Odhran Connors' strong start to the season is starting to bear fruit as the Orwell A2 featured in breaks on both days last weekend, netting a fine fifth place finish in the Saturday's Staggs Lucan GP race.

Connors was part of a six man group that dominated the A1/A2 race, breaking clear on the first of four laps on its way to a maximum lead of around a minute. Their lead dwindled in the crosswinds on the final lap but the sextet had enough in hand to fight out the finish where Connors netted his first placing of the year.

Showing powers of recovery honed over the last few years of FBD Ras stage racing, Connors made a 15-man selection that powered across the gap from the A1/A2 riders to the fast moving A3 bunch in the Trader's Cup in Dundalk the following day.

Meanwhile Declan Quigley timed his trademark stealth sprint to near perfection as he powered his pipecleaner legs to a breakthrough third in the bunch finish that decided the A3 race at the Staggs Lucan GP.

Making it Orwell representation in the prizegiving for all three races at the Batterstown event, racing rookie Brian McArdle scored his first open race placing with sixth in the A4 race.

Orwell provided no less than 12 riders in the entry for the first round of the Women's National League in Dundalk where World Masters Points Champion Orla Hendron fared best, netting sixth in the large group dash to the line.

Close behind, fellow World Masters Championship medallist Aideen Collard was in the points in seventh with Sandra Telford displaying her growing strength with a fine eighth.

Elsewhere in Leinster, the IVCA racing season began with a DMS event in Warrenstown where Stephen McNally was part of a four man break that edged clear early on in the race for the black and yellow numbers, the former Irish Veteran track champion taking second in the sprint to the finish line.

For video footage of the Staggs Lucan GP and Trader's Cup races see cycleways.com

Staggs Lucan CRC GP,

Batterstown, Saturday 26 March

A1/A2 Race

1, Martin Mizgayski (Wexford Wheelers);

2, Fran Gibson (South Dublin CC);

3, Sean Bracken (Usher Irish Road Club);

4, Alan Galvin (Slaney CC);

5, Odhran Connors (Orwell Wheelers);

6, Mark Gill  (On Your Bike).

A3 Race

1, Caelan Murphy (Bray Wheelers);

2, Ciaran Hallinan (Dunboyne/Clonee CC);

3, Declan Quigley (Orwell Wheelers);

4, Richie McDonagh (Naas CC);

5, Brian Taaffe (Dublin Wheelers).

6, Masciej Staroniewicz (Epic DH).

A4 Race

1, Eoin McGovern (Dublin Wheelers);

2, Ed O'Brien (Bray Wheelers);

3, Dave O'Connor (Unattached);

4, Damien O'Brien (Lakeside Wheelers);

5, Brendan Bonnie (St Tiernan's CC);

6, Brian McArdle (Orwell Wheelers).

Women's National League Round 1,

Dundalk , Sunday March 27^th

1, Gillian McDarby, (Usher IRC);
2, Geraldine Gill, (Bohermeen CC); 
3, Roisin Kennedy, (Lucan CRC);
4, Mandy Colley, (Basso);
5, Sandra Fitzgerald, (Lucan CRC);
6, Orla Hendron, (Orwell Wheelers);

7, Aideen Collard (Orwell Wheelers);

8, Sandra Telford (Orwell Wheelers).

IVCA DMS Warrenstown

Sunday 27^th March
Race 1
1, Paul Dolan (Usher Irish Road Club);
2, Stephen McNally (Orwell Wheelers);
3, Cian Lynch.

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