Errigal International Youth Tour 2017

We only found out about the Errigal Tour in July, so I might’ve been the last person to enter in the entire race. The short notice meant that we got whatever accommodation we could find, and had to also pay for the ferry to Ireland. The race took place in County Donegal, which is the most northern region in Ireland. We travelled the Friday before the race which meant that it was a little bit rushed, but at least I had overnight to rest and recover.

Stage 1

Stage 1 was a road stage with two climbs on a 9km circuit. I didn’t really know where I was going to come but I knew that I wanted to be in the front group. I got lucky and found myself on the second row on the start line, which meant that I was at the front heading into the only major climb on each lap. I found myself struggling more then I should, and nearly got dropped on the first lap. I usually struggle on the first climb of a hilly stage but I was struggling more then I possibly should. Luckily I did make the front group, and each lap from there I felt stronger, but I couldn’t attack on the last lap because I was boxed in. I sprinted to 14th, which was a good start to my tour.

Stage 2

Stage 2 was a 3.8km Time-Trial, which is a bit short to suit me. However, the second half was slightly uphill so I thought that I could get a better result then my last short time-trial. The course was wet as it was raining, but that doesn’t really matter in a time-trial. I didn’t have the best of starts and hoped that the gradual hill would favour me. However, it didn’t, as it was more of a power climb which the stronger riders could get up a lot quicker than me. In the end I finished 33rd, which dropped me down the overall.

Stage 3

Stage 3 was another road stage, with this one having just one climb. The climb ended about 200m from the finish so it was the closest to a summit finish that this tour would get. I knew that if I was to get a top 10 overall (which was the aspirational goal heading into the race), I had to get a Top 10 on the stage as well. In the neutral zone I dropped my chain, which made me worried that I’d get to the hill in contention at all. Luckily I managed to re-rail it while still moving, so it was one minor panic over. On the way down, we encountered a car driving up the hill towards us, where would you find that in Britain? The hill was tough, but it wasn’t long enough to split the group up, so there was a large group heading into the hill on the last lap. On the climb I felt dreadful, and it felt as if I was in about 25th. Luckily I wasn’t, I was 16th, but it didn’t stop me feeling very disappointed on the finish line. I ended the extremely long day (Stage 2 was in the morning and Stage 3 was in the afternoon) in 16th, which I felt should’ve been a few places higher.

Stage 4

Stage 4 was the one criterium of the race, on a one mile course around a shopping centre. As the road was open, we were only allowed to race on one side of the road, which meant that moving up was going to be hard, and positioning was crucial. Unlike at the Tour of the North-West, I didn’t have an extremely good finish to try and hold, so I thought that I would try and get a good crit result for the first time for ages. The race was mad, there were 80 kids all battling to be at the front when the road was only about 3/4 riders across. I got into the front group of 26, so already I was getting a better result than my other national crits this season. I positioned myself well, and sprinted to 16th, which I was rather pleased with, especially as that’s where I came in the hilly stage the day before. I also came 16th Overall, the same as Tour of the North-West, so I went back to Britain relatively pleased, but knowing that I could have finished higher.