|
|
|
Last Updated: 4 Apr 2018 - 3:13:57 PM |
Gallagher and Donley Shine in Road Races at European Youth Olympic Festival
By Heather Boyle, CI Communications Officer
28 Jul 2017,
|
Email this article
|
Road Race:
27th July 2017 Maeve Gallagher and Shay Donley both finished impressively in 8th place in their respective Road Races at the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Gyor, Hungary today. These results place the two riders in the history books as the top finishes for Irish riders in a Road Race event at the EYOF.
The girl’s race was a fast one, with the race finishing ten minutes ahead of schedule. In the first lap of the 44.5km race, a crash affected Lara Gillespie, forcing her to chase for 8km before reaching the main peloton. Gillespie, silver medallist from earlier this week, finished in 18th place despite this effort, just outside the formidable 8th of her Mayo teammate, Gallagher.
Caoimhe O’Brien was also involved in a crash in the closing stages of the race, with her bike faring worse off. The determination of the 15-year-old Lakeside Wheeler shone through, with her carrying the bike over the line to finish in 60th place.
In the Boy’s race, the 71km race was at the upper end of the distances normally raced by the youth riders; that didn’t deter Ballymoney’s Shay Donley, with the respected sprinter finishing 4th out of the main group, and 8th overall. The medals were decided from a select group of four, who managed to remain almost a minute ahead of the bunch on the line.
Finishing in the same group in 43rd place was Derryman Cathir Doyle, with Mark Smith crossing the line 30 seconds later in 69th place.
This brings to an end what has been Ireland’s most successful European Youth Olympic Festival to date, with Lara Gillespie winning Ireland’s first ever cycling medal, a silver in the 10km Time Trial on Tuesday. Today’s performances from Gallagher and Donley also rank high, as the top finishing positions for Ireland at this event.
Photos: Sportsfile – Eoin Noonan.
Action photos – Shay Donley sprinting to 8th place
RESULTS:
Girl’s Road Race
Gold Dina Scavone (BEL) 1.08.21
Silver Wilma Olausson (SWE) 1.08.21
Bronze Maria Bertelsen (DEN) 1.08.21
8th Maeve Gallagher (IRL) 1.08.21
18th Lara Gillespie (IRL) 1.08.21
60th Caoimhe O’Brien (IRL) 1.11.34
Boy’s Road Race
Gold Andrea Piccolo (Italy) 1.37.02
Silver Vlas Shichkin (Russia) 1.37.02
Bronze Viacheslav Polozov (Russia) 1.37.02
8th Shay Donley (IRL) 1.37.54
43rd Cathir Doyle (IRL) 1.37.54
69th Mark Smith (IRL) 1.38.24
Event Description:
Road Race This is a bunch race around an 8km circuit, with the medals being awarded to the first riders over the line in. The girl’s event was 44.2km, and the boy’s event 71.8km. The course was relatively flat, ensuring a fast race in both categories.
|
|
|
|
