Yesterday saw the final National Grade Road event of 2025 take place as Phoenix CC hosted the Bobby Crilly Classic in Co. Antrim.

The 18.6km loop saw riders tackle rolling terrain over several laps, before a 9km sharp climb to the finish.

Gareth O’Neill - Athlete Nutrition Coach HD

A breakaway group of three riders in the C1 race managed to stay away, with Gareth O’Neill, of Athlete Nutrition Coach HD taking the win. Liam Crowley from Team Vorarlberg and Petrolike’s Killian O’Brien followed in second and third respectively, just three seconds back on the winner.

VC Glendale’s Toby Sweetman was the highest finishing Junior rider on the day, taking fourth in the C1 race.

The C1 race also saw top-10 finishes from cross-country national champion Chris Dawson, former international Adam Ward, and Team Skyline’s Paul Kennedy in what was an incredibly strong field.

Roadman Cycling Club’s Daniel Stone took top spot in the C2 race, ten seconds ahead of Saxun-Extrusax-Primoti rider Callum McCaffrey in second and Adam Matthews of Banbridge in third.

Crossgar CC duo Simon Torrens-Spence and Paul Keary took first and second respectfully in the C3 race, with Gaeltacht.CC rider Brian Carroll taking third.

Toby Sweetman - VC Glendale

2025 Bobby Crilly Classic - Results

C1 Race
1. Gareth O'Neill 214 Athlete Nutrition Coach HD 2:33:44
2. Liam Crowley 201 Team Vorarlberg +3
3. Killian O'Brien 203 Petrolike +0
4. Toby Sweetman 224 VC Glendale +19
5. Ciaran Maguire 210 Dan Morrissey Pissei Cycling Team +14
6. Padraig Moran 219 Lakeside Wheelers Mullingar CC +11
7. Christopher Dawson 209 Dawson Racing +12
8. Javan Nulty 220 Un-Attached Leinster +39
9. Adam Ward 221 Team Caldwell Cycles +2
10. Paul Kennedy 202 TEAM SKYLINE +0

C2 Race
1. Daniel Stone 266 Roadman Cycling Club 2:11:10
2. Callum McCaffrey 275 SAXUN - EXTRUSAX- PRIMOTI +10
3. Adam Matthews 279 Banbridge CC +1
4. Conal McKee 256 Phoenix CC +1
5. Luke Keaney 270 Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club +0
6. Geoff Alderdice 250 Dromore CC +0
7. Rian Cahill 267 Athy Wheelers Cycling Club +4
8. Jamie Clarke 273 North Down CC +0
9. Neil McKenna 272 AHC Racing +3
10. Jason Henry 240 Inspired Cycling +7

C3 Race
1. Simon Torrens-Spence 321 Crossgar Cycling Club 1:48:13
2. Paul Keary 297 Crossgar Cycling Club +3
3. Brian Carroll 300 Gaeltacht.cc +23
4. Gavin Stapleton 306 TEAM BIKEWORX Celbridge +0
5. Martin O'Loughlin 317 Panduit Carrick Wheelers +0
6. Kyle Minford 294 Naas Cycling Club +0
7. Michael Moran 333 Lakeside Wheelers Mullingar CC +6
8. Declan Mc Entee 298 Emyvale CC +2
9. Gavin Clarke 315 Banbridge CC +0
10. Cillian Fox 311 Navan Road Club +2

To see the full results from all races - click here

The Bobby Crilly Classic also drew to a close the 2025 Road Cup Competitions.

Burren’s Daire Feeley retained his title as top domestic rider for another year, as he remained at the top of the C1 standings. Gareth O’Neill solidified his second place with his win on Sunday, as Team Caldwell Cycles’ Odhran Doogan took third.

Toby Sweetman took top spot in the Junior C1 category, ahead of Dungarvan’s Philip O’Connor in second and Zappi Racing Team’s Rory Condon in third.

Junior National Champion Aliyah Rafferty, riding with Tofauti Everyone Active won the overall Women’s cup competition. She was followed by Westport Covey Wheeler’s Abi Conway in second and Dungarvan’s Aoife O’Donovan in third.

O’Leary Stone Kanturk’s Barry Meade won the overall Cup prize in the C2 category, ahead of Dungarvan’s Marcus Flavin and Spellman-Dublin Port rider Curtis McKee – the highest Junior in the C2 class.

McKee narrowly beat Hugh Óg Mulhearne of Asvillemur Cyclisme in the C2 Junior Cup competition, with Crabbe Dstny rider Jack Woods taking third.

Martin O’Loughlin of Panduit Carrick Wheelers took the overall C3 title. Team Bikeworx Celbridge rider Gavin Stapleton took second, while Sliabh Luachra’s Denis Lynch took third.

The C3 Junior competition was won by Luca Murray of VC Glendale, followed by Gorey’s Sean Fitzgerald in second and Orwell’s Matthew Lane in third.

Newry Three Day winner and European Youth Olympic Festival athlete Tom Lane took top spot for Dan Morrisey Pissei in the U16 competition. Rían McCrystal, also having represented Ireland at the EYOF took second place overall for Bear Cycling. Another EYOF athlete in Emer Heverin, of All human/Velo Revolution took third place.

To see the Overall Standings for this year’s Cup Competition’s - click here

Road National Grade Competitions Culminate this weekend

Cycling Ireland 15th August 2025

This week sees the final National Grade Road Event of 2025, as Phoenix Cycling Club host the Bobby Crilly Classic in Co. Antrim

HQ for this weekend’s race is St. Enda’s GAA club in Glengormley.

This week’s event will see trophies awarded to the overall points winners across C1, C2 and C3 categories.

The 2025 season has seen some huge changes to the road racing calendar, including the revamped grading system.

Niall Doggett from the Road Working Group reflected: "2025 has been a season of many changes in the road racing scene. Thankfully there are signs of improvement in many aspects. One clear highlight is the provision of separate category races for C1, C2, C3 on a regular basis via the National Grade Events. The additional of chip-timing and higher grading points on-offer made these races the backbone of many riders season."

Cathal Dillane, also of the Road Working Group, added: "One of the aims of the season long competitions was to support racing participation in the second half of the season. It’s great to see such strong race entries and the cups being competitive right up to the end. Having a competition for each category was crucial in recognising the value of every competitor, not just the top-tier”

Racing this weekend gets underway at 11am with the C1 race, while C2 and C3 races get underway at two-minute intervals thereafter.


Last year’s top ranked rider on the road Daire Feeley will look to defend his title this Sunday. Gareth O’ Neill from Athlete Nutrition Coach HD trails in second place in the C1 standings, with Team Caldwell Cycles Odhran Doogan in third.

O’Leary Stone Kanturk rider Barry Meade sits top of the C2 standings, with Dungarvan’s Marcus Flavin in second and Junior rider Curtis McKee in third.

Martin O’Loughlin from Panduit Carrick Wheelers leads the C3 standings, trailed by Sliabh Luachra’s Denis Lynch in second and Gavin Stapleton from Team BikeWorx Cellbridge.

The Women’s standings are currently topped by Junior National Champion Aliyah Rafferty, riding with Toffauti Everyone Active. Westport Covey Wheeler’s Abi Conway sits second, with another Junior in Aoife O’Donovan from Dungarvan sitting third.

While this weekend sees the end of the points Cup Competitions, points are still available for category upgrades at events throughout the rest of the year.

To view the full up to date Cup rankings - click here