Gorey Three-day - NE

Ireland, April 10-12, 2004

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Stage 1 - April 10: Brittas - Gorey, 69 miles

Nestor cramps, Crawley wins

By Shane Stokes, irishcycling.com

Colm Crawley (Leinster Senior team) benefited from a last minute regrouping of the main field to sprint to victory on today’s opening stage of the Greenstar Gorey Three Day. The Leinster Senior team rider crossed the line just ahead of Ger Miley (Bray Wheelers), national junior champion Michael Lucey (Killarney CC) and ninety others at the end of the 70 mile stage from Brittas to Gorey town.

Mark Nestor (Leinster Junior squad) had been clear for most of the stage and went into the final three miles with a five second lead over visiting UK rider Daniel Martin (CC Giro), and a further five over the fast-closing main field. Nestor’s dwindling advantage meant it was touch and go whether he would stay clear to the finish, but an attack of cramp put a sudden halt to his brave effort. Martin swept by but was himself reeled in with one mile remaining, paving the way for a bunch finish and Crawley’s fine win.

Racing began at noon in Brittas, with the five women riders getting a small head start over the rest of the field. Eight minutes after they started the main bunch moved away, riding for a mile at neutralised pace before the racing proper began. First to attack was Usher IRC’s Brian Hammond, whose effort drew five others clear. Fergus O’Connor (Fermoy), Stuart Gibson (Orwell-Dundrum Shopping Centre), Declan Hanrahan (Worldwide Cycles), Jonathan Reidy (Newbridge) and Scot Willingham (Sanchez Metro – CRCA) rode well with Hammond but with the bunch so fresh, it was difficult to open up any real advantage.

With the gap down to three seconds, Gibson and O’Connor went back to the bunch but were quickly replaced up front by Noel Moloney (Leinster) and Bray Wheelers’ John McDermot. The six were however reeled in going through Blessington, spelling an end to the first move of the race.

Once through the village, James Lawless (Usher IRC) tried his luck and was clear for two miles. After his recapture six riders surged ahead in what looked like a dangerous move; these worked strongly together to open up a decent advantage. Present were Leinster junior squad members Mark Nestor and Ciarán Kelly, Gary McIlroy (Cidona Carrick Wheelers), P.J. O’Halloran (Duhallow Wheelers), Stephen Enright (Usher IRC) and Brendan Mulhare (unattached), winner of the senior 3 event last week in Bohermeen. These were joined shortly afterwards by Barry Meehan (Worldwide Cycles), Bill Millar (Carlow RC) and Kenny Conlon (Newbridge), and then two miles later by Noel Moloney (Leinster Senior squad).

Sensing a real opportunity, the ten riders joined together and opened up a good lead over the main bunch. After 21 miles the gap was 22 seconds but three miles later, as the riders raced through the streets of Baltinglas, this advantage had jumped to up to just under a minute.

Mulhare slipped back at the 30 mile mark, paying for his strong driving earlier on. The break caught the women immediately after this and the increase in pace saw Roisin Kennedy (Usher IRC) and the Orwell-Dundrum SC duo of Joanie Burns and Orla Hendron lose their place up front. The remaining two women, Tarja Owens (Team WORC) and Siobhan Dervan (St. Finbarr’s Triton Ventilux) latched onto the back of the break, making it twelve at the head of affairs.

The long drag up through Hacketstown is one of the more difficult sections on the opening stage and, as expected, this had a big effect on the breakaway. Nestor and Meehan jumped away on the slopes and opened up a good lead, while at the back of the group McIlroy, Dervan and Owens lost contact. McIlroy joined with Miller, also briefly in trouble, to close back up to the rest of the breakaway, leaving it two up front chased by seven riders. The gap to the main field at this stage was up to a minute and a half.

Nestor and Meehan built a twenty second lead but a lack of cooperation between them saw the seven chasers regain contact just after Tinahely. The same two riders went clear again on the long drag of Holts Hill, with first McIlroy and then Miller, Enright and O’Halloran cracking and going south. Nestor and Meehan crested the top twelve seconds clear but were once again reeled in, joining with Moloney, Conlon and Kelly to make it a five-man front group.

With the gap back to the main field now under a minute, the leaders put their heads down in a concerted effort to preserve their lead. They stayed together until the short, steep drag out of Cranford (54 miles), where the pressure applied by Conlon saw off Kelly and Meehan. These were passed by charging CC Giro rider Daniel Martin, who had got away from the main field on Holts Hill and steadily closed down on the three left up front.

Heading onto the main Wexford-Gorey road the gap between the break and the bunch was down to 45 seconds. As the riders swung right at Smith’s cross onto the new run-in, Moloney and Conlon were starting to tire; when Nestor put in a strong attack with about ten miles remaining, they had no response. But behind Martin was gradually reeling in all three, passing Conlon without a reaction and then overtaking Moloney, who hung grimly onto his back wheel. Behind, the main bunch was looming on the horizon and also drawing close, setting the scene for a dramatic finish.

Rounding the final corner to begin the final three miles Nestor was dangling just ahead of his chasers, but with a flat run-in to the finish he had a chance of staying clear. However a sudden bout of cramp left him freewheeling with one leg out of the pedals, his bid for glory now dashed; Martin swept by but with just one mile remaining he too was hauled back, resulting in that bunch sprint win by Crawley ahead of Miley and Lucey.

‘It was pretty bad luck’, said Nestor afterwards. ‘I think I had a good chance but when my leg locked up there was nothing I could do about it. I was able to come in with the main bunch so I didn’t lose any time. I’ll hope to do a good ride in the time trial tomorrow; I was tenth or eleventh last year so hopefully will build on that. One disadvantage is the restricted junior gears but I will do what I can.’

Tomorrow’s race against the clock will begin at 9 am when the first rider will set off. The third stage of the race will follow in the afternoon, with four laps of a fifteen mile circuit to be covered.

Results, 69 miles

1 Colm Crawley (Leinster Senior Team)                    2.35.32
2 Ger Miley (Bray Wheelers CC)
3 Michael Lucey (Killarney CC)
4 Maurice O’Brien (Killarney CC)
5 Dermot Healy (Les Jeunes)
6 Shane O’Halloran (Safari’s Hss Duhallow Wheelers)
7 Adam Kelly (Bray Wheelers CC)
8 Derek Burke (Realt Tuam CC)
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First woman: Siobhan Dervan (St. Finbarr’s) same time