridge (Trinity Racing) by 23.19 seconds.

Adam Ward rounded out the podium in third, some 3´44 secs back.

There are no races on the agenda on Friday, but Satursday it's the turn of the road races with junior women's and men's races starting at 9am and 10am respectively. They are followed by the elite women´s race at 2.30pm where they will battle it out over a tough 104-kilometre course.

Cycling Irish National Time-Trial Championships, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary Elite Men 1, Ben Healy (EF Education - EastPost) 37 minutes 50.33secs 2, George Peden (Team PB Performance) at 1 min 32.56 3, Eddie Dunbar (Ineos-Grenadiers) at 1min 32.61 U23 Men 1, D Rafferty (Axen Hanges Berman) 39 minutes 36.80secs 2, K McCambridge (Trinity Racing) at 23 secs 3, A Ward (Team SmartDry-Girona) at 3 mins 44 secs Elite Women:

1, Kelly Murphy (Unattached) 44 minutes 5.43 secs 2, Joanna Patterson (Independent Pedaler – Nopinz) at 1.12 secs 3, Eve McCrystal (Bellurgan Wheelers) at 58.4 secs Junior Men;

1, Conal Scully (Carlow RCC) at 41 mins 51.91 secs 2, Quillan Donnelly (Usher Irish Road Club) at 15secs 3, Adam Rafferty (US Colomiers) at 39 secs.

Junior Women 1, Shauna Finn (Newcastle West Cycling Club) 52mins 26.94 secs 2, Katie Reilly (Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club) at 1second 3, Erin Grace Creighton (McConvey Cycles) at 39 seconds Para Tandems – factored:

1, Katie-George Dunlevy and Linda Kelly (Donegal Bay Cycling Club) 2, Damien Vereker and Marcin Mizgajski (Comeragh CC) 3, Josephine Healion and Francine Meehan (Tullamore CTC) C Class – factored:

1, William Clifford (Galway Bay CC) 2, Richael Timothy (Castlerea Cycling Club) 3, Scott Drummond (Cork County CC) Handbikes – Factored 1, Declan Slevin (Rosemount Cycling Club) 2, Allister MacSorley (Unattached Ulster) 3, Ray Murnane (Unattached Munster)