Ronan McLaughlin hadn’t raced for three years, and was initially given a C3 licence, but he upgraded and has blasted to a C1 win at the Annaclone GP (Photo: Jerome Rafferty)
A winner of major races, including the Shay Elliott Classic twice, Ronan McLaughlin came back to open road racing with a bang in Co Down today, winning the Annaclone Grand Prix, beating top C1s and some of Ireland’s most promising juniors, who went for broke.
The former An Post-Chainreaction UCI Continental team rider represented Ireland in the elite road Worlds – Valkenburg 2012 – and, now aged 38 years, he has confirmed he can still turn it on even after a three-year racing break.
He made a select group that got clear from the C1 ‘bunch’ when it split not long after the start of the Banbridge CC-promoted race. And though it took them a while to catch a breakaway group of strong juniors – which had attacked from the C2 bunch – they eventually got on terms.
In the closing stages, McLaughlin was on the move again, getting his timing and his effort right to make the winning three-man split and then sealing the deal with a dream finish.
And he did so by holding off the two very strong riders, and proven race winners, he was with; Oisin Ferrity (Caldwell Powerhouse Racing) and Ciaran Maguire (Dan Morrissey Pissei).
McLaughlin hasn’t raced for three years and when he applied for a Cycling Ireland licence was given a C3 licence – to the amusement of many, though probably not C3 riders. However, he was upgraded and started the race today with the C1 scratch group today.
The breakaway from the C2 group, featuring some very strong juniors, looked like they had a chance of making it all the way, but their were caught with just over a lap remaining (Photo: Dany Blondeel)
Rather than riding together initially in a bid to catch the C2 group ahead, the C1s attacked each other, with McLaughlin among those getting away very early in the contest, over six laps of the rolling 12.7km circuit.
He was in the company of Dean Harvey (McConvey Cycles), later a puncture victim, as well as Ciaran Maguire (Dan Morrissey Pissei), Lindsay Watson (Powerhouse Sport), Oisin Ferrity (Caldwell Powerhouse Racing) and Bryan McCrystal (Bear Cycling).
However, though there was no let-up in the pressure from the C1s, they did not catch the C2 group until the third lap. And even when they did, a six-rider breakaway, including strong juniors, had already taken flight from that C2 group and was almost two minutes up the road.
That front group that had gone clear of the C2 bunch included, among others, Riley Smith of host club Banbridge CC, Elliott Mc Keegan (Caldwell Powerhouse Racing), McLaughlin’s young Foyle CC team mate, James Mackey and Rian McCrystal (Cannibal B Victorious).
That breakaway group should have been in with a great chance of staying clear, with such a large gap going out onto the penultimate lap. However, their cooperation seemed to fall apart, resulting in their advantage dissolving and their capture by the C1 chasing group with just over one lap to go.
At that point, the lead group numbered 10-15 riders, with plenty of attacks being fired off the front. Before the drag on the course, Watson made his move, clearly trying to use the hard section to get clear.
However, the group responded and when he was brought under control and the pace eased, McLaughlin launched an attack up the inside and was gone. He was joined by Ferrity and Maguire. And with most of the 9km remaining to the finish raced with a tailwind, they were not caught.
In the sprint finish, which was slightly uphill and into a headwind, Maguire went first, and went a little early, with about 300m to go. McLaughlin came off his wheel to win, holding off Ferrity, who was closing but just couldn’t get the Donegal man on the line.
Just behind the leading trio, junior Rian McCrystal – riding his first event in the junior category – was best of the rest to take 4th, a more than solid outcome for the Co Louth youngster.
Then followed Mackey, another fancied junior, in 5th, Watson 6th, Shane Trimble (Newry Wheelers CC) 7th, junior track international McKeegan 8th, Smith 9th and top C1 man Gareth O’Neill (Athlete Nutrition Coach Nordic Labs) rounding out the top 10.