The Elite Women, Elite Men and U23 Men’s Road Races at the Irish National Championships on the 26th June 2016 which were hosted by Scott Orwell Wheelers in Kilcullen, Co. Kildare.
Heavy mist and rain greeted the riders as the teams arrived in Kilcullen for the final day at the Irish National Road Race championships on Sunday promoting club Scott or world wheelers assembled a top quality field for the men’s senior and women’s elite Road races to be contested over a demanding 31.5 km/h
Three times with the men’s race set to do six laps before the final 2.7 kilometer race down to the finish line in the pretty county kildare town defending champion Lydia Boylan from the British UCI squad team WMT was in fighting form ahead of the Women’s 97 kilometers and was well aware that
Repeating her title success from 12 months ago would be a tall order yeah I see how it goes that I’m sure I’ll be pretty marked up to winning it last year but ya know it’s a tough course I wrote it yesterday I’m yes it’s gonna be hard outs lock
There today I’m Irish weathers come in to greet us as well to make it just a little bit harder so you know I think give you a good race – looking forward to it and get a nice little kill finish as well so I’ll be a every good sprint
At the end that’s for sure strong women’s field was boosted by 2014 champion Fiona Mead of Blarney last year’s silver medallist Lydia girlie of team arrow coach and the sensation of the national time trial Championships an Iturbi who was gunning for double title glory in the colours of tyneside
Vagabonds the action kicked off right from the flag drop in the women’s race and by the time the group crested the rise on the testing drag of Brewer Hill on lap 1 the bunch had been whittled down significantly helped in part by a crash which split the peloton pile up to
A group of 14 forged clear with the new Time Trial champion and Iturbi using her testing skills to ride across to the front group 14 riders and what would prove to be the move of the day along with Derby were Boylan McChrystal girlie Lauren Kramer Catherine Smith Orla Montague Fiona Gwyn
Fiona Meade Michelle Keegan Hayden keen and Eileen burns Sinead Oakes and grace young this group would be further reduced on lap three as green and Montague drop back and Keenan suffered a mechanical plunging down the hill towards the finishing killed column eight riders were in position with Boylan perfectly poised for the final
Sprint to the line as she made it back-to-back national road championship wins the nottingham based rider just holding off eve McChrystal and Fiona Mead for the gold medal for Boylan it was a dream come true and she admitted the line couldn’t come quick enough in the final sprint being the bunch was all
Strong like coming in the last two kilometers and I was second wheels I was exactly where I wanted to be and I came around the front coming over that bridge and then maybe went a little too early I saw Eve coming up my right shoulder and
Panicked a little and I knew it was you just have to give everything for the line and yes actually my CC do it again I’m Korea over the moon so it’s gold for Lydia born and our team WMT ahead of silver medalist once again Eve McChrystal of Osceola works and bronze
Medalist former champion Fiona made of Blarney Cycling Club Sinead Oakes was the first of the Masters women ahead of Suzy Mitchell from Sun Drive track team and Oakes Durham Devon cork team mate Nessa Rochefort and it was no surprise that dorando van cork also scooped the team award the men’s race was contested
By a crack field of over 150 riders with World Tour professionals Nicolas Roche from Team Sky Map premier from dimension data and Ryan Malin of Team Canada joined by the cream of Irish overseas racing talent and the very best riders on the local scene 2009 title winner
Nicolas Roach meant business as he broke clear early on with six others including Dara feely Damian Shaw Eddie Dunbar James curry Carl Moynihan and Matt premier Moynihan and curry dropped back as marked down he raced across to be followed in turn by Connor makan V and michael o’laughlen those
Leading eight were chased furiously for much of the race by five riders including 2014 champion Ryan Mullen Jack Wilson Marc Dowling da Romani and Chris McGlinchey the bunch were soon distanced by the final lap the eight riders up front had broken the will of their rivals as they began the race finale in
Earnest on possio Sean McComb be reduced the leaders to five as Dunbar fili and Danny fell away but timing has moved to perfection Nicholas Roach forged an aero advantage the others couldn’t close racing solo all the way to the line in killed column and extending his advantage over half a
Minute roach have time to savor the moment as his grandmother buddy roche waved the checkered flag to herald the arrival of Stephens eldest son appropriately Roche began his cycling Odyssey with the event promoters for well wheelers and it means that off of us I’ve been chasing that Jersey for for
A good few years now and for the second time I’ll be able to do her whole year and the biggest race of the calendar it’s just you know I’ve been just that Jersey is just something special especially even though we were smaller nation in the cycle world when I
Go around like having that role of an ambassador I just feel so proud where that a special Jersey on here behind him premiere won the sprint for second from a Lachlan with amp osteoma combien shop earning scatter award for the strong performance o’laughlin’s third place earned him the
Under-23 title ahead of mark Danny and Dara feely with Dunbar 8th of the day and fourth under 23 so a second goal of the week for Nicholas Roach with premier settling for silver and were very contented michael o’laughlen a Lachlan won the under-23 title from mark Danny an impressive local based rider Dara
Feely with team as saya scooping the team award and what was a great conclusion to the cycling Ireland national road championships