Hindley Holds Second in An Post Ras
WAIS scholarship athlete Jai Hindley currently sits second overall after four stages of the An Post Ras in Ireland.
Hindley, who is riding for the Jayco-AIS World Tour Academy Team alongside fellow WAIS scholarship holder Michael Storer finished safely in the peloton on the fourth day, on a stage where teammate Alistair Donohoe finished fifth.
After three fast days including hard finish yesterday those hoping for an easier start to stage four were left hoping as the peloton left Dingle for the 162.8 kilometre stage.
The category three climb of Lispole in the opening 10 kilometres made for a difficult start but over the top of the climb the peloton was still together. Attacks continued over the next 50 kilometres but no group was able to pry more than a few hundred meters on the bunch before being closed down.
Edward Laverack (JLT Condor) and Casper von Folsach of (Riwal Platform) were the first two riders to establish a gap and were soon joined by Bryan McCrystal (Asea Wheelworx), Rasmus Mygind (Riwal Platform), Ike Groen (Cyclingteam Join’s-De Rijke), Anthony Walsh (Aquablue) and Nicolas Vereecken (An Post Chain Reaction).
As they crossed the half way point of the stage the seven riders had built a two minute and 45 second advantage. Walsh was dropped on the category one Bealach Oisin climb as the gap fell under two minutes over the summit. Groen was the next to lose contact reducing the strength of the break to five.
Mygind just 15 seconds off the lead, was a clear threat and the peloton lead by Tirol kept the break in check ensuring the gap remained well in reach. Starting the final 50 kilometres the gap was hovering just below the two minute mark.
The peloton had the break well in control as they hit 25 kilometres to go the gap was down to just 45 seconds.
Entering the town of Sneem and crossing the finish line with 13 kilometres to go Jayco-AIS World Tour Academy took over on the front of the peloton to position Hindley and Hamilton ahead of the narrow category three Letterfinish climb.
With the race back together over the top there was a quick five kilometre run in to the finish unfolded with Nicolai Brochner (Riwal Platform) taking the stage win, as Donohoe sprinted his way in to the top five.
Having been on the attack on at least two prior occasions during the stage Gullen put in another move under the flame rouge taking a solo win by two seconds. Hamilton crossed fifth and Hindley seventh both five seconds behind the winner.
In other cycling news:
WAIS sprint cyclist Luke Zaccaria recently attended a Cycling Australia development camp , set to be held in Adelaide after being identified as part of a future core of athletes capable of representing Australia at benchmark level.
The camp was held under the guidance of multiple Australian team representative and national champion Alex Bird, now Cycling Australia’s Sprint Scholarship Coach.
“If we want to win in Tokyo we have to keep the ball rolling through,” said Bird. “You can’t ignore the development, you can’t go Rio at the exclusion of all else.
“Our priority here is obviously to perform well in Tokyo. “
With the ten riders spanning four states, different backgrounds and levels of success in the sport to date, Bird was pleased with the complement of riders who attended the camp.
“It is always good to have a spread of talent because I feel like success breeds success,” he said. “So having riders come from WA and Queensland is going to help those states encourage the next level of juniors to have an interest in track sprinting.
“We brought riders who are in their first year in the senior ranks, with some having five years at this level. I think it is important to send the message that we are interested in them all.
“It is important for them to know that we want them to succeed and come through our program.”
-CyclingAus