CYCLING/World Championships: Philip Deignan and Nicolas Roche finished 17th and 22nd respectively in the World Under-23 Road Championship in Verona yesterday, a respectable result which nevertheless left both riders disappointed at the end of a tough day.
The Ireland-Grant Thorton duo were tipped as capable of a place in the top-10 but were destined to fall short, despite good performances during the gruelling 177 kilometre race.
Deignan launched a strong attack with three and a half laps remaining, scorching clear at the bottom of the tough three kilometre Torricelle climb and opening up an initially promising lead.
However, good performances in this year's under-23 World Cup and the recent Tour of Britain had marked him out as a dangerman; the other nations closed him down, with a decisive three-man move going clear shortly afterwards.
Deignan and Roche both missed the 10-rider counter-attack which joined up, forming a large front group from which eventual race winner Kanstantstin Siutsou (Belarus) and Domenico Pozzovivo (Italy) went clear.
Siutsou forged ahead on the final ascent of the Torricelle to take a well-deserved win, with Dutch rider Thomas Dekker and the Dane Mads Christensen coming through late to secure the other two medals.
Deignan and Roche sprinted in as part of an 18- man group two minutes and 40 seconds after the winner, good performances on a day where only 84 of the 170 starters completed the race. Their team-mate Paídi O'Brien was 68th.
However Roche and Deignan were both disappointed not to finish closer to the medals.
"I felt good during the race," Deignan said afterwards. "I gave it a go on the climb but was brought back. A small group went clear after the top and I just missed the move. Dekker attacked then. I got to within 10 metres of his wheel but no one else would come through and ride, so they pulled away. I definitely had the legs to be up with the break but it didn't work out. It wasn't a case that I was lacking the strength to go with it, it is just that timing of things didn't work out. I was just a bit unlucky."
Roche said after the race that he was worn out after a long year and his recent pro trial with the Cofidis team.
"I felt tired out there. It has been a long season. I have a few more races left but perhaps I will end my season today, as I feel flat. I was hoping to go better but didn't feel 100 percent."
Roche has already done enough to secure a two year deal with Cofidis.
"We thought before the race that the crucial move would go with four or five laps to go," said Ireland manager Frank Cambell. "We decided it was better to go a little early rather than too late, so Philip had a good shot but it didn't work out.
"To be disappointed with 17th and 22nd shows how much our expectations have risen. We have some very talented riders now and they will go on to big things in the future."
