Breakthrough as major financial backer secured for National Road Champs, Mullingar

There is relief in Mullingar as a financial backer has finally been found for the National Road Race Championships in June. Above, Philip Deignan (in blue) and Conor Dunne lead an early escape in a elite race at last year's championships in Carlingford (Photo: www.blackumbrella.ie)

Lakeside Wheelers Mullingar CC is celebrating today after securing substantial financial support from Grange Motors Mullingar Toyota in the town to run this year’s National Cycling Championships at the end of June.

It’s a huge coup for the club and puts to rest any lingering doubts about the financial support it needed to run the biggest weekend on the Irish cycling calendar.

Chairman of the committee tasked with organising the championships, Shay O’Toole said an enormous weight is off their shoulders and they can now go about putting in place the final plans for what he firmly believes will be the best championships ever.

“It’s brilliant, absolutely brilliant,” a delighted O’Toole said.

“We have a history and a tradition with Grange Motors in Mullingar going back years. They’ve given us huge support for all our cycling events and they actually provide us with a car at any stage race we go to.”

O’Toole said the search for the badly needed financial backing has taken months.

“I approached them in January and we’ve been talking to them ever since. And around St Patrick’s weekend I went back and we talked more.

“The garage management went back to their marketing department in Dublin and they came up with a package. They phoned me yesterday and we had a meeting with them.

“We thrashed it out and we have what we’re looking for now to make sure this race runs the way we want it to go.

“I’m so thrilled; the last three weeks I’ve been up and down to Dublin trying to make this work. The way things are these days; there’s some people will laugh at you when you ask for support.

“Some people will tell you 'fair play' but they’ve no money. And there’s other people who are willing and give it to you with an open heart and we’re very grateful to Grange Motors for that.

“Times are hard and I know that, but this is a huge event. I’m delighted that someone local has taken it on too.

“People were telling me that the championships are too big for local (sponsors) and we should go national to Tesco or someone. But Grange Motors in Mullingar have a huge, huge connection with us and I’m just delighted that they’ve taken it.

“They’ll give us the cars, the merchandise, the fuel, and they’ll give us cash we need to make it a success.”

O’Toole said his six-man race organising committee also had some good news from the Garda and local council last week; both of which are key to the road closures and other logistical support needed to run a major weekend of racing.

He said meetings with the Garda last week had gone “extremely well” and while the council had initial reservations about sections of the route, a three-hour meeting with them had put those concerns to bed.

“We have to submit an event management plan now which details every diversion we plan to make, who’s going to be manning it and so on. But getting the police, the council and the sponsor in the one few days; it just all came together. It’s like a dream

“So from now on we’re going to have to try to identify key leader people from within the club to help out. We’re going to have 60 marshals and then there’s hospitality crew. In reality we’ll probably have to draw on other clubs nearby to provide us with volunteers.