Irish rider Conn McDunphy (Holdsworth Racing) has shown some solid form in one of his first races of the 2018 season with a sixteenth place in the 168-kilometre Omloop van het Waasland in Belgium today.
McDunphy finished in a group just 30″ behind the winner Benjamin Verraes (VDM Van Durme-Michiels-Trawobo CT) who sprinted home ahead of fellow Belgian Dieter Bouvry (Cibel – Cebon) with Dutch rider Daan Hoole (SEG Racing Academy) in third.
Despite missing the main break of the day, the 21 year-old managed to ride across to it in strong crosswinds on the final lap with two other riders. Unfortunately, the break had already split when he made it across with two kilometres remaining.
McDunphy’s Holdsworth team-mate and fellow former Lucan CRC rider Dermot Trulock snapped a gear cable with three laps remaining and finished in the bunch.
The race which was first organised in 1965 has been won in the past by the likes of Walter Planckaert, Erik Breukink, Niko Eeckhout and Danilo Napolitano.
It was the second race in Belgium this week for the pair with both riders finishing in the bunch at Wanzeel Koerse Lede-Wanzele on Wednesday.
