Wilson Nesbitt GP

VC Glendale played host to the Wilson Nesbitt GP, with two Orwell riders represented, Padraig and Sean, in the C1 race. Once again, there was a high-quality start list, with the Rás blues wearing off and around 35 riders on the start line.

It was a windy day with intermittent showers throughout. With a four-minute handicap to the C2s, there was no messing around as we were pulling up and over from the gun, with Kanturk still fresh in the minds of Sean and Padraig.

After just one lap, the attacks started flying as riders began sitting on. The circuit looked flat-ish on paper, but in reality it was very attritional, with the wind and constant steep kickers disrupting the rhythm of the bunch. In these situations, you never want to expend too much energy jumping into moves, as it can be a high-risk, high-reward approach. Constantly being ahead of the race will sap you, but it also gives you a better chance of making the break of the day.

Just as lap 3 was starting, a move went over the top as Sean was brought back after being in an earlier break. Two riders went, then another couple, and Buller was the final rider to make the jump. When you are caught out at the front or boxed in behind, as Sean and Padraig were, you are left in a difficult position: you can either spend a bullet helping the bunch close the gap, or hope continued attacks bring the move back.

Unfortunately, that was the move of the day gone, with both Orwell riders missing it, and the bunch sitting up for a good 30 seconds. While those in front were moving smoothly up and over, behind we were cannibalising each other. The nature of the circuit made it very difficult to form a coherent chase, and that allowed the front group to get out of sight quickly.

Padraig got away in a smart move with Lindsay Watson and Ciaran Maguire, and they slowly began to extend their gap on the peloton. On the back side of the course, in an effort to make a selection and bridge to his teammate, Sean launched a huge effort on one of the kickers, forming what would become group 2 for the rest of the day. Bridging with him were Rian McCrystal and Riley Smith, two juniors. This initially formed a group of six, which later swelled as riders panic-bridged from behind.

The next phase of the race alternated between working together and attacking, gradually whittling the group down. Some corners were hazardous as well, with a crash in the C2 group—now split into small groups of three and four riders across the road—hindering cohesion further.

Coming into the final laps, the front group, now clear by over a minute, had begun attacking each other, with four riders breaking clear of the original group of seven. Upon hearing this, young McCrystal started driving hard on the front in an effort to catch old McCrystal, who had been jettisoned out the back.

Despite this, it had been a very attritional 90 km and the whole group was on tired legs, though Padraig was still floating up the climbs, occasionally gapping the group whenever the road kicked up.

Up front, Luke Smith took a convincing sprint victory. Behind, Javan Nulty went for a late move, with Sean going over the top of him in what ultimately proved a costly effort, as Paul Kennedy brought him back inside the final kilometre.

In the sprint, old McCrystal just held on at the front with a breakaway companion, taking the win and the McCrystal Cup, while Maguire and Padraig led in the chasing group sprint. Sean finished further back in the group in 12th.

A frustrating day out for the riders, with the legs there but just missing the decisive move.