News: McNally on RideLondon

Mark McNally who is coached by Trainsharp and rides for Wantyâ€“Groupe Gobert, reports on his race in the RideLondon Classic where he was 10th

News: McNally on RideLondon

Last Sunday, in a real classic style race wwhere Geraint Thomas almost stole the show until he was caught and legend Tom Boonen won the bunch sprint on the Mall.

Photo: Prudential RideLondon 2016

It was a battle of the sprinters with Mark Renshaw and Michael Matthews just two of the names in the mix but in 10th was Liverpool’s Mark McNally of Wantyâ€“Groupe Gobert.

Mark is not renowned as a sprinter but the rider coached by Trainsharp had the legs after a long hard race to finish in a very respectable place.

“It was a hard day out as always in RideLondon” he says. “The race really started with 100km to go when Team Sky attacked second time up the main climb on the circuit which we tackled three times with a group of about 20 guys escaping from the peloton”.

“I missed the group and the third and final time up Ranmore common there was another selection in the peloton which this time I made sure I didnâ€™t miss it.”

“After a bit of indecision in the group, the peloton began to regroup and luckily for me I had two team mates in the group up front so I had an armchair ride as Orica BikeExchange took on the responsibility to chase as we caught most of the large group over the top of the infamous Box Hill”.

“There were still nine guys away which made for a hectic full gas chase. It was touch and go whether we would catch the leaders before the finish but we took the last escapee back with 1500m to. It was a scrappy sprint with no real organisation as most teams had spent their lead out trains in the chase.”

“With 900m to go, I was on Tom Boonenâ€™s wheel but let myself get bullied off the wheel and rounding the last corner I was in about 15th wheel. I knew it was a long sprint and if you went too early youâ€™d go backwards so I did a bit of wheel hoping carrying my speed.”

“I was a little boxed in so didnâ€™t really have enough space on the road to open up fully ending up a very respectable tenth. All in all, it was a good day out.