Mixed Bag for Youth Team in Rás Maigheo

Post date: Mar 13, 2017 11:51:9 PM

The first major test of the season delivered in a big way today with a tough , fast paced and gruesome staging of the three stage race of Ras Maigheo. Lakeside wheelers had seven riders in total competing across the different age categories, two in the under fourteens, Aoife O’Brien and Mark Langtry, and five in the under sixteens Caoimhe O’Brien , Leo, Conor Farrell (Mullingar) , Conor Farrell (Arda) and Aaron Wade .

The first stage was run on a lumpy fast paced course with the U14's doing two laps plus a steep hill finish, with the U16s taking on five Laps plus the hill finish. TAoife and Mark rode an excellent race with Aoife taking 2nd place in a tightly contested race and Mark finishing slightly off the pace but racking up another major race on the calendar.

Our U16s rode a superb race despite the short distance of 46km and fast pace with all five wheelers helping to animate the stage. Well done to Caoimhe who took 4th girl in a tough contest to the line for it up the sharp finish. Conor Farrell showed his strengths in a significant way taking by 9th overall on an Epic finish with Aaron coming in with the bunch. Conor Farrell the 2nd rode steady throughout and as a first year U16 acquitted himself and staying strong until the end. Leo jumped right in at the deep end taking part in his first road race and never gave up riding steady to the end. He has plenty of fitness and could have ridden back to Dublin, just the race pace will take some time to build in the legs.

Stage two was the dreaded race of truth aka Time Trial, taking place on Sunday morning. All Wheelers rode well in their respective categories with Aoife taking third in the under fourteen race & Caoimhe taking third in the under sixteen race.

The third and final stage took place in the afternoon on a mainly flat and very fast course. We had a mixed day in the third stage with some the riders being caught up in crashes or behind crashes and having to abandon their respective races for these reasons. Well done to Aoife who managed to remount after a crash close to the end of the stage to take fifth girl on the stage and third overall and to Caoimhe who despite being caught the wrong side of a split in the peloton battled on to finish and take third overall. Well done to all the youth team who represented the club excellently over the weekend.

Back at base in Mullingar for those who didn’t travel to Westport managed to leave the turbos behind in the clubhouse for a steady spin along the greenway.

Lakeside Wheelers yout team ready for Ras Maigheo