LEAGUE FINALE LOOKS SPECIAL
CARLOW RCC organiser John O’Shea expects this weekend’s final round of the National Road Series 2021 in Killeshin Hills to be very special.
The league draws to a close tomorrow on the famous route of the
Des Hanlon Memorial, arguably one of the country’s toughest one day classics.
The event is a traditional spectacular raced across the rolling terrain of the Dolmen County.
The day’s events will begin at midday and will see A1/A2 riders face a 133km route and the women will take on a 100km route.
There is a stacked field of favourites, with in form Daire Feeley, Mark Dowling and Gareth O’Neill likely to be at the front of the racing.
Feeley is the one to beat and will compete in the leader’s jersey with 209 points followed by Gareth O’Neill with 104 points.
The winner and the rest of the podium of the event will also lay down a clear marker of who to watch in the National Road Championships on October 3 in Wicklow.
Junior
O’Shea said: “This is probably one of the longest standing races in Ireland and this is the 41st running of it.
“The race is named in commemoration of a junior cyclist, Des Hanlon, who was tragically killed on Christmas Eve 40 years ago — it was run the year after that and every year since except last year when it was interrupted due to Covid-19.
“We would view it as, if not the hardest in the country, it is in the top three hardest one day races in Ireland.
“Multiple winners of the event have been the best in the country and it is fantastic to see how many riders who have also won the Rás have won here.
“It is very a special race.
“From our point of view there is such heritage in the race, there’s a fantastic list of winners and it is great to see, year after year, all the top riders wanting to win this race.” p (right)