The 2025 National Cyclo-cross Series got underway on Sunday 12 October at Falls Park in Belfast. This was the 8th time host club VC Glendale had ran a cyclo-cross race in this park, beginning in 2014, and this was the driest it has ever been. With a week of no rain the course was in great condition. Weather on race day was very pleasant with lots of blue skies, mild temperatures and very little wind. Perfect conditions. The club had the usual Belgian flags on display as their club kit is based on the colours of the Belgian national cycling team. Parking was provided on the pitch in the middle of the park with the course running around the edges of the pitch, up the side of the hill, past more playing fields and along the embankments tackling the tricky off-camber turns. The start/finish was, as usual, on the tarmac drive. The youth courses were then into the left hand side from the tarmac drive with different course lengths for all 4 of the youth age groups. The event had attached 260 entries from all across Ireland.
Racing got underway at 9:50 in the morning with the Under 6s race. They had 4 laps of a short course around the start/finish area. The 11 young riders were cheered on by the crowd of spectators. They got a goodie bag at the finish.
The Under 8s were the first to use the small boards, an obstacle where the riders had to dismount, lift their bike over the planks then remount. Taking the win for the boys after 3 laps was Noah Finnegan (Square Wheels) with Max Beattie (Square Wheels) second and Charlie McCarter (Un-Attached Connacht) third. Among the girls Sol Lally (Ballinasloe Cycling Club) was the first to cross the line ahead of Erin Coakley with Alice Bell (Un-Attached Ulster) third.
The Under 10s course was longer than the Under 8s and the riders had 5 laps to complete. Oliver O’Sullivan (Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club) took the chequered flag to win the boys’ race with James Kavanagh (Lakeland) second, Toby Heywood (Un-Attached Ulster) third, Séan McGahan (Square Wheels) fourth and Evan McTavish (Western Lakes CC) fifth. Ríonach Campbell (Square Wheels) was the first girl across the line and was only 12 seconds behind the leading boy. Marian Mulvaney (Sliabh Luachra Cycling Club) was the second girl with Isabel Lopes (Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club) third and Zara Aiken (Banbridge CC) fourth.
The Under 12s course was longer again. There were 17 boys and 12 girls in for this 7 lap race. Benjamin Cunningham (Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club) lead the race from start to finish. Jaxon Jennings (Bear Cycling) and Lewis Bell (Shelbourne/Orchard CC) were riding wheel to wheel with Lewis always sitting just behind Jaxon. On the last lap Lewis made his move to take silver with Jaxon having to settle for bronze. Caroline Collins (Sliabh Luachra Cycling Club) lead the girls’ race from the starting whistle. Ruby Millar (Square Wheels) was second with Fiadh Craig (VC Glendale) having to work hard for third place as Pippa Ruddell (Shelbourne/Orchard CC) was never far behind her.
After the podium presentations it was the turn of the Under 14s, Under 16s and Women to race. They started at the bottom of the tarmac drive facing the long drag up past the timing tent and then out onto the main course. The Under 16 boys started first, followed one minute later by the Under 14 boys. The Under 14 and Under 16 girls started together. Finally the field of 20 women got underway. The women had 6 laps to complete, the Under 16 boys had 5 laps with the rest having 4 laps to do.
Daragh Quigley (Foyle CC) put on a strong performance to take the win in the Under 14 boys’ race. This follows on from his win last week at the first round of the Ulster series. Billy Lord (Breffni Wheelers) was second with Fiachra Gardner (Westport Covey Wheelers Cycling Club) third with Max McGrath (Fermoy Cycling Club) just missing out on the podium. In the Under 14 girls’ race Lilly McDermott (TC Racing) got the win ahead of Aoife Campbell (Square Wheels).
Eoin Davis (Bohermeen CC) was having a great start to his season with two wins in consecutive weekends in the Under 16 boys’ race. James Cunningham (Team WORC) was second with James Geary (Fermoy Cycling Club) third and Kieran Mulvaney (Sliabh Luachra Cycling Club) fourth. In the Under 16 girls’ race Ava Baker (Breffni Wheelers) has also had back-to-back wins this season. Ciara O’Connor (Drogheda Wheelers) was second with Vera Cork Davis (Bohermeen CC) third.
In the women’s race Doireann Killeen (Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospacial) was out on her own at the front of the race for all 6 laps. Doireann would take the gold medal in the Senior Women’s category. There are three separate awards in the women’s race for the national series, top 3 juniors, top 3 seniors and top 3 masters. Junior rider Emer Heverin (All human/VeloRevolution Racing Team) did cross the line in second place overall but an illegal bike change on lap one lead to her disqualification. Darcey Harkness (Dan Morrissey Pissei Cycling Team) was the second Senior women to finish. Jean Wilson (EPIC MTB) crossed the line next to take the first place in the Masters women category. Leah McCarthy (K Capital Rocky Mountain) was third Senior woman. Top 3 juniors were Ffion Dolan (TC Racing), Grace O’Rourke (Spellman-Dublin Port) and Holly McCaffrey (Longcourt Hotel – NCW Wheelers). Joining Jean Wilson on the podium in the Masters women were Aishling O’Connor (Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club) and Trudy Brown (VC Glendale), second and third respectively. There was also a separate award for the top 3 women who are part of the Cycling Ulster Introduction to Cyclo-cross – Catriona Wheeler (Agrivey Cycling Club), Rachel Jones (Ballymena Road Club) and Margaret Kearney (Agrivey Cycling Club).
Next to race were the M50s, M60s and the support race for non-cyclo-cross bikes. Fearghal Regan (Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospacial) had a strong race to take the win in the 6 lap M50s race. Barry Convery (Newry Wheelers CC) was second having battled it out with Chris Byrne (Park Wheelers) who had to settle for third. Peter Morrison (Velo Cafe Magasin) was fourth with Jay McCauley (Strabane Lifford Cycling Club) fifth. In the M60s race it was no surprise to see winning rider Johnny McCabe (Cuchulainn CC) up among the M50s just in behind Jay McCauley. Christopher McCann (Inspired Cycling) took silver in the M60s race with Kevin McDowell (Un-Attached Ulster) taking bronze. There were only four riders in the support race with Paul Beattie (VC Glendale) taking the win ahead of Gerard Curran (Tir Chonaill Gap CC) – same result as last weekend. Chris Madden was third with Kenneth Mulvaney (Sliabh Luachra Cycling Club) fourth. Belfast Lord Mayor Councillor Tracy Kelly was on site watch the racing and help present the prizes on the podium for this race.
The final race of the day was for the Seniors, Juniors and M40s starting in this order. The Seniors and M40s had 9 laps to complete with the Juniors having 7 laps. In the Senior race Richard Barry (St. Finbarrs CC) was on form and was delighted to take the win. Robin Seymour (Team WORC) was second with Graham Boyd (McConvey Cycles) back again on the podium taking third. Sean Lundy (UCD Cycling Club) was fourth with Ian O’Connell (Team WORC) fifth.
There was a crash at the steps on lap one of the Junior race which saw Ryan Daly (Scott Racing IRL) retire from the race. Shane O’Brien (Fermoy Cycling Club) took the chequered flag ahead of Curtis McKee (Spellman-Dublin Port) with Conor Regan (Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospacial) third and Rian McCrystal (Bear Cycling) fourth.
Ronan O’Flynn (Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club) was back for another season and back on the top step of the podium. Ronan won at this event last year. Darragh McCarter (Spellman-Dublin Port) was second with Barry Kellett (Dromara Cycling Club) third, Bryan Geary (St Tiernans Cycling Club) fourth and Joseph Donworth (Greenmount CA) fifth.
A huge thanks to all at VC Glendale for hosting an excellent race and to their sponsors for helping to make this event happen. Thanks to Belfast City Council for the use of the park. Thanks to all the riders and supporters for coming along. The next round of the national series takes place at Glencullen Adventure Park (GAP) hosted by EPIC MTB on Sunday 26 October 2025.
Commissaires: Jim Adams, Liz Roche, Martin Grimley
Report by Martin Grimley
Photos
The Belgian Project (Facebook) – part 1, part 2, part 3
Cycle Race Photos Ireland (Facebook) U6, U8, U10, U12, U14/U16/Women
