This weekend was a big one for the club - the first round of the National Road Series and a selection race for our youths! In between were sandwiched an IVCA race and the final round of the SERC TT Series. Plenty there to keep us busy

 

SERC TT

Ian Devlin in TT action, photo thanks to Michael Forde

Saturday was dry, cool and calm - perfect conditions for the final round of the SERC TT league. Lining up for Scott Orwell Wheelers were Ken O'Neill, Ian Devlin, John Twomey and Barry Greene.

Ken has been our most consistent attendee and performer this series and rounded off the series with 9th place - finishing just 17 seconds ahead of Ian. Barry finished in 13th with John rounding out the Orwell places in 16th position.

 

IVCA LEAGUE:

The IVCA have been trialing a new system this year so results are a little slower in getting to us - however we do know that Brian McNally opened his account in the IVCA Race 1 with a great second place. Brian made the break with Eoin McGovern and they worked well together to open a gap on the chasing pack. Unfortunately Brian suffered a cramp in the sprint and rolled in in 2nd place. Behind the chasers fought it out for the remaining places with John Twomey finishing 4th overall.

 

PJ LOGAN - report thanks to Stephan Ryan

This event was part of the U14/U16 National Selection process and our older and experienced racers were keen to put in a good showing and did they ever deliver! 

First off were the Under 12’s where we had three entrants and all three were on the podium at the end of the race . Aine took 3rd in the Girls and Oisin & Luca were first and third respectively in the boys. All three are having a great start to the season. Because the start/finish line was a bit away from sign on I didn’t get to see this race but was stunned to see Oisin back and dressed at the car park in double quick time.

In the 14’s girls , Katie had to lead the chase of the strong favourite almost singlehandedly and richly deserved her 2nd place.

Ryan had been eagerly awaiting the start of the season and took off like a bat out of hell. In a very large and very strong field he should be well pleased with his 4th place. 

The attention switched then to the older groups, the boys and girls U16s which were run as separate races with 4 laps of the undulating (hillyhillyhilly) figure of 8 course for the girls and 5 for the boys. After the first lap both Caoimhe and Annie were in the leading group, next time round the group had shrunken to 4 and Caoimhe was riding strongly. Apparently the lead car got in the middle of the race separating Annie and another girl from the group. Those lead 4 rode the next two laps with no daylight between them until the final sprint – uphill needless to say – and Caoimhe was pipped for the final podium but got a very creditable 4th. Annie won her 2 up sprint coming from a good ways back to get 5th on the line.

In the boys U16s we had 3 entrants; fresh from his win last week Ronan, along with YTOS team members Andrew and David F .  A strong peloton of c. 20 riders passed the start / finish 6 times in all and for times 2 – 5 there was a familiar look to our lads , Ronan looking very strong in the front 4 or 5 , with Andrew and David a little further back in the group and keeping an eye on proceedings to make sure no gaps opened up. Laps were c . 18 minutes each and you could sense the pace ratcheting up at the bell for the last lap. Sure enough a mere 15 minutes later the lead car appeared over the horizon , before dipping down and then resurfacing into view at the foot of the final climb , one rider appears, but he’s a long way away and we can’t make out who it is. I’m thinking it looks like Andrew's helmet and the colours look like Orwell and thinking if it is him I hope he doesn’t get lapped then remembered that he was in the group that went by at the bell , which means, what does it mean , does it mean what I’m starting to think it means– then Terry yells at me , “that’s Andrew” and there is no one else in sight, he tears up the hill past our position , with a big beam on his face and takes the flag in some style.

Shortly afterwards the peloton comes in with Ronan in 8th and David in 11th – which remarkably means that Orwell placed 3 boy riders in the top 11 and 2 of the top 5 girls in a National Selection race.

 

DES HANLON - ROUND 1 OF THE NATIONAL ROAD SERIES

Women's Race:

The Des Hanlon Classic, hosted by Carlow Road Club has become the traditional opener for the National Road Series. Last year Áine Donegan of Scott Orwell finshed second in this race and went on to win the league overall. This year Áine is taking time out from racing leaving the door open for a new Champion - who would follow in her footsteps?

52 women lined out in a quality field. Scott Orwell Wheelers were represented by Lara Gillespie - who is currently studying for her Leaving Cert in a few months, the very much in form Yvonne Doran, Monica Freiband - in her first race of the year after some bad luck in training last month and a stint in hospital, Monica Marconi, and newcomers to racing at this level Aaron Fox, Annmarie Loughrey and Grainne O'Callaghan.

Sean Rowe was at the race with his camera and the following is a description of the race from behind his lens:

"The field split on the 1st climb up to the rushes and a group of 22 containing all the fancied riders formed at the front with several smaller groups chasing on the road down to Castlecomer. However, this group split again on the Yellow road climb with a group of 10 riders cresting the final climb at Bilboa with 15km to the finish with several smaller groups chasing hard. However, the front group would remain away and with a mainly downhill run to the line it was inevitable that this group would contest the win between them and although it looked initially like a junior rider would prevail, Grace Young, Strata 3 Velo Revolution came through to beat junior Lara Gillespie, Scott Orwell with defending champion Katherine Smyth, Team Madigan just getting up to pip another junior Maeve Gallagher, Castlebar CC for 3rd."

Congratulations to all the Scott Orwell racers. Lara on a great 2nd, Yvonne in the prizes for a 4th week in a row and particularly to all our new racers who finished their first National League Race!

 

A3 Race:

Conor Murphy Rogers is another of our racers who has had a great start to the season with regular appearances on the podiums. This weekend he was racing the A3 race and hoping to finish better than in the Unplaced Junior position and he didn't disappoint!

Again from Sean Rowe behind the lens:

"Aaron Wade and Kevin McCambridg both Chill NRPT came to the line together today to take a 1,2 for their team in one of the most prestigeous races on the domestic calendar, but this doesn;t tell the whole story. Starting the 2nd lap of 2, Aaron Wade had a 90 second lead over the large group of riders including McCambridge and when the field hit the climbs McCambridge rode away from the bunch to catch his team mate and both rode to the finish together which, as you can see from the photos was uncontested. Conor Murphy Rogers, Scott Orwell won the bunch sprint for 3rd."

It's a fantastic result for Conor, especially as he is still in his first year as a Junior having only moved up from the youths ranks in the last few months.

Amongst the other Scott Orwell in the race Balasz Galambos was riding well in the bunch when he suffered a puncture with only a few Km to go which put an end to his race.