Alan triumphs for Cuchulainn in Stamullen

Alan Bingham winning the A4 race in Stamullen

Alan Bingham took a fantastic win for Cuchulainn Cycling Club in the A4 race in Stamullen on Sunday.

Alan is no stranger to success in Stamullen, going as far back as 1991 when Alan took a bronze medal as a fair faced junior in the National Junior Championships that year. The race featured three ascents of the long and steep Snowton Climb, which saw the bunch split to pieces.

Alan was in the thick of the action all day and approached the line for the final time as part of a select group. On the slight rise to the finish Alan put in a blistering kick to take a solo win.

In the A1 race on the same day, which featured six ascents of the same hill, Gary Sheils, Colm Quinn and Liam Dolan all came home in the main bunch.

Quinn had had an active day and spent a lot of the race up the road but unfortunately his efforts came to nothing.

The first round of the FPM Accountants Summer Cycling League saw some 60 riders sign on. In the B league, twice former winner of the league, Jordan Flood took a solo win riding away from his compatriots in group four.

Meanwhile in the A league, it was the youngest competitor in the race taking the win, when 14 year old Lorcan Kilkenny rode away from everyone else in Group 1 for his first league win, in his first ever league race! Surely one for the future.

On Sunday last Carrickmacross Cycling Club hosted a 90km North East Tour. Fifteen cyclists from Dundalk took part and rolled out in glorious sunshine, however the weather took a slight turn for the worse when a strong wind reared its head. Particularly difficult was the section along Port Beach when crosswinds coming off the sea battered the riders, however all made it back to Carrick via Dromin, Ardee and Tallanstown and thoroughly deserved the tea, coffee and treats at the end.

Cuchulainn cyclists perform well in last open event of the year

The Leinster Junior Podium from last week’s race. From left, second placed Ray O`Shaughnessey, first placed James Davenport, and David Whearty and Brian Aherne, joint third

Cuchulainn Cycling Club hosted its last open event of the year with the staging of the Leinster & Louth Hill Climb Championships last week. Over 50 riders signed up for the unenviable task of trying to get up the 2kms of Jenkinstown hill as fast as possible. Before the event kicked off, the official record for the climb stood at 4:37, set in the early 90s by then junior rider Alan Bingham.

Fastest on the night and setting a new record for the climb in a time of 4:35 was South Dublin CC rider James Davenport. James edged out Cuchulainn’s Ray O’Shaughnessey by seven seconds, with Stamullen rider David Wherty in joint third with Orwell’s Brian Aherne. The women’s Leinster title went to Isabel Cogan in six minutes flat, ahead of Bohermeen’s Geralinde Gill and Calire McEntee in third. The women’s race was a very tight affair with only four seconds separating second through to fifth.

Cuchulainn had a clean sweep of the Leinster Junior podium with Aimhirghin O’Brannagin winning ahead of Nathan McGreehan and Ultan Stokes. The vets category saw the club take another medal with Johnny McCabe taking bronze, the gold going to Philip O’Flaherty of Swords.

In the Louth Championships the podium for the ladies was taken by Breda Dawe, edging out sister Annette by a mere second and Eve McCrystal in third. The senior medal went to Ray O’Shuaghnessey ahead of Colm Quinn, with Thomas McCabe in third.

Also in action recently at the Junior National Track Championships was Lisa Neary, winning a bronze in the 2km Pursuit and backing that up with another bronze medal in 12 lap scratch. Lisa also competed in the 500m time trial, where she missed out on a third medal by less than three seconds.

Another lady from Dundalk going well is Eve McCrystal, who has been selected for the Leinster Team for the upcoming international stage race the An Post Rás na mBan. The 4 day event features six stages in and around Ennis in Co Clare and attracts some of the best female cyclists from across Europe.

Finally the club will be running it’s annual overnight trip on October 5th to Monaghan. Details can be found at www.dundalkcycling.com