Bumper field expected in Stamullen for pre-Easter showdowns
The Stamullen RC-promoted races dominate proceedings this weekend (Photo: Sean Rowe)
By Brian Canty
With just one week to go before the big Easter showdowns in Ulster and Munster, this weekend represents the last chance for riders to test their legs in advance.
And with that in mind, a big turnout is expected as usual for the Stamullen Road Club-promoted weekend of racing tomorrow and Sunday.
Saturday is the John Reilly Memorial Cup in Balscadden, Co Dublin. There’s a full programme of races for underage and senior category riders, full details below.
And on Sunday it’s the turn of the Stamullen GP to take centre stage, an event won last year by UCD-Fitzcycles.ie man Ian Richardson.
Richardson went onto have a great season; the highest-placed county rider in the An Post Rás.
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Suffice to say whoever wins tomorrow and Sunday is looking good heading into a key part of the season.
Matteo Cigala, Sean Lacey and Mark O’Callaghan will pose the biggest threat from Aqua Blue Academy.
But so high is the standard in the country right now that upwards of a dozen riders will rightfully fancy their chances in Stamullen.
Lacey is in great form again as the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan approaches. He will skip tomorrow's contest to give it everything in Sunday's Stamullen GP.
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Two riders who definitely won’t challenge are the flying Darragh O’Mahony and Angus Fyffe. They’re in Belgium with the Irish national team for the U23 edition of the Tour of Flanders.
Others who will go close both days are last weekend’s winner in Nenagh Mark Dowling (Strata3-VeloRevolution) as well as Conn McDunphy (Lucan CRC).
Tomorrow’s main contest is only 50 kilometres but always lends itself to an attacking race in Stamullen.
The racing departs from the start-finish area in Balscadden, on to Gormanston, Stamullen village, Milestone and back into Balscadden.
Sunday is the big one and the annual GP takes centre stage. It is a brutal seven-lap, 133km, race in store for what’s expected to be another big field of A1 and A2 riders.
The A3 and junior riders will race in a separate event. That’s four laps of the course, for 76km. The A4 riders will do three laps of the 19km circuit.
Signing-on, and the start for all racing, is the St Patrick's GAA complex at Cock Hill and the first race will get under way at 12.15pm.
Sat, April 8th: John Reilly Memorial Cup
Sign-on from 9.30am, Balscadden Community Hall, Balscadden, Co Dublin
Senior race (hStaandicapped) start at 11.45am. Fee: €15 for seniors, €10 for students.
Sun, April 9th: Stamullen GP
Sign-on at St Patricks's GAA complex, Cockhill Road, Stamullen from 10am, closes at 12noon with the car draw at 11.50am
Races start at 12.15pm with the first lap of each race neutralised through Stamullen village.
- A+, A1 and A2 race; 7 laps – 130.8km
- A3 and Junior race; 4 laps – 75.6km
- A4 race; 3 laps – 57.2km
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