While we try to catch up on some neglected cycling reports, we'll start with Bryan Geary's account of this year's A3 champs, held in his native Cork. Along with Jamie Busher, Ronan Grimes and Ed O'Mahoney, he put in a solid performance and was unlucky to finish outside the prizes on the line. Have a read of his day below...
There wasn't much intent on anyone's part on the first of 8 laps. The circuit was tight on old boreens not too dissimiliar in surface to the approach to the Wall out by Powerscourt. It was lightening fast with a long lined out peloton on lap one, everyone trying to get their bearings and mindful of the two climbs on the circuit, the top of Climb One only 500 metres from the commencement of Climb 2.
Here's the climb in a car: video thanks to Team Osborne Meats/The Edge Sports
First time up it was a casual affair, a cacophony of creaking gears and bottom brackets as everyone switched from their big rings down to their 34s/39s and mindful to leave some gears for the rest of the climb! I saw some massive gears out there on lap 1!
I took off second time up the main hill. I had ridden near the front on the first sharp test approaching the village so when in position approaching Climb 2, I decided to test the legs and open up the lungs a bit. The intention was to see a reaction and I had hoped for more than the two riders who came across to me, both little young whippets, unfortunately for me! We rode hard over the top passing the finish line going onto lap three and by the time we had approached the climb for the third time, we were told we had a minute.
We were out of sight and with a gap that wouldn't be caught on the climb, I begged the two youngsters to go very steady and easy on me promising that I'd take over going over the top! My pleas fell on deaf ears as both riders saw their names in lights and halfway up the climb the smaller of the two lads rode away on his own (to much shouting and roaring). I was distanced by 20 seconds passing the feed zone when my chain unshipped. Getting it back on was an ordeal when your heart is at its maximum and I was never so delighted to get a neutral service push and shelter over the top of the climb! However I was in no man's land and decided on the safety and sanctity of the main group. 5 more laps up that hill after that effort into a headwind had me reaching for a bottle and two caffeine gels as the peloton caught me crossing the line for lap 4. I promised myself no more madness.
The laps ticked down and a lone rider was off the front, not by much and with no reaction from the peloton which was dwindling lap by lap up the climb. There was no intent on the hill at any stage as everyone saved themselves. I was hoping it would split and on the flat many small groups formed and merged and then sat up which was frustrating. I was in several moves that failed, losing energy trying to drive it when I might have been better off waiting in the bunch. Certainly on the final lap I could have done with those early good legs!
Jamie Busher and myself were sitting pretty at the head of the peloton on the penultimate time up the climb and everyone was showing signs of tiredness. I was feeling brilliant at that stage and felt that if the finish was that lap I'd easily claim a medal in any type of sprint. That was as good as I felt as on the last lap as the pace heightened and as we approached the final time up the climb, the A3 predators who had been waiting all along came to the fore and drove from the bottom of the final time up the 1.6 kilometre climb.
The peloton smashed to pieces and when I looked down I hadn't got out of the big ring! I was hanging onto the back wheel of a Westport rider, eyeballs glued to his cassette when he blew up and left a gap go halfway up the climb. I used the first of my final efforts in sprinting into the headwind just to close the 5 bike lengths and get back to the leaders, only 13/14 of us now, as everyone attacked each other, nobody strong enough to make a decisive break. Still I was there, barely hanging on and I started to come around as we approached the top of the final climb, really fancying my chances as I was still there over the top at the 1 km to go mark.
However where I was expecting respite and a lull before the final gallop, the false flat served as the launch pad for everyone to start sprinting and we were one long line, me hanging on to 12th, when the two riders immediately in front of me simultaneously blew and sat up, leaving left a massive gap of 5/6 bike lengths with 700 metres to go. Disaster again!
It was all I could do to get back onto the front 9 and I looked at least to have 10th secured as I just got onto them as they started their final sprint. I tried to give one last effort to move up to give myself a shout but the legs were dying a death at this stage and my pulse was at 185, my highest of the year!
I completely blew with 150 metres to go and it was a slow motion affair to the line after such a hard finale I could barely raise my head but saw two or three riders catch me on the line for 10th which left me gutted after an active day in the saddle.
Maybe I should have waited all along for the sprint, I'm just not that clever!
Ronan Grimes was also in one of the groups behind when it split on the last climb. Ed O Mahony was the 4th rider, who rode really hard to leave us just off the team prize. I haven't seen any results yet, but the lads should be proud, Jamie was going really well.
