Four riders stand out as favourites: Downey, Roche, Brammeier and Martin while the home team have their faint hope set on Mullen.
Connor Dunne sets the best time of the early BoI-riders, but sees it destroyed by 32 seconds on the first intermediate by Dan Martin.
Bennett seems to have his mind on the Road race.
Mullen is best BoI rider on the first stretch, but seems far of the champions jersey in the first part of the race.
[img]
Brammeier on the other hand is doing well today.
Roche likewise.
With all past the first intermediate Downey looks superior while the rest of the podium is close.
Brammeier with a strong 2nd part, while Downey looks ready to celebrate.
Roche regains a few seconds on Brammeier at the last intermediate making the podium battle very close.
Martin finishes in 1h09’09
Brammeier beats that by a second.
Roche had a good final part and cuts another 6 seconds from the best time.
No one can prevent Downey from taking a superior win though.
In theory this should be a bunch sprint, but with only Bank of Ireland being able to field a full team while the big names come alone, except for Daniel Martin, who has two helpers and no impressive sprint. This can really turn into anything.
Should it be a bunch sprint Bank of Ireland will be the ones forming the main train as no one else has the riders for it. On a good day with the right leadout Hawkins might even have a shot at challenging the best Irish sprinter Bennett with Brammeier being the favourite for the last podium spot should it come to a sprint.
To no great surprise it’s Bank of Ireland leading the peloton out on the course. At least until Kelly attacks for them. Downey of Pendleton joins and forms what appears to be the break of the day.
With the only teams of more than one rider forming the break it’s hard to see who will take charge of the peloton.
60 km and 4’59
50 km and 8’16
The two breakers have gapped the peloton by a lap…
Let’s have a look at the breakers: Neither are very good at sprinting, but Downey appears to have an edge as he is slightly less bad and also better on the flat, which could leave him with more energy than Kelly, who prefers the more lumpy stuff.
30 km and 13’30
20 km and 16’40
Petrie-Armstrong decided to attack from the peloton with 20 km to go. Meanwhile the front due is approaching the finish line.
5 km to go and Downey tries to get rid of Kelly.
In spite of being right behind him when it happened Kelly took a while to react and that 15 second gap with 3 km to go could prove crucial.
And it does. Downey takes a solo win while Bank of Ireland can really only blame themselves for losing today.
Pendleton’s should be happy with his double-win.
The big names start moving in the peloton, who has 15 km to go and Petrie-Armstrong still out ahead.
In the end the organizers decided not to wait anymore.
Irish National Championships 
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
