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Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM |
SEAN KELLY TEAM: Circuit de Wallonie 1.12 Race Report
By Sean Kelly Team Rider
15 May 2006,
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| Sean Kelly Team reports are brought to you by www.dmcsports.ie |
Circuit de Wallonie, Belgium Top Competition 1.12, 14th May 2006
The M- Donnelly Sean Kelly team for the race was Paidi O’Brien, Tim Cassidy, Mark Cassidy, Micael Concannon, Roger Aiken and Andrew McQuaid. Team Manager was Eve Peteryns, Mechanic was Franky and Soigneur was Danny Vandermassen.
The race is classed as a Belgium Top Competition, which is a league of races run throughout the racing season with awards for the individual races and with an overall classement at the end of the series. The races are for riders under 26 years old, and they attract all the top under 26 riders from Belgium and abroad.
This particular race was run over a very undulating circuit. There was a big lap of 130km then 3 small laps of 13 km. The big lap had some long drags, with a couple of 14 / 15 % gradient near the start, while the small lap had a very steep 700metre long ascent on it. After 130km of hard racing this kick up would be very sore on the legs and would probably decide the outcome of the race.
Team tactics for the race were for Paidi and Tim to be the protected riders, making sure they were as fresh as possible for the finishing circuits. The other riders were to try get in an early break if it goes, and if that fails to help, as much as possible, Tim and Paidi.
After a long 9km neutralised section, the race began. There were attacks from the gun although the pace never increased that much from the neutralised section considering the neutralised section was cycled at 45km an hour! Mark Cassidy was one of the first to attack and got into what looked like a promising move. However this was brought back and the bunch was altogether starting the first climb. This 14 % climb definitely hurt the legs, after a short decent the bunch was onto the 2nd climb, with a steepness of 15% here the bunch began to split. Andrew, suffering from stomach problems was dropped and retired from the race here. On the next climb Mark, suffering from chest problems, also retired. Also on this climb Micael got caught too near the back of the bunch, got caught behind a split and never managed to regain contact with the peleton.
So that left three in the bunch, and all three looked strong. The race turned into a race of attrition, with more and more riders getting dropped. Hitting the local laps there was three riders just ahead of a bunch of around 30, which contained Paidi and Tim, with another bunch of around 30 containing Roger another 100 metres behind. On the finishing laps the front three riders were caught with another two riders going clear from the bunch. Eventually the bunches started to split into several different pieces.
The front two stayed away to sprint for the win, with a rider from the Quick step development team winning. Three riders managed to break away from the 1st bunch on the final lap to take 3rd, 4th and 5th spot, with Paidi O’Brien leading home that bunch to finish a very good 6th in the race. Another strong performance by The Irish Espoir National Champion. Tim suffered from cramp in the last two kilometres and finished just behind Paidi’s group, with Roger in the next group. A good performance by the three M-Donnelly Sean Kelly riders.
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