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Conor Murphy (Caldwell Cycles) has already become a player to watch with his achievements over the past 12 months, including a medal at the European Youth Olympic Games, and today he highlights his potential in the cyclocross discipline. showed that.
Just three races into his festival race trip to Belgium, Murphy came from behind in the Azencross Lowenhout (C1) junior race to achieve the best ever finish for an Irish athlete at this level of international cyclocross racing. Ta. .
He told Sticky Bottle he was “delighted” with the result after stepping onto the European stage after just a few days of racing.
Murphy was 71st in the junior race at the Telenet Superprestige Heusden Zolder (CJ) just two days earlier and was last on the grid for all races due to his lack of previous international competition. Started a stint.
🇧🇪 𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒂𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓 Dutch player Mathieu van der Poel has won his sixth game out of six this season 🏆 #cyclocross pic.twitter.com/hRHL11sXYJ
— Eurosport (@eurosport) December 29, 2023
Yesterday, Murphy showed what he’s capable of for the first time in the European mud, showing a huge improvement at the Telenet Super Prestige Diegem (CJ) with a 25th place despite a late crash.
And today he took seventh place at Azenkross Lowenhout (CJ), well within the top ten. This result shows that the first-year junior is very close to being a true candidate for the future.
Murphy finished just 46 seconds behind Belgian winner Sen Bosaerts, while Irish rider Cameron Henry (Inspired Cycling) also had a very consistent performance today, gaining valuable experience at this level. As of 4:30 today, he had risen to 44th place out of 67 starters.
“It was a good race, the mud was good,” Murphy said of the 45-minute race, which was run in very difficult conditions due to heavy rain in the area.
“I was 52nd on the grid, so it took me a while to gather my concentration. I moved into the front group, but unfortunately I fell behind. But I’m happy to be in the top 10.”
The women’s race that day was won by former world champion Sanne Cant (Clerin Corendon), with three Irish women taking part.
Irish senior champion Maria Larkin (Donkey Label) was 44th in 9:05, just over three places ahead of Irish junior Aine Doherty (Cycling Ulster). Irish U23 rider Roisin Lally (Loughborough Lightning Cycling Team) was 51st in 11:02.
Today’s elite men’s race was won by world champion Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin Deceuninck). Irishman Dean Harvey (Trinity Racing) was 58th after one lap, while 18-year-old Travis Harkness (Scott Bright Motor Group) was 58th after one lap. He was 58th after two laps.