Ryan Mullen has finished 6th in the Men’s Time Trial at the European Championships in Glasgow, with a time of 54 minutes 19 seconds for the 45.7-kilometre race against the clock, just 13″ outside the medal positions.
The race was won by Belgium’s Victor Campenaerts, who finished just one second ahead of Jonathan Castroviejo of Spain with Germany’s Maximilian Schachmann finishing in the bronze medal position a further 27″ behind.
Last year’s bronze medallist, Mullen, was the second last starter off the ramp, and was lying 11th at the first intermediate check. At the second check he clawed back a few places, moving into 8th place. By the finish line, Mullen had moved to 6th overall, within 13 seconds of a medal.
The 24-year-old was disappointed with his result, as it was an event that he had targeted
“By my standards I have done a really good ride, power and performance was really good,” he said. “The top three are pretty light time triallists weight wise, so maybe the parcours of this course was favoured towards the lighter guys.”
“There are some world class names behind me, so I kind of can take that with my head held high – but I didn’t come here to come sixth, I came here trying to win.”
The Trek-Segafredo rider has been competing on the Irish team since he was junior, with the Time Trial as his focus. In 2014 he won a silver medal at the World U23 Championships, and was fifth in the Elite Worlds in Doha in 2016
“The team around me is really good, and they always support me, and always back me 100% for this race and I thank them for that – it’s just that I tried to win this, and I haven’t won it, so I’m pretty gutted about that.
His Irish team-mate Eddie Dunbar finished in 28th position with a time of 58’05” and he was also disappointed with his performance, while highlighting that it was a top quality field with World Tour riders.
“It was tough out there, the course was very dead and I couldn’t get on top of the gear. I’m disappointed with that. I didn’t feel sharp at all. I felt I had good power, but felt a little dead.
“This is my first time doing a senior championship. I can still do an U23 Time Trial so it’s good experience. There were 40 top quality guys on the start list today, and half of them are coming out having done the Tour de France, and even the Giro and I’ve none of that in my legs. This experience will bode well for the future.”
RESULTS
Men’s Time Trial
Gold Victor Campenaerts (BEL) 53:38.78
Silver Jonathan Castrovierjo (ESP) 53:39.41 (+ 00.63)
Bronze Maximilian Schachmann (GER) 54:06.16 (+0.27.38)
6th Ryan Mullen (IRL) 54:19.21 (+ 0.40.43)
28th Eddie Dunbar (IRL) 58.05.82 (+ 4.27.04)
