He kept a close eye on his rivals on the run-in towards the finish, and didn’t panic when the in-form Conn McDunphy (Cycling Leinster) fired off at least two big attacks inside the final 25 kilometres. I wouldn’t know them, but I know they’re strong. I didn’t know who to choose, because some of these English lads. “We were probably as strong as each other, but he didn’t want me in the train at the same time,” he said. He explained afterwards that the Team Ireland squad was working for Doogan, who was second on stage four last year, and that he was given a free role in the finale. O’Loughlin is riding his first Rás Tailteann and has quickly got up to speed, the first year senior surprising himself by almost taking the stage.
They brought me into a good position with 500 to go and then I just followed the wheels.” I followed a couple of attacks, but then with eight kilometres to go or so, I thought we’ll go all in for the sprint and see what we can do. “The whole running off of the climb was just attack after attack. “It was really nervous,” said Fox after the stage. The Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli competitor finished slightly ahead of Patrick O’Loughlin (Team Ireland), best of the home riders, with Matteo Cigala (Dan Morrissey-Primor Pissei) and Odhrán Doogan (Team Ireland) third and fourth. Matthew Fox took the second consecutive Rás Tailteann stage victory for a British team on Thursday, winning a 62-man bunch sprint into Barefield in Ennis.
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