Deignan ninth in U23 world race
Letterkenny's Philip Deignan finished a highly-credible ninth in today's Under-23 road race at the World Cycling Championships in Madrid.
The Ag2R Prevoyance rider, who was adding to his fifth-place finish at this year's Europeans, came home 34 seconds behind Ukrainian race winner Dmytro Grabovskyy.
The 19-year-old Grabovskyy, a silver medallist in the midweek time trial, clocked three hours, 56 minutes and 23 seconds for the 168km urban-based course. William Walker of Australia beat out Russia's Evgeny Popov in a sprint for silver.
Ryan Connor was the only other Irish rider to finish the eight-lap course. The Ballymena rider was 116th (4:07.23).
Paidi O'Brien, Miceal Concannon and Andrew McQuaid, son of Pat McQuaid who was named as new UCI President at Friday's annual congress, all failed to finish.
Irish hopes in tomorrow's 273km-elite men's race rest on the shoulders of David McCann, David O'Loughlin and Deignan's Ag2R Prevoyance team mate Mark Scanlon.
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS UNDER-23 ROAD RACE (168km, 8 laps)
Madrid, Spain
Result:
(1) Dmytro Grabovskyy (Ukraine) 3hrs 56mins 23secs (42.643 km/h)
(2) William Walker (Australia) +26secs
(3) Evgeny Popov (Russian Federation)
(4) Carlo Westphal (Germany) +33
(5) Christopher Sutton (Australia) +34
(6) Tiziano Dall'Antonia (Italy)
(7) Gianni Meersman (Belgium)
(8) Steve Morabito (Switzerland)
(9) Philip Deignan (Ireland)
(10) Pieter Jacobs (Belgium) same time
