Race Diary of Cian Lynch,
Kildare Hire Equip Team

Race: FBD Milk Rás, Stage 2,  21st May 2000
Longford to Newport.

Well, the morning has picked up, and it looks like there will be no need to wear the overshoes. As Martin and myself spin in to the start (12 miles), it’s an opportunity to have a think about the day ahead. The plan would be to manage into a break ahead of the Cat 1, Windy Gap, and if (or in my case, when) dropped, to scramble on to a group chasing over the top…. Signing on, we get interviewed, for want of a better word, by some enthusiastic members of Mullingar, Lakelands Cycling Club. Sometimes the mood hits you to talk about the sport, but when you are being asked if the stage today will be hard, it makes the reply somewhat questionable…

Out the road from the start and the speed is high as usual. Line outs, stalls and more line outs. Rolling along an hour into the race and nothing of significance has taken leave of the bunch. I suddenly realise that the 12,13 and 14 are not really responding to my gentle touch… The thought occurs to me that my bottom bracket might be seized, but when in the 15, I can turn over alright. Now is not the time for this stuff. I decide to roll along for a while after the lineout, and when the stall occurs, I drop back for a new wheel. As I whip the wheel out, the sprockets dance all over the place! “Youuuu have a weeee problem with that block, hay?” observes my friendly neutral no.1 …… A class change, the type that would encourage you to puncture more often, God forbid, and I am pushed off, tucked tightly up the arse of Car no.7. Sit in, take my breath, and accelerate up the line of cars to the rear of the bunch, where Willie Byrne has dropped back to push Griff, following his call of nature. Thank you for the ride back up through the bunch. On up the road, there is a crash on the left, taking four riders out of it, 2 hours and 10 minutes into the race, Beany reliably informs me. Eddie had a slow one also, and managed back into the bunch pretty handily also.

More stalls and fun, a group pisses off up the road about 4 miles before the 3^rd Cat. Martin got across with Doc. Cass was on the front and the stall behind was only unreal. Brake blocks burnt out. We got over the Cat 3 as the rain came down. The Cat 1 was the cause for all the apprehension, and Cass took advantage and went up the road. Decimation was the name of the game behind, as riders used every ounce of energy to crest the Windy Gap. Martin was tailed off the lead group, Kenneally in the meantime was showing the class we all know he has, when he retained, lost time and the re-established his lead, taking the stage into Newport. Martin decided with Colm to “hop” on to Tanner. It required sprinting across the road in an effort to hold the wheel, but he couldn’t hold on. Result: Colm Bracken, 10^th: John Tanner 2^nd . There we go. Martin is riding better than he has been for the last 3 years, and was disappointed not to finish better placed. Willie, Kieran McMahon and Griff all finished up in the lead group. Lovatt takes the yellow jersey, with Sully on the same time.

I rolled in a with a group after the climb, John O’Brien and Alan Lane were amongst it’s ticket paying members. For some reason or other Nos. 83 and 85, some of our English friends, insisted on burying themselves, as well as trying to tail me off the back. Not to put too fine a point on it – cop on. Out the back, and riding for Ireland (or England as the case may be). Thanks for the ride in. The ‘oul back was sore, so we will see what tomorrow brings. Brian Lennon was looking for a mention. Why? I ask myself. He is finding the racing very different to the normal run of the mill weekend racing.

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