Race Diary of Cian Lynch,
Swords McNally Joinery

Race: Brendan Carroll Memorial – Stamullen, Saturday 15th April.

Pretty hectic introduction back to racing. Nice to go through all the different emotions – feeling good, bad and absolutely wrecked at the end of the race…. 

Smiles at the start of the race as Gaybo ( not the retired RTE Late Late Show host, but cycling’s own Gabriel Howard ) did his usual pre race whipping up the locals into a state of near hysteria…. “ and there’s local man  Bill Moore….” And so on. Nuetralised until the top, or nearly, of the drag at the back of the course, the pace heated up as the attacks started in earnest. The strong wind across the motorway overbridge made for lineouts early on. Breaks zipping off the front – who to watch was the question. With Bill, Eugene Moriarty, Bracken, our own Crowley, Butler, Donnelly all on form, and such a tight course, the selection was only going to be interesting. 

For my part, I was only trying to get back into the racing end of things. The week I had spent away in Lanzarote would stand to me, the temperature not so. Cold, strong winds were manageable, but an active start to the race left my reeling on lap 3 of 6, thinking how bloody hard cycling actually is. Mind you, riding on the front, trying to control breaks, or attacking is never fun … 

With John Peppard and Crowley riding well, you kind of hope that they would disappear up the road in a break and just hop ( sounds so easy ) into a group going across, probably eyeballs out on the 12. Not so. Having sat in for a couple of laps towards the end, the final bell was a welcome one. Over the last little drag through Balscadden and time to start moving up through the bunch. Who to follow is the question. There’s Bernie McCormack, won’t be too far away from the front, with Anto Moran telling him to spin the gears approaching the final ( sounds like something Kelly would say! ), when I find myself behind Colm Bracken. Now there’s a good wheel… Sitting in the top ten on the turn from Gormanstown, taking a look up to the front. I can see Crowley up there, that’s good, and Pep is on the front, which means time for team work. Off Brackens wheel, and past a tiring Pep. Crowley is sitting just to the right side and slightly behind. I put my head down, knowing that the lads are all too glad to line up behind him, but still ensuring that he has a hassle free ride into the finish. As well as which we are reeling in the little group up ahead. Feeling more and more tired, I dig in as we approach the sweeping bend into the finish, when BANG ! Crowley punctures his front tyre. Ah well, I sit up utterly exhausted, and consolation form my teammate makes up for a good return to racing. 

Bill won from Paul Butler, a just result. I’ll just wait and see what tomorrow brings. Stamullen is always a class race, a hard mans race. There’ll be plenty of men to watch. Until then. 

Thanks to Richies Bike Shop, Swords for the Fondriest Racing Bike and Hutchinson Tyres.

IrishCycling.Com: Would like to thank Cian for his excellent report