It is interesting to look back on the racing events from the past, here is a video of three races in early 2001, giving a flavour of the competition at that time.
Here are some of the reports from our archives on IrishCycling.com
STAMULLEN GRAND PRIX "What They Said
From our archive by Gerard Cromwell Apr 24
PAT HOWARD MEMORIAL
"It was a good race, we were lucky to stay away in the end. A tough course. I'm a mountainbiker so I like the hills!" Colm Mullen (3rd )
"It was a fun day at the office. I'm not really a climber, so I had to keep trying to get away on the flat, but there was this big hill that kept holding me up. On the last lap a group of 8 went up the road and I thought that was it, but luckily they came back and we got away on the Naul road." - Kenny Conlon (2nd).
"It's nice to win. It was a good race, excellent course, the hill was very hard. There's no racing up North, so I had to take a day off work to come down. I don't usually race down south because I work weekends. The hill was very difficult especially the second part. I tried very hard to get away more than once but kept getting chased down. I think it's better to keep trying than to ride negatively. I'd love to ride the Ras, if I can get a team. " 35 year old Sean Wright winner of the Jimmy Gough Cup.
JOEY WHYTE MEMORIAL
"I just reckoned I'd done nothing for the rest of the race so I better do something at the end!" Phil Cassidy on his newly acquired bunch sprinting skills. "It was an excellent race. I think it's good for cycling to see such a big group going out on the last lap. Other years, you'd have one or two, maybe a ten man group. Everybody rode really well today. I tried to get out of the bunch but the racing was too good. It was great to have such a big crowd cheering us at the line each lap. This is the race of the year as far as I'm concerned." Cassidy again after finishing 3rd in the Joey Whyte memorial.
"Scanlon was the man on the day. He's like a motorbike ! It was a great race, there was no slacking off right from the start. Every time coming through the line you couldn't hear yourself think!" Shane Prendergast (2nd)
"It was my first time to race in Stamullen, so it's great to win. We arrived an hour and a half early so we drove around the course this morning. I got a bit of a shock when we turned the corner and saw the hill." Mark Scanlon winner of the Joey Whyte memorial.
"I didn't want to risk just taking it easy and riding up and over to the finish, if Cassidy had done a bit of driving or something - he has a big team - then maybe we would have been caught, so I just rode hard and unfortunately dropped Shane. I'm feeling stronger than this time last year. Last year I had 17 days racing by now, this is only my 8th race, I think, so I need a bit more racing. I'm going to ride the big races with Nantes and the rest with the Irish team. I ride the Espoirs Paris - Roubaix on June 3rd, so that's the big aim for June." Scanlon again.
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RESULTS - Joey Whyte memorial (S1): 1) Mark Scanlon (Nantes 44) 71 miles in 2 hrs 37 mins 25 secs; 2) S. Prendergast (Naas) at 1 min 20 secs; 3, P. Cassidy (Cycleways) at 1 min 25 secs; 4, P. Griffin (unattached); 5, P. Healion (Usher IRC); 6, D. Easton (Maryland wheelers); 7, A. Hedderman (Cycleways); 8, K. McMahon (unattached)
Senior B (Pat Howard Memorial Cup): 1st - Sean Wright (Ballymena RC); 2nd - Kenny Conlon, Newbridge Cutlery CC; 3rd - Colm Mullen, (Cycleways CC); 4th - Brendan Harte (Bohermeen CC); 5th - Paul Reid (IMBRC); 6th - Michael Dennehy (Kanturk CC).
Junior Race (Jimmy Gough Memorial Cup): 1st - Tim Cassidy (Usher IRC); 2nd - Paidi 0’Brien (Kanturk CC); 3rd - Stephen Enright (Usher IRC); 4th - David Rawlins (Usher IRC); 5th - Stephen Adair (Northern CC); 6th - Edward Smith (Ards CC).
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JOHN BEGGS MEMORIAL, DROMORE (From our archive by Jim Trainor Apr 28 2001) Keith Gallagher (Orchard Wheelers), who won the Ulster Championship a week ago, continued his successful run of victories when he took Banbridge CC's 100kms John Beggs Memorial at Dromore.
53 riders started in the senior event on a new course which added a third climb and with a shorter circuit there was also an extra lap leaving 21 climbs in all. This soon broke up the field and by half distance a group of 12 had distanced the bunch who would have no further interest in the major prizes.
With a lap to go Denis Easton made a lone break and for a time he held a lead of 25 seconds. when he was brought back the leaders split and there was a group of four at the front. Mark Sittlington (Classic Walls) attacked but Gallagher went with him and these two stayed ahead to the finish where Gallagher took the sprint for his third won of the season.
In the Junior/Veterans event over five laps Phillip Duignan (Four Masters) went away on his own and at the finish he was over 2 minutes in front.
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John Beggs Mem. 100 kms: 1, Keith Gallagher (Orchard Whs.) 2.56.06; 2, M. Sittlington (Classic Walls) s.t.; 3, D. Easton (Maryland Whs.) at 19 secs; 4, G. Cranston (Northern Dave Kane) st.; 5, B. Doherty (Provision) at 40 secs; 6, J. Dempsey (Classic Walls) st.; 7, M. Hamilton (Toyota North Down) at 1.04; 8, R. Aiken (Banbridge CC); 9, P. Mulligan (Omagh Whs.), all same time; 10, D. Lennie (Toyota North Down) at 5.16.
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Sean McGreevy Mem. 80kms: 1, Phillip Duignam (Four Masters) 1.36.32; 2, E Smyth (Ards CC) at 2.20; 3, S. Adair (Northern Dave Kane) at 2.24; 4, A. Cranston (East Antrim Audi) (1st vet.) at 4.48; 5, M. Gallen (Omagh Whs.); 6, J. Cole (Phoenix CC). U16: 1, Frazer Duncan (Toyota North Down); 2, D. Watson (TND); 3, S. Curran (Banbridge CC). U.14: 1, Adam Petrie-Armstrong (Northern Dave Kane); 2, M. McGirr (Lakeland CC); 3, S. Williams (Orchard Whs.). U.12: 1, Peter Williams (Orchard Whs.); 2, A. Fiddes (Orchard Whs.).
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CASSIDY WINS NOEL HAMMOND MEMORIAL: (From our archive by Shane Stokes Apr 29 2001) With the final countdown to the FBD Milk Rás underway, 1999 champion Phil Cassidy (Cycleways) today proved best when he outsprinted national criterium champion Paul Healion (Usher IRC) to take his third Noel Hammond Memorial victory.
Cassidy was part of a strong five man group which got clear on the fourth of six laps, and together with Healion, Dave Peelo (Usher IRC) and the Clarkes Contracts duo of Mark Sittlington and 1998 national champion Ray Clarke, forged a decisive lead over a weary looking main bunch. The quintet steadily drew clear on the tough 12 mile circuit, before Cassidy struck for home with about 20 miles remaining.
However, as the other three wilted, Healion exhibited the form which netted him the national 25 mile time trial title last year in bridging the gap to the Cycleways rider, before commencing a series of attacks which he hoped would secure victory. Following the climb of the Nags head, one such jump looked set to bring success as Cassidy dropped back but lugging a huge gear, he rejoined two miles later.
The pattern was repeated again before Cassidy himself attacked, but this attempt was in turn negated and sensing stalemate, the duo opted to work together and settle the race in the final kilometre. Having lost the race in 1998 after rounding the last corner in second place, Cassidy lunged for the lead immediately before the final left-hand bend, and kicked strongly for home to leave a disappointed Healion trailing.
'Phil was very strong today,' said the Usher IRC rider after the race. 'I made a couple of attempts to get rid of him but was unable to do so. each time I got clear he was leaving me out there for a while and would then join back up again.'
Cassidy confirmed the tactic. 'Whenever Paul tried to get clear I left him out there, but he copped on to what I was doing quickly enough. I knew that I had to be first around the last corner after losing the race that way to Kieron McMahon in 1998. I was first around the corner the following year to beat Mark Scanlon, and knew I had to do the same again today.'
However, despite taking his third victory this year, Cassidy was playing down his chances of a repeat Rás victory. 'I am coming into form but haven't got the same preparation as in 1999 - the business (running the Cycleways shop) means that I can't get out on Saturday mornings and that means I haven't done as much as I would like. Hopefully the first few days of the Rás will bring me around and then I will try to get a stage.'
Meanwhile, namesake Tim Cassidy registered yet another good win in the junior ranks, with victory over 2000 Kelly/Roche winner Ryan Patton of the Clarkes team. Cassidy forged clear in a small breakaway group with two laps remaining and then outsprinted Patton and Usher IRC team-mate David Rawlins in the final 200 metres. Lorraine Manning was first woman home while Seamus Kennedy (Navan Avonmore) took the unplaced veterans prize. Stamullen's Daniel Nulty was best of the senior 2 riders in the main race.
Results:
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Senior 1 - 1, Philip Cassidy (Cycleways) 74 miles in 3 hours 4 minutes 2, Paul Healion (Usher IRC) same time 3, Dave Peelo (Usher IRC) at 1 min 20 secs 4, Mark Sittlington (Clarke Contracts) same time 5, Paul Kane (Dave Kane Cycles) at 1 min 50 secs 6, Euguene Moriarty (Cycleways); Senior 2: 1, Daniel Nulty (Stamullen); 2, Paul Ferguson (Toyota North Down) 3, Doug Lennie (Toyota North Down) 4, Ger Miley (IMBRC) 5, Tom Greene (Newbridge)
Kelly/Roche race for juniors: 1, Tim Cassidy (Usher IRC) 50 miles in 2 hours 18 mins 2, Ryan Patton (Clarke Contracts) 3, David Rawlins (Usher IRC) both same time 4, Jim Cassidy (Garda Motorway) at 30 secs 5, Tosh Lavery (Garda) at 40 secs. 1st unplaced veteran: Seamus Kennedy (Navan Avonmore) 1st woman: Lorraine Manning (Usher IRC)
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