2014 National Championships

[del1962]

19 year old Ryan Mullen has apparently won Irish Nats TT

 

[Christian]

I hope they ride: Andy to top10 and Frank for the win.

There are only 10 professional riders (not counting those who ride U23 race)

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Brit Nats Result

Wiggo 53.56
G 55.04
Dowsett 55.17
Luke Rowe 56:55

Well done Wiggo.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

19 year old Ryan Mullen has apparently won Irish Nats TT

The only real question was if he would have to wait a year. At this point, he's a year better every 12 months while Hutchinson, last year's winner and the other big favourite, is just a year older.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

There are only 10 professional riders (not counting those who ride U23 race)

Yes? How else could Andy get a top 10?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Yes? How else could Andy get a top 10?

well, thats still not given......

 

[trevim]

There are only 10 professional riders (not counting those who ride U23 race)

Yeah I know it's fierce competition but I believe in Andy

 

[Christian]

Yes? How else could Andy get a top 10?

He did it last year... I have faith he can do it again!!

1. JUNGELS Bob RLT 4h14'20"
2. SCHLECHTER Pit LET 44"
3. DRUCKER Jempy AJW 44"
4. DIDIER Laurent RLT 44"
5. THILL Tom LET 44"
6. ZANGERLE Joel LET 44"
7. GASTAUER Ben ALM 51"
8. KIRSCH Alex LET 01'01"
9. HELMIG Christian CCD 01'05"
10. SCHLECK Andy RLT 04'14"

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Mullen, the reigning young talent in Ireland's small pool, did indeed set the fastest time at the National TT championships at 19. Easily too. But in a victory for bureaucratic stupidity he isn't allowed to enter the elite championship and is instead the u23 champ despite beating the elite winner by almost a minute.

Once he is allowed into the elite race he will in all probability hold the title for the next fifteen years! He is already much better than every older rider and top level Irish TTers do not turn up very often, so the chances are it will be a long time before some kid comes along to oust him.

Overall times
1. Ryan Mullen (An Post-Chainreaction) 44:09 - u23 winner
2. Michael Hutchinson (InGear) 44:55 - elite winner
3. Colm Cassidy (UCD CC) 44:59
4. Martyn Irvine (Unitedhealthcare) 45:09
5. Matt Brammeier (Synergy Baku) 46:11

Dan Martin was supposed to ride this. If he did, he didn't make the top 15. As it's his first race back after a long injury lay off, he's probably not too embarrassed about being beaten by a load of club riders.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

I'm not sure why Mullen I wasn't allowed into the elite race. It might be because there's a blanket ban on u23 riders or it could be because he is entered in the RR as an u23. I suspect the former because presumably he'd have happily gone in the RR as an elite rider if doing so would let him into the elite TT.

He definitely wanted to ride the elite TT. He said on twitter he'd been told he couldn't and had to ride as an u23.

 

[Bushman]

Stick him in a sprint train and he could a good enough job.

Cycling is really not that simple.

 

[Jakob747]

Mullen, the reigning young talent in Ireland's small pool, did indeed set the fastest time at the National TT championships at 19. Easily too. But in a victory for bureaucratic stupidity he isn't allowed to enter the elite championship and is instead the u23 champ despite beating the elite winner by almost a minute.

Once he is allowed into the elite race he will in all probability hold the title for the next fifteen years! He is already much better than every older rider and top level Irish TTers do not turn up very often, so the chances are it will be a long time before some kid comes along to oust him.

Overall times
1. Ryan Mullen (An Post-Chainreaction) 44:09 - u23 winner
2. Michael Hutchinson (InGear) 44:55 - elite winner
3. Colm Cassidy (UCD CC) 44:59
4. Martyn Irvine (Unitedhealthcare) 45:09
5. Matt Brammeier (Synergy Baku) 46:11

Dan Martin was supposed to ride this. If he did, he didn't make the top 15. As it's his first race back after a long injury lay off, he's probably not too embarrassed about being beaten by a load of club riders.

Mullen is extremely physical gifted. Ireland's national selector Martin O' Loughlin mentions Mullen has the upper body of an elite swimmer and has showed potential of a future champion right from the beginning. He started working with him at age 14 btw! Class act that Mullen!

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Mullen is extremely physical gifted. Ireland's national selector Martin O' Loughlin mentions Mullen has the upper body of an elite swimmer and has showed potential of a future champion right from the beginning. He started working with him at age 14 btw! Class act that Mullen!

Yes, he seems like the real deal. Just a huge engine on him for a kid. Like Sam Bennett before him he's clearly been the big young talent in the country for a while.

I profoundly hope that this bureaucratic silliness isn't going to mean that for four years in a row, until he is 23, the national TT champion will be the second place finisher. That's just embarrassing for all concerned, including the "champion"

 

[happytramp]

Mullen is extremely physical gifted. Ireland's national selector Martin O' Loughlin mentions Mullen has the upper body of an elite swimmer and has showed potential of a future champion right from the beginning. He started working with him at age 14 btw! Class act that Mullen!

Looks like the real deal alright. Wonder how long it is until he's snapped up.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Looks like the real deal alright. Wonder how long it is until he's snapped up.

I'm not sure that he'd be very well advised to move up to WT or PCT yet. He's only been an espoir for a few months. He will also get lots of practice at small cobbled races where he is, and those are useful skills for a TT talent to pick up.

 

[Netserk]

Stick him in a sprint train and he could a good enough job.

Hell fucking no.

 

[ciranda]

Well, he isn't just a bit one dimensional. He isn't really capable of anything in a road race. His tt is very good, but mostly because he has in incredibly strong mentality. He ride his tt bike until he dies and probably further when he sets a goal for himself.

So moronic these claims about Rasmus Quaade. Please stop.

He was in breakaways in Tour of Denmark last year, and in the Tour of Fjords this year on a stage with a pretty tough route, and had no problems following the race, reading the race, getting in the break, changing speed, whatever.

In other races he helps his team mates like any cyclist does. He does a lot of races with no problems. There's no difference in what he can do and what other cyclists can do. It goes without saying that he does not need to win stage races or kill it in the mountains to be a major asset for a good team.

Like user trevim says, of course Quaade is good enough for a better team. I really wish people would stop repeating these absurd unfounded ideas about him.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

So moronic these claims about Rasmus Quaade. Please stop.

He was in breakaways in Tour of Denmark last year, and in the Tour of Fjords this year on a stage with a pretty tough route, and had no problems following the race, reading the race, getting in the break, changing speed, whatever.

In other races he helps his team mates like any cyclist does. He does a lot of races with no problems. There's no difference in what he can do and what other cyclists can do. It goes without saying that he does not need to win stage races or kill it in the mountains to be a major asset for a good team.

Like user trevim says, of course Quaade is good enough for a better team. I really wish people would stop repeating these absurd unfounded ideas about him.

Which brings us back to the original question: why is a guy who can TT like this stuck on a little Conti team?

 

[williamp78]

Yes, he seems like the real deal. Just a huge engine on him for a kid. Like Sam Bennett before him he's clearly been the big young talent in the country for a while.

I profoundly hope that this bureaucratic silliness isn't going to mean that for four years in a row, until he is 23, the national TT champion will be the second place finisher. That's just embarrassing for all concerned, including the "champion"

I assume its probably something to do with the category of his racing licence?

And Michael Hutchinson who "won" the elite was joking earlier in the week on twitter that he definitely wouldn't be catching the rider in front of him this year; that rider being Ryan Mullen

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

I assume its probably something to do with the category of his racing licence?

That sounds likely. I'm sure we will find out what the bureaucratic issue is soon.

 

[ciranda]

Which brings us back to the original question: why is a guy who can TT like this stuck on a little Conti team?

IDK, that people always repeat these crazy stories about him could be part of it. And it's not like directors from PT teams are geniuses who never make mistakes. He's not old at all though, so it should be possible for him to go forward.

 

[Afrank]

Canadian TT:
1. Svein Tuft (Can) Orica GreenEDGE 0:53:25
2. Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale 0:02:04
3. Ryan Roth (Can) Team Silber Pro Cycling 0:02:21

 

[JRanton]

Yes, he seems like the real deal. Just a huge engine on him for a kid. Like Sam Bennett before him he's clearly been the big young talent in the country for a while.

I profoundly hope that this bureaucratic silliness isn't going to mean that for four years in a row, until he is 23, the national TT champion will be the second place finisher. That's just embarrassing for all concerned, including the "champion"

That is a ludicrous situation. I wonder what Doctor Hutch makes of his ''win''...

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

That is a ludicrous situation. I wonder what Doctor Hutch makes of his ''win''...

I don't know. Mullen has chipped in on twitter responding directly to tell people who were needling Hutchinson that they don't understand cycling and should shut their cake holes! Which seems pretty magnanimous in the circumstances.

 

[Bushman]

So moronic these claims about Rasmus Quaade. Please stop.

He was in breakaways in Tour of Denmark last year, and in the Tour of Fjords this year on a stage with a pretty tough route, and had no problems following the race, reading the race, getting in the break, changing speed, whatever.

In other races he helps his team mates like any cyclist does. He does a lot of races with no problems. There's no difference in what he can do and what other cyclists can do. It goes without saying that he does not need to win stage races or kill it in the mountains to be a major asset for a good team.

Like user trevim says, of course Quaade is good enough for a better team. I really wish people would stop repeating these absurd unfounded ideas about him.

I know he has improved a lot in road races and he is doing fine in Continental level. My point is that his tt level doesn't reflect his overall level and he hasn't show anything in road races that can give him a World Tour spot.