Gorman triumphs in Louth Road Race Championship

Ray Culligan presents Gary Gorman with his prize for winning the Louth Road Race Championships on Sunday

Sunday saw Cuchulainn Cycling Club host the Louth Road Race Championships for both men and women. Despite the atrocious weather a good turn saw the riders start at Oriel Park, head to Carrickmacross, across to Ardee on to the link road, past Dorian’s pub and into the finish at the Fane Bridge some 60km later.

In the men’s event the racing was aggressive from the start with Gerry McCabe the first to put in a meaningful attack and his lead grew to over a minute at one stage. However, reluctant to give a strong rider such an advantage the main bunch began to up the tempo and eventually McCabe was brought back just after Carrick. The racing to Ardee saw attack after attack, with the bunch slowly but surely being whittled down until finally a select group emerged. On the run in from Castllebellingham a fast pace ensured that the race would come down to a sprint and with 500m Karl Dolan was the first to make a bid for glory. However Dromin’s Gary Gorman was the quickest to react and put in a blistering acceleration that saw him pull clear of everyone else and take the win ahead of Richie McMullen or Ardee and Dundalk’s Alan Bingham in third.

Ray Culligan presents Linda Stokes with her prize for winning the Louth Road Race Championships on Sunday

In the women’s event Linda Stokes put in a huge display to simply ride away from her opponents and take the chequered flag in a solo victory. The silver county medal went to Ardee’s Johanna Rogan and Dundalk’s Jan Conlon in third.

Jan’s bronze medal went with her gold medal she won earlier in the week at the Leinster Hill Climb Championships, also promoted by Cuchulainn. Here Linda Stokes was also to the fore taking the silver with Rosemary Gibson taking the bronze. The men’s title went to Meath’s Chris Reilly ahead of Cuchulainn’s Ray O’Shaughnessey and Tomas McCabe in third. The junior title was won by Cuchulainn’s David Finnegan with Lorcan Kilkenny taking the silver.

McDermott takes the victory in penultimate round of Cycling League

The penultimate round of the Bike Station Cycling League was contested over 35km with the riders going out to Ardee across the link road and back into Dundalk, through Castlebellingham for a finish at the Fane Bridge.

The first group on the road got organised quickly, with the riders forming a swift pace line, sharing the work and ensuring they maintained their gap right to the end. In the sprint for the podium Gavin McDermott took the win with, Paul Howard in second and David Finnegan third. Gary Gorman led home the other four groups which had all come together on the links road across from Ardee.

With both Alan Bingham and Benny Smyth failing to score points, the leaderboard has changed yet again as we head into the final round, which will be held on Thursday August 27th. Only three points separate the first three, with Alan Malone (90 points), leading Alan Bingham (88 points) and Benny Smyth (87 points) in third. Even fourth placed Connor McKeown could mathematically share the league win with Alan Malone if he was to take the win and none of the first three scored any points. Linda Stokes has a firm lead in the ladies competition and cannot be caught by her nearest rival Rosemary Gibson.

The Bike Station League takes a break this Thursday night as Jenkinstown Hill is once again the venue for the Leinster Hill Climb Chapionships. Defending champion James Davenport of DID Electrical will again be favourite, however there is a number of other strong contenders.

Cuchulainn Cycling Club will also be hosting the Louth Men’s & Women’s Road Race Championships on Sunday 23rd, racing starts at 10am on the Carrick Road

Almost 400 riders sign on for Tour of Louth

Members of Cuchulainn CC at the Wicklow 200

Cuchulainn Cycling Club recently held its annual Tour of Louth and with glorious weather almost 400 riders signed on for the 2015 tour.

A new headquarters for the event saw the riders gather at Dowdallshill GAA Club, where nervous cyclists pumped tyres, oiled chains and discussed the route, with the big talking point of course being the climb of Jenkinstown. Coming at the 60km stage of the 105km route, it is always the part of the route that breaks up the big packs.

The riders rolled out of Dowdallshill for a neutralised start through the town and up to the Fane Bridge. Once past the official start point, the speed did pick up and the riders settled into a number of different groups. These groups typically stayed intact until the aforementioned Jenkinstown Hill, which saw the riders coming home in much smaller groups. Back in the clubhouse riders enjoyed a fresh brew and some food. All in all the event was a huge success with excellent signposting and marshalling throughout.

Many of the club’s leisure cyclists, were not content with just 105km from the Tour of Louth and the following weekend headed off to Wicklow to tackle a leg crippling 200km, with hills that made Jenkinstown look like a speed bump.

Alan Bingham was in racing action on Saturday last on the motor racing circuit at Bishopstown in Co. Antrim. From the line Alan attached with North Down’s James Ambrose. The pair worked together to hold off the field and in the sprint Alan claimed the runner up spot.

Alan also picked up second position in the most recent round of the league, which was won by Stamullen’s Gary Gorman. Val Gargan continued his good run of form in the Bike Station Summer Cycling League, taking third position. In the section a race it was like father like son with Emmett Gorman winning ahead of Lynda Stokes in second and Cyril Sherry in third.

Cuchulainn Cycling Club to host Traders’ Cup on Sunday week

Dundalk man Jim Curran won the inaugural Traders’ Cup in 1942

Sunday February 22nd sees Dundalk’s Cuchulainn Cycling Club hosting one of the first races of the year, with the annual Traders’ Cup.

First run in 1942, the race covered 25 miles, starting on the old Dublin Road, going out to beyond Dunleer and back. The name the Traders’ Cup came from the fact that it was sponsored by local traders, as a way to boost sales in the town. The perpetual cup put up for the first race is still given out to the winner every year to this day.

The inaugural winner was Dundalk’s Jim Curran, at the time riding for Cuchulainn CC. Jim also came back in 1943 to successfully defend his title. For the next 29 years the race came and went, being held 14 times. Since 1970 the race has been held every year, bar two exceptions in 2000 and 2002.

A serious accident involving a cyclist and a car did see the race abandoned in 2006. The last Cuchulainn rider to win the race was Karl Dolan in 1991, however in 2014 Dundalk man Bryan McCrystal, riding for AquaBlue at the time, was a dominant victor riding away from the rest of the field. Bryan is sure to be back this year in the colours of his new Team ASEA squad.

As has always been the case the race is run on a handicapped basis with the A3 riders been given a head start before the A2s set off in pursuit and finally the A1s. This year’s race starts at the Fane Bridge and follows an out and back course to Dunleer, Ardee, into Dundalk on the Ardee Road and back the way it came, for a total distance of 75.6km or 47miles in old money.

The race starts at 10am and sign on and awards are set to be held in St Joseph’s GFC clubhouse at Cluskey Park in Dromiskin. Also on the day will be a women’s race of 40km and an A4 race covering the same course as the main race.

Water set to be restored to Blackrock, Dromiskin and Castlebellingham by 8pm

Large areas of Blackrock, Dromiskin, and Castlebellingham remain without water today due to a burst water main that occurred yesterday.

Irish Water has been dealing with the problem since it occurred yesterday morning with water pressure extremely low in these areas, particularly around the Golf Links Road and Fane Bridge areas.

Irish Water has apologised for any inconvenience caused and insist that the proper service is expected to be restored by 8pm this evening.

More than 15,000 turn out in Dundalk for Giro d’Italia

A scene from Sunday’s Giro in Dundalk, as captured by Fergal McCabe

More than 15,000 people turned out on the streets of Dundalk to welcome the Giro d’Italia through to the town, according to race officials.

The estimate – calculated on the turnout from the border to the Fane Bridge on the Dublin Road – means roughly one in every two people in the town were represented along the route.

The level of interest coincides with the superb backing the race received throughout the town, with businesses and homeowners decorating their premises in the build-up to the race’s arrival in Dundalk last Sunday.