1, Mathieu Claude (Vendée U Pays de la Loire) 3 hours 27 mins 48 secs
2, Sébastien Minard (CC Nogent-sur-Oise)
3, Antoine Dalibard (Jean Floc'h-Moréac 56)
4, Anthony Ravard (Vendée U Pays de la Loire)
5, Fumiyuki Beppu (VC La Pomme Marseille)
6, Sylvain Cheval (Côtes d'Armor Cyclisme)
Irish : 27, Nicolas Roche (VC La Pomme Marseille)
MURPHY, AIKEN WIN WEEKEND EVENTS:
Conor Murphy (Crannog Ireland) showed his sparking form in advance of the Irish road race championships when he soloed to a dominant victory in the Sean Nolan Meath Grand Prix today. Murphy was part of a large breakaway group going onto the last of three laps and then forged ahead, reaching the line over a minute and a half clear. Paul Healion (Usher IRC) outsprinted Stephen O’Sullivan (Cycleways Lee Strand) and Adrian Hedderman (Murphy and Gunn) in their three-up gallop for second place, while Philip Finegan (Cycleways Lee Strand) and Craig Sweetman (Stamullen M. Donnelly) rounded out the top six.
The 81 mile race had been run off as a handicap. By the end of the first lap most of the senior 2 bunch had been hauled back by the first cat riders, with the exception of a breakaway group, but these too were soon recaptured. In the second half of the race Murphy and the other riders went clear from the main field. The Crannog Ireland cyclist attacked in the closing stages and quickly opened up a large gap, with the others scrapping it out for the minor placings between them.
Meanwhile up North 23 year old Roger Aiken (Banbridge CC) took his second successive victory in the Audi Grand Prix on Saturday. Aiken came to the finish of the 100 kilometres event with five others, proving quicker than Denis Easton (Maryland), Willie Hamilton (East Antrim), Ben Morrow (East Antrim), Richard Aladheff (Orchard Wheelers) and Aaron Deane (Total Cycling) in the gallop.
Sixty-six riders turned out for the race, with this number being reduced after a crash on the first lap and because of the tough pace on the rolling Ballynure circuit. There were less than 25 finishers in the race.
The top six went clear early on with Jim McConnell (East Antrim Audi), later to be dropped on the final lap. The septet held a thirty seconds advantage over a thirteen man chasing group in the early stages but later extended their lead.
At the line Aiken was quicker than the other five, with McConnell finishing 50 seconds back in seventh, and Brian Stewart (Usher Irish Road Club), Brendan Graham (Total Cycling) and Paul Harte (Phoenix CC) leading the bunch home some 20 seconds later.
"FLYING WITHOUT WINGS" Conor Murphy winning the Sean Nolan Morial / Meath Grand Prix in Navan today - Picture by Peter Purfield
|
Sean Nolan Meath GP, Navan (81 miles)
1, Conor Murphy (Crannog Ireland)
2, Paul Healion (Usher Irish Road Club)
3, Stephen O’Sullivan (Cycleways Lee Strand)
4, Adrian Hedderman (Murphy and Gunn CC)
5, Philip Finegan (Cycleways Lee Strand)
6, Craig Sweetman (Stamullen M Donnelly)
7, Greg Swinand (Usher Irish Road Club)
8, Colm Bracken (DHL Wall Cycles CC)
9, Michael Fitzgerald (Cidona Carrick Wheelers)
10, David Peelo (Usher Irish Road Club)
Unplaced Senior 2:
1, Sean Farrell (Hillcrest Hire Kilcullen)
2, Adrian Pretorius (McNally Swords CC)
3, Brian Churscey-Pentham (Totalcycling.com)
4, Owen Whelan (Navan Avonmore RC)
Maurice O'Brien winning the Junior and Veterans race
|
Junior/veterans race:
1, Maurice O’Brien (Kanturk Credit Union CC)
2, Sean Bracken (Usher Irish Road Club)
3, Leslie O’Donnell (Cidona Carrick Wheelers)
4, John McCulla (Donamond Dynamos)
5, Mick Gallen (Omagh Wheelers)
6, Derek Burke (Realt Tuam CC)
7, Martin Thompson (Murphy-Gunn CC)
8, Sean Lally (McNally Swords CC)
Senior 3 race:
1, Mick Steed (Hillcrest Hire Kilcullen)
2, Eamonn Peregrine (St. Tiernan’s CC)
3, Michael Hennessy (Fermoy CC)
4, Matt Kelly (Stamullen M Donnelly)
5, Aidan Cunningham (Cuchulainn CC)
6, Adrian Hughes (Castlerea CC)
7, Peter McEleney (Stamullen M Donnelly)
8, David Hyde (unattached)
Women:
1, Karen Bothwell (Orwell Dundrum Shopping Centre)
2, Julie O’Hagan (Dublin Wheelers)
Under 12:
1, Benner Maguire (Drogheda Wheelers)
2, Eric Fitzhugh (Orwell Dundrum SC)
3, James Morgan (McNally Swords CC)
4, James Lynch (Navan Avonmore RC)
Under 14:
1, Philip Lavery (Usher Irish Road Club)
2, Axel O’Connor (Navan Avonmore RC)
3, Laura McKenna (Stamullen M Donnelly)
4, Chloe Farrell (Hillcrest Hire Kilcullen)
5, Darren Connolly (Navan Avonmore RC)
6, Ciara Crawley (Stamullen M Donnelly)
7, Joseph Butler (Shannonside CC)
Under 16:
1, Isaac Speirs (Navan Avonmore RC)
2, Gary Rigley (Bray Wheelers)
3, Gareth McAdam (Emyvale CC)
4, Michael Daly (McNally Swords CC)
5, Dean McCullough (Crannog CC)
6, Simon Fitzhugh (Orwell Dundrum SC)
Audi Grand Prix :
1, Roger Aiken (Banbridge)
2, Denis Easton (Maryland)
3, Willie Hamilton (East Antrim)
4, Ben Morrow (East Antrim)
5, Richard Aladheff (Orchard Wheelers)
6, Aaron Deane (Total Cycling)
7, Jim McConnell (East Antrim)
8, Brian Stewart (Usher I.R.C.)
9, Brendan Graham (Total Cycling)
10, Paul Harte (Phoenix CC)
Junior: William Barr (Ballymena R.C.)
1st 2nd Cat: Chris Roper (Team Madigan)
1st 3rd Cat: Maurice Rudddock (Phoenix CC)
Cycling Ulster - Dave Kane Cycles T.T. League, Glenavy
1, Simon Thompson (Maryland) 20.58
2, Brendan O'Brien (Classic Walls) 21.16
3, Aaron Deane (Total Cycling) 21.29
4, Sean Hargan (Total Cycling) 21.40
5, Adrian McDermott (Total Cycling) 22.07
6, Stuart Bennett (Phoenix) 22.22
7, Paul Kane (Northern) 22.25
8, Tony McConville (Apollo) 22.42
9, Mark Smyth (Bann Wheelers) 22.43
10, Joe Brennan (Clann Eireann) 22.51