Rían McCrystal is in Belgium with a group of Irish juniors and has opened his account with a fine win today
Rían McCrystal (Cannibal B Victorious) has taken himself off to Belgium for a block of racing, with four other Irish juniors, and has opened his account with a really strong win today.
Just as he did when winning two stages and the overall at the recent Quanta Capital Junior Tour of Ireland, the Co Louth teenager combined and aggressive approach to racing with his gallop to win the day.
The race was held in Wijer, a village in the Belgian province of Limburg and one of the four sub-municipalities of Nieuwerkerken.
McCrystal and fellow Irish junior Tom Hughes (Kilcullen CC Murphy Geospatial), who has also impressed on home roads this year, were active from the start of their 90km junior race today.
The Irish duo got up the road the road early in the contest. And though there was only four of them in the move, they combined well to make it all the way.
After a hard day out front, McCrystal unleashed the winning kick we saw several times at the Junior Tour to claim victory, his first win in Europe as a junior, seeing off Yorbe Deroye (Crabbe Dstny), who was 2nd.
Hughes also put in a very strong ride to take 4th on what is a very competitive junior scene in Belgium.
McCrystal and Hughes are in Belgium among a strong Irish group that includes Irish junior TT champion Jack Lawless (Gorey CC), Bob Maye (Clonard RC) and Oliver O’Shaughnessy (Bellurgan Wheelers).
More to come.