The 2024 Cyclo-cross National Series got underway on Sunday, 6th of October in Belfast.
Hosted by VC Glendale, Round One saw 250 riders take to the course in Falls Park. Light showers in the morning preceded heavy rain in the afternoon, making the conditions challenging.
A combined field for Junior, Senior and Masters Women saw Greta Lawless lead from the start and take the win in the Junior category, with Holly McCaffrey from Longcourt-Hotel NCW Wheelers taking second in the Junior Category.
Having won the National Hill Climb National Championship on Saturday, Orwell’s Caoimhe May took her second win of the weekend when she won the Senior Women’s category in Belfast on Sunday. May was joined on the podium by Doireann Killeen of Kilcullen CC Murphy Geospacial in second and Scott Racing IRL’s Stephanie Roche in third.
The Masters category was won by EPIC MTB Expert Cycles’ Jean Wilson, with Midleton CTC’s Sally Drennan taking second and Orwell’s Aishling O’Connor finishing third.
The Junior, Senior and M40 categories also ran a combined field. The M40 category saw another Orwell Wheelers winner in Ronan O’Flynn. Frank McDermott from Oldcastle CC and Barry Kellett from Dromara CC took second and third respectively.
Curtis McKee riding with Spellman-Dublin Port took the win in the Junior Men category, ahead of Scott Racing’s Ryan Daly and local rider James Armstrong from VC Glendale in second and third respectively.
The Senior race was won by Kilcullen CC Murphy Geospatial rider Tadhg Killeen, as he beat 2022 European Cyclo-cross M50-54 Champion Team Worc rider Robin Seymour in a sprint finish while Caldwell Cycles Darnell Moore rounded out the podium.
The Under 6 Mixed category saw six boys and five girls completing three laps of a short course. The Under 8 category followed, and Evan McTavish from Western Lakes CC led from the start, and took the win over Square Wheels’ Max Beattie in second and Fiachra Connolly from Orwell Wheelers in third. The Under 8 Girls race was won by Zara Aiken from Banbridge CC, ahead of Elisa Tyszecka in second and Ballinasloe’s Sol Lally in third.
Orwell Wheelers’ Jaxon Jennings took the win in the U10 Boys’ race after a strong performance, beating Lincolnshire based rider Lorcan Lamont, riding with Ilkeston Cycle Club in second and Shelbourne/Orchard CC rider Josh Ruddell in third. Ríonach Campbell from Square Wheels took the win in the Under 10 Girls’ race ahead of club-mate Ciara McCool in second, with Robyn McDermott coming in third.
The Under 12 race was a tight affair, with just one second separating the first boy and first girl, with Orwell Wheelers’ Benjamin Cunningham crossing the line just ahead of Square Wheels’ Aoife Campbell. Shelbourne/Orchard CC’s Lewis Bell took second in the Boys’ category, followed by Orwell’s Daniel O’Sullivan in third. Orwell’s Molly Turner took second in the Girls’ category while Caroline Collins from Sliabh Luachra took third.
In the Under 14 Boys’ race James Cunningham from Team WORC took the win with Square Wheels’ Rory McCool second and Tomás Connolly of Orwell Wheelers third. The Under 14 Girls’ race saw Ava Baker from Breffni Wheelers take the chequered flag with Lilly McDermott of TC Racing in second, IMBRC’s Laoise Crinion in third.
In the Under 16 Boys’ race Caleb McGreevy of VC Glendale and Shane O’Brien from Fermoy Cycling Club had a good battle at the front of the race. O’Brien had managed to get ahead on lap three but McGreevy had the stronger final lap and took the win with O’Brien settling for second place. Eoin Davis of Bohermeen CC was third.
The Under 16 Girls’ race saw Emer Heverin riding with All human/VeloRevolution Racing Team cross the line ahead of Katie Turner of Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club with local rider Aoife Craig of VC Glendale third.
The M50 category was won by Newry’s Barry Convery ahead of Declan McEntee from Emyvale CC and Peter Morrison of Velo Café Magasin.
Johnny McCabe of Cuchulainn CC took the win in the M60 category ahead of Kevin McDowell.
Paul Beattie finished first in the Support Race ahead of Martin Conlon, while Gerard Curran of Tir Chonaill Gap CC rounded out the podium in third.
National Cyclo-Cross Series 2024 - Round 1 Results
Promoted by VC Glendale, Falls Park, Belfast on 6 October 2024
RESULTS SUMMARY
Senior Men
1 Tadhg KILLEEN Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospacial 1:00:33
2 Robin SEYMOUR Team WORC 1:00:34
3 Darnell MOORE Team Caldwell 1:01:50
4 Richard BARRY St. Finbarrs 1:04:17
5 Graham BOYD McConvey Cycles 1:05:29
Women (Snr/Jnr)
1 Greta LAWLESS Team WORC 42:31
2 Caoimhe MAY Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 45:23
3 Doireann KILLEEN Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospacial 45:43
4 Stephanie ROCHE Scott Racing IRL 46:09
5 Elena WALLACE Harps 46:22
Junior Men
1 Curtis McKEE Spellman-Dublin Port 52:39
2 Ryan DALY Scott Racing IRL 54:41
3 James ARMSTRONG VC Glendale 59:23
4 Ciaran O'SULLIVAN Greenmount CA 59:46
5 Hugh Og MULHEARNE Verge Sport PI Cycles -1 lap
Masters M40
1 Ronan O'FLYNN Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 1:05:35
2 Frank McDERMOTT Oldcastle CC 59:07
3 Barry KELLETT Dromara Cycling Club 59:29
4 Evan RYAN Team WORC 59:45
5 Joseph DONWORTH Greenmount CA 1:00:16
Masters M50
1 Barry CONVERY Newry Wheelers CC 44:21
2 Declan McENTEE Emyvale CC 44:54
3 Peter MORRISON Velo Cafe Magasin 46:00
4 David McKEE VC Glendale 48:09
5 Jay McCAULEY Strabane Lifford Cycling Club 48:11
Masters M60
1 Johnny McCABE Cuchulainn CC 46:29
2 Kevin McDOWELL Un-Attached Ulster 51:49
A full list of results is available - click here
A massive thank you to VC Glendale for hosting Round One, and with the first round of racing complete, the series next heads to Clonbur, Co Galway on Sunday, 27th of October. Entries for Round 2 are open now - click here
Cyclo-cross National Series Round One Preview
Cycling Ireland 5th Oct
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The Irish Cyclo-cross season officially kicks off this Sunday with the opening round of the 2024 National Series, hosted by VC Glendale, taking place in Belfast.
Unsurprisingly the first of four rounds has attracted large entries across all categories, with over 200 riders set to race throughout the day.
There are some familiar names in the Senior division who will all be looking to put series points on the board, including Darnell Moore, Robin Seymour and Graham Boyd to name a few.
There may only be seven entries in the Senior Women’s race, but it is likely to be highly competitive. Following her successful summer competing in Cross-country, Caoimhe May will be looking to start the Cyclo-cross season off with a good result. She faces competition from Rachel Newell, Stephanie Roche, Laura Birley, Niamh Stephens, Elena Wallace, and Doireann Killeen.
The youth races have all attracted a large number of entries reflecting the growing popularity of Cyclo-cross as a fun and attractive disciplines for younger riders.
Schedule:
09:50 - Under 6’s
10:00 - Under 8’s
10:15 - Under 10’s
10:35 - Under 12’s
11:30 - Women, Under 14’s, Under 16’s
12:55 - M50s, M60s, Support race
14:15 - Senior, Junior, M40s
The series will move to Connacht for the second round on the 27th of October, hosted by Western Lakes CC. Round 3 will be in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, hosted by Upperchurch Drombane Cycling Club on the 24th of November. The series will conclude with round 4, hosted by Bellurgan Wheelers, on the 5th of January.