Exciting racing on day 2 of the National Cyclo-cross Championships

by Secretary · Published January 13, 2019 · Updated January 22, 2019

Day 2 of the 2019 Irish National Cyclo-cross Championships saw great racing across the four national championship races – Junior men, Masters (M40, M50 and M60), Women and Senior Men. The course had been well tested the day before with the youth racing. The impressive constructed bridge with its steps and three ramps dominated the arena. The large crowd of spectators enjoyed the racing and hospitality at Fota House on a dry day with outbreaks of warm, winter sun.

The first race of the day was for the Junior men. Adam McGarr (Biking.ie) powered off the line and never looked back. Adam took the win. Behind Adam there was a close battle between Sean Nolan (Navan Road Club) and Lee Harvey (VC Glendale). They were side by side going into the last lap but it was Sean who took second place with Lee settling for third. Ciaran Dixon (Team Type 1 Junior Team) finished fourth.

The next race to get underway was for the Masters. Starting first were the M40 men, followed 3 minutes later by the M50s with the M60s one minute behind them.

In the M40s race Anthony Doyle (STRATA3/VeloRevolution Racing Team) was leading the race for laps 2 to 4 but it was Alan Bingham (Newry Wheelers CC) who came to the fore on the last lap to take the flag. Anthony finished second with Seán Ótuathail (Bray Wheelers) third. Crossing the line together was Evan Ryan (Team WORC) and last year’s champion Robin Seymour (Team WORC). Kevin Keane (St. Tiernans Cycling Club) finished sixth. The team prize in the M40s went to Team WORC when Peter O’Farrell finished.

Brendan Doherty (VC Glendale) was in termendous form in the M50s race and lead from start to finish. Last year’s winner Des Woods (Newry Wheelers CC) was always chasing but couldn’t bridge the gap. Michael Jordan (CSS Tallaght Wheelers) finished third with John Doris (EPIC MTB / Expert Cycles) fourth, Dominick Hegarty (IMBRC) fifth and Peter McConville (Newry Wheelers CC) sixth.

In the M60s race Johnny McCabe (Cuchulainn CC) is still not slowing down. His lap times would have put him into the top 5 of the M40s race. Johnny took with win ahead of Eamon McConvey (McConvey Cycles) with Terence O’Neill (EPIC MTB / Expert Cycles) third. Raymond Beers (East Antrim CC) was fourth with Michael Barton (Dromara Cycling Club) fifth.

The Women’s race then took place with 19 riders on the start line. This proved to be the most exciting racing of the day with Chicago based Maria Larkin (The Call Up p/b Bike Law) leading for the first four laps with Junior rider and last year’s winner Lara Gillespie (Scott Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club) close behind. Junior rider Lucy O’Donnell (O’Leary Stone Kanturk) was never far behind the front paid. On the final straight it was Lara who powered past Maria to take the win. Lucy finished third. Host club rider Grace Young (De Ronde Van Cork CC) finished fourth and took the prize of first unplaced Masters woman. Michelle Geoghegan (ILLI-Bikes Cycling Team) was fifth with Lisa Stapelbroek (Kenmare Cycling Club) sixth and Nessa Rochford (De Ronde Van Cork CC) seventh. Junior rider Darcey Harkness (Carn Wheelers) finished eighth and collected the first unplaced Junior woman’s prize.

The final race of the day was for the Senior men. A large field of 43 riders lined up for 7 laps. At the forefront of the race was Espoir rider David Conroy (Scott Eurocycles.com) who has been spending a lot of his season racing in Europe. Another Espoir rider Thomas Creighton (McConvey Cycles) was in the top 3 until around lap 4 when the pace got too much for him. David Montgomery (Un-Attached Ulster) had missed most of the season due to injury but was battling it out at the front with David Conroy. Last year’s winner Darnell Moore (Team Caldwell Cycles) was up in the mix as well looking for another jersey for this collection. The two Davids started to pull away from the others. In the end it was David Conroy who had got the gap and powered home to take an emotional win. David Montgomery was second with Darnell Moore third. Leinster champion Paul O’Reilly (UCD Cycling Club) finished fourth with Thomas Creighton fifth and taking the first unplaced Espoir rider trophy. Niall Davis (Biking.ie) finished sixth with Munster champion Richard Maes (Killarney Cycling Club) seventh and Ulster Champion Graham Boyd (McConvey Cycles) eighth. The team prize went to Killarney Cycling Club – Richard Maes, Paidi O’Brien and Matt Slattery.

A terrific day laid on by host club De Ronde van Cork. Many thanks to Race Director Michéal Corkery and to all those who helped to pull this event together.

Commissaires: Gary McIlroy, Richard O’Gorman, Anthony Keneally, Jim Adams and Martin Grimley

Report by Martin Grimley

Full results here

Event technical guide – here

Photos

Event Facebook page – here
Sean Rowe (Facebook) – here, here, here and here
Belgium Project – here, here and here
John Hammer (Facebook)- here
Toby Watson (Facebook)- here, here and here
Gareth Gibbons (Facebook)- here, here and here
Stephen Kelleghan (FlickR) – here
John Dempsey (Facebook)- here and here
Dave O’Brien (Facebook) – here
Rory O’Toole (Facebook) – here, here, here, here and here