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Post date: Jul 17, 2016 4:12:47 PM
(By Shay O'Toole - Sun 17th July 2016)
On Sunday 17th July the club hosted several of Ireland’s top riders at the Mullingar Grad Prix. This annual event is one of the most popular races on the Irish cycling calendar and attracted what must be a record entry with close on 300 riders signing on including a team from Wales. For the second successive year it was held on a fast rolling circuit which took the riders from Multy through Crookedwood, Castlepollard, Coole and back to Multy. This year the Youths races were held on the shorter 11km Mornington circuit and proved extremely popular with all age groups.
With a full programme of races including youths (U12’S, U14’S and U16’s), Ladies, A4’s, A3’s and A1/A2’s, it meant an early start for the organising team who got sign-on underway at 08.30am. Weather was near perfect for bike racing and at 10am the first of the Youths races was underway. These up and coming stars of Irish cycling, depending on age groups, set out to tackle various numbers of laps of the testing Mornington circuit and included several Lakeside Wheelers riders who were delighted to get an opportunity to race on home soil.
As has been the case all season, the Youths worked tirelessly and yet again they delivered in each race. In the U12’s mixed race Aoife O’Brien claimed a fantastic 3rd place. Big sister Caoimhe was next up and once again she showed she is a match for the U14 boys as she was the first girl across the line. In the U16’s event the large group of competitors were faced with four laps of the route totalling 44km. This proved to be a cagey affair with tactical cycling the name of the game for the first 30km or so. Then on the final lap the lads kicked up the pace and as the bunch approached the finishing hill Conor Farrell screamed ahead to give his team mate Sean Kennedy every chance. Kennedy didn’t let the team down and at the right time he jumped to cross the line in 1st place and claim a fabulous home victory. This was a brilliant display of team riding and bodes very well for the future of Lakeside Wheelers.
Sean Kennedy sprints to victory in the Under 16 race. More pictures HERE
The senior races commenced at 11am and it was great to see such large bunches rolling out on to the 35km circuit. The A1/A2’s set off first to race four laps (140km) followed by the A3’s to do 3 laps (105km) then both the A4’s and Ladies who had to complete two laps (70km). Lakeside Wheelers were well represented in each race so hopes were high for some more home based success.
The ladies event was the final round of the National League and with Michelle O’Halloran well up in the standings, her team mates, Aishling Flanagan and Sonja O’Mahoney were focused on helping her to finish off the season in style. Once again this was a tactical affair and as the race approached the finishing hill it was a dog fight for the prizes with Michelle getting up for 7th overall. Well done to Team Wheelers in what was a very difficult race due to winds along the open bog roads through Coole.
Sonja O'Mahoney, Michelle O'Halloran and Aishling Flanagan competing at the Mullingar GP
The remaining races had no less difficulty with several riders commenting on the windy conditions all around the circuit which highlights once again, that clubs do not need hilly routes to make racing hard. Unfortunately the Wheelers did not have any luck but there were some great displays across all categories. The blue riband A1/A2 race was won after a very “Cat and Mouse” finish by Ian Richardson (UCD) who held off Mark Dowling (ASEA) with Lucan’s Dermot Trulock rounding out the podium.
The organising committee would like to thank all volunteers for their assistance and as usual the event could not be run without the cooperation of agencies like Westmeath Co. Council, Westmeath Civil Defence, Mullingar Gardai, Pat Cullen (Motos) and Grange Motors Toyota.
here are the full results of the day...
Senior Category 1 & 2
1 Ian Richardson UCD
2 Mark Downling Asea
3 Dermot Trulock Lucan
4 Joseph Breheny UCD
5 Keith Finn Planet X
6 Joe Fenlon Strata 3
7 Gereth McCullough Newry
8 Martin Cullinane Comeragh
9 Constatine Bartels Waterford Racing Club
10 Frank Dunne Strata 3
Senior Category 3
1 Dermot Cooney Dublin University
2 James Gault Phoenix
3 Cillian Whelan DID
4 Eddie Stephens Orwell
5 Bernard English Orwell
6 Alan Lawlor Wexford Wheelers
7 Conor McKenna UCD
8 Michael Finn Waterford Racing Club
9 Huw Owen Energy Cycles Wales
10 Joe Mulleady Yeates County
Senior Category 4
1 Ryan Callan Lucan CC
2 Kieran Regan St. Tiernan's
3 Conor Dowler Scott Orwell
4 James Ronan Dunboyne
5 Gavin Hendley Lucan CC
6 Seán Walsh Clondalkin
7 Seán McMahon Blanchardstown Wheelers
8 Gerard Murphy Clontarf CC
9 Adrian Crombie Lucan CC
10 Damien Long Waterford Racing Club
Women
1 Sinnead Oakes De Ronde
2 Claire McIlwaine Phoenix
3 Fiona Guihan Irish Centre For Cycling
4 Michele Geoghegan Orwell
5 Cila Montague DWCC
6 Maura Claffey UCD
7 Michele O'Halloran Lakeside Wheelers
8 Nessa Rochfort De Ronde
9 Eamer Harrison Covey Wheelers
10 Kate Earlie STCC
Under 12
1 Adam Gilsenan Bohermeen
2 Andrew Kelly Moynalty
3 Aoife O'Brien Lakeside Wheelers
4 Conor Gallagher Errigal
5 Rory Gallagher Castlebar
6 Ben Kinsella Carrick CC
1st U 11 Tom Kinsella Carrick CC
1st Girl Victoria Lupton Ossary CC
Under 14
1 Cadi Jones Energy Cycles Wales
2 Ryan Geraghty Bike Workx
3 Callum Owens Bohermeen
4 Cathal Gallagher Errigal
5 Odran Doogan Errigal
6 Matthew Devins Yeats CC
1st u13 Eoghan Cooke South East Road Club
1st Girl Caoimhe O'Brien Lakeside Wheelers
Under 16
1 Seán Kennedy Lakeside Wheelers
2 Declan Maloney Ballina
3 Leo Doyle Sheelin Flyers
4 Cian Dolan Kiltiernan
5 David O'Sullivan Moynalty
6 Liam Hanley Lucan CC
1st U15 Claude Mahony Middleton
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