Richardson pinning hopes on time trial
THERE will be strong North East interest this coming weekend when Wexford Wheelers CC hosts the All-Ireland Time Trial and Road Race Championships, one of the most important dates in the Cycling Yearbook.
Getting the weekend off to a flying start will be the Time Trial Championships on Thursday at 5pm from the magnificent setting of Johnstown Castle, just on the south side of Wexford town.
Contenders for this title include the current title holder, professional cyclist Nicolas Roche who now competes with the BMC team; Ryan Mullen, who has Duleek connections and now competes with the Cannondale Team; Matthew Brammier (Aqua Blue Team); and Ian Richardson (UCD fitzcycles.ie).
Slane native Richardson is steadily returning to great racing form and only on Sunday won the Kieran Hammond Memorial time trial at Roundwood, Co Wicklow.
Another local rider, Cian Delaney (Stamullen Road Club), who finished just outside of the top ten in last year’s championship, has trained specially with this race in mind and is hoping for a strong finish. Delaney finished second behind Richardson in Roundwood on Sunday.
In Saturday’s Masters Championships, formerly the Veterans Championships, local interest centres around the M40s, with the North East strongly represented by clubs from Drogheda, Stamullen, Dundalk and Swords.
On Sunday morning all eyes will be on the big men of Irish Cycling when all the professional riders return from overseas to line up along with the cream of the homebased riders to take part in the Elite Men’s Road Race Championship.
In the Elite Women’s Road Race Championship, Dundalk’s Eve McCrystal, who races with Garda CC, is one of the contenders for the title.
On Sunday last the Meath GP for the Sean Nolan Memorial Cup, promoted by Navan Road Club, really lived up to its name as one of the top races of the year.
A total of 77 riders lined up for the Senior A1-A2 race and just after the start a seven-man break, which included Javan Nulty from Julianstown - riding with North Down CC - went clear.
After the end of the first lap, they had a minute of a lead over the main field, but with some very high-speed racing being done in the main field, the race came back together.
At this point Colin Robinson from Stamullen Road Club attacked and went clear on his own, only to be joined by five more riders. This group stayed out clear right to the finish, where Comac McGeough from America, now living in Ireland, crossed the line ahead of Philip Lavery, with Robinson in third place.
On Tuesday night of last week Ardee CC held the third round of the Ferdia League, just outside Ardee town.
The event was contested over two laps of the circuit, a total distance of 34km, and Shane Lennon from Carrick CC came out best, followed by David McMahon, Ardee CC; Emmett Gorman, Stamullen RC; Alan Smyth, Carrick CC; Charles Lynch, 4-County CC; and Brendan Dunne from Cuchulainn CC.