Race Diary of Cian Lynch,
Swords McNally Joinery

Race: Tour of Ulster, Stage 2,  30th April 2000

No. Not my day. Never was going to be. You see, climbs¹potential stage placing for Monsieur Lynch. Happy and all that we were that Aidan was well placed overall, riding for my teammate would simply have slowed up the day for all concerned.

Indeed, no sooner had we hauled our asses over the first Cat 3 than Cass was going back to get a wheel changed. Sitting there in the middle of the bunch, jumping up and down on the back wheel, I certainly sensed that on sorting himself out, an attack was imminent. Indeed, on rectifying the problem, he re-joined, accelerated, and disappeared up the road with Mr. Evans in tow. Paddy Moriarty was still in the bunch, as was Mulcahy, so their respective teams did some riding on the front, until the climb out of Omagh, McDermots Corner, where the team members went south, Healy , O’Sullivan, Macker and Willie Byrne. We were to catch Griffin later on. Paddy Moriarty attacked and was joined by Kenneally on the descent of Carnmore. With one minute lead coming in the road, Aidan and Pep were in a chasing group along with Colm Bracken, Martin O’Loughlin, Eddie Keogh, Shane Baker, Mulcahy, Sweetman, Eugene Moriarty and so on. The gap at the finish was only some 10 seconds, Bracken responsible for driving it in the road. Cass, Evans and O’Sullivan managed to stay away by probably 90 seconds, Evans taking the stage. A bit of agreement perhaps as to who would take the stage, and with O’Sullivan taking the polka dot jersey, who was to argue? The time trial tomorrow morning should sort the overall out. And no better men to time trial!

Meanwhile, back on planet reality, I managed to get a grupetto going along, containing Macker, O’Sullivan, the Keith version, my good friend Willie Byrne, Griffin, Paul Nolan, Johnny Condon and co. Now the inclination for cyclists to put the hammer down when we are already very evidently out the back simply mystifies me. If the Ras teaches one any lessons, amongst them is the shelling lesson. Get a group, let the energetic lads ride through at a comfortable pace, and when it gets going, pull all those available through the line. We’ll get there, all of us, and save the legs for tomorrow. Simple, no? This message goes out to the following riders: no, only joking…..

With the time trial tomorrow, I am sure that Cass and Evans will be head to head, making for an interesting finish to the race. I hope to do a ride tomorrow morning, so a good rest tonight will serve its purpose. By the way, who went out in Derry last night? Aidan managed to land a phone number of the daughter of some couple dining beside us…. And aren’t the women just something else?

Martin packed (a rash statement), he decided not to start, as the same knee problem he had last week re-occurred. With the Ras on the way, it is a sensible decision. In fact, he had a bad stomach bug last night (he got violently sick, I’d imagine listening to the event from my bed that the last couple of days worth of food saw daylight again) A bit of professional attention will sort that out.

Signing off again. Ted ( Aidan’s father ) is doing a great job, good craic too. It certainly makes the weekend go that much easier. I talked to Joe McKay last night also. In good form also, it’s always good to listen to those words of wisdom. Until Tomorrow…..

IrishCycling.Com: Would like to thank Cian for his excellent report