Cycling Ireland National Criterium Championships 2019 | Sticky Bottle

Dillon Corkery Irish crit champion — Dillon Corkery's mother was fit to burst with pride last year when her young son stormed in to be crowned national elite criterium champion in Mullingar. Can he retain it in Galway tonight and who will be crowned women's champion?

Dillon Corkery (Bioracer-DHL-FRS) goes into this evening’s
Irish criterium championships in Co Galway as the defending men’s champion and
is one of the favourites to take the 2019 title.

In Mullingar last year the Irish road international
escaped with Damien Shaw and beat him in a two-up sprint while Darnell Moore
(Caldwell Cycles) came through for 3rd.

Shaw is not back this time around but Corkery and Moore
are. And they are two of the many men who have the legs to win.

Corkery’s team has the biggest and best line-up in the
race and if they can cover the moves and ride smart they have a great chance.

The defending champion lines up alongside Aaron Doherty,
Adam Ward, John Buller, Jack Caldwell, Luke Smith and Sean Moore.

But a lone ride who is going well and gets a bit of luck,
something that is crucial in short and sharp racing, can sidestep any team and
win.

Other possible medal winners include: Darnell Moore and
Angus Fyffe of Caldwell Cycles; Charlie Prendergast of Castlebar Cycling Club;
Conor Hennebry of Morrissey-MIG-Pactimo; Fintan Ryan of Kingspan; Lindsay
Watson of Powerhouse Sport; Cian May of Lucan CRC; Mark Quigley and Richie Maes
of Strata 3-VeloRevolution.

The unattached Ronan Tuomey and former champion Mark Dowling. Indeed, Dowling will be many people’s outright favourite for the gold medal.

Claffey winning the recent Stephen Roche GP. She's in the field for tonight and may well take a medal.

The men’s and women’s titles will be decided on the
Pallas karting circuit in Tynagh, Co Galway.

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Last year’s women’s race, which was a demonstration event,
saw Fiona Guihen emerge victorious.

She took a strong solo win in the colours of Black Rose
Racing. Jennifer Bates, a team mate of men’s winner Corkery, took 2nd on the
night. And rounding out the podium was Lyndsey Bryce of Dublin Wheelers.

The women’s field this time around is very interesting in
that it brings together riders from across disciplines to see them tested
against each other.

The in-form road rider Máire Claffey (UCD Cycling Club)
is on the start list as is her team mate, and track specialist, Orla Walsh.

Jennifer Bates is back again and will be looking to repeat
her podium of last year and this time get a medal for her efforts.

Grace Young (Strata 3-VeloRevolution) put in a very good
ride at the recent national road championships and is a possible medal winner
tonight.

And then there are some standout names in Lauren Creamer (Brotherton
Cycles), Maria Larkin (Chicago Cuttin Crew) and Shannon McCurley (Unattached
Leinster).

Creamer is a road international, Larkin a cyclocross
international and McCurley a track Olympian.

How they will do against each other in criterium racing should
be very interesting to see.