Here's a fantastic set of photos of all the action at the Des Hanlon Memorial races taken by photographer Brendan Slattery.
Brendan travels to shoot races most weekends and is always available for photo sales at [email protected]
You can also follow him on Facebook and view the much larger selection of weekly photos than we have space to publish here on the home of Irish cycling, stickybottle.com
It always looks so nice and relaxed really early on; like nobody has any intention of turning screws or putting anyone else in the gutter.
Another section of the field rounds an early roundabout before the real mayhem gets underway.
What a terrific shot of the ten brave men who took off very early in the race. From left to right: Cycling Ulster's Marc Potts, Paddy Clarke (Liquidworx-Fitscience), partially obscured Olan Barrett (Aqua Blue), and almost complete obscured Andrew Stanley (Dublin University, Trinity), Anthony Walsh (UCD CC), Mark Buchanan (Cycling Ulster), Bryan McCrystal (Aquablue), Tim O'Regan (DID Dunboyne), Sean McKenna (UCD CC) and Colm Cassidy (UCD CC).
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Some chasers; Javan Nulty of DID Dunboyne leads Cathal Moynihan of Tralee BC and a Murphy Surveys rider.
Mark Dowling leads the bunch, by now falling further behind as the miles tick past.
A section of that bunch in the A1-A2 race.
In the junior race, Eddie Dunbar powers on towards what really was an amazing victory.
And in the bunch behind, Dunbar's team mate Dylan O'Brien (second in line) keeps an eye on anyone with designs on hunting down the lone leader.
Bikeworx pulling a group along; they've been a great addition to the domestic bunch this season and are generally very willing to get stuck in.
Fran Meehan takes a leaf out of team mate Bryan McCrystal's book; leaving the rest of the field and riding off to victory alone.
And a close-up shot of the winner of the women's race during her epic solo escape.
Then there were three; Bryan McCrystal leads Paddy Clarke and Anthony Walsh after the trio had pulled clear of the rest of the escape.
Speaking of the rest of the original escape; Andrew Stanley leads them from Tim O'Regan, with UCD CC getting the round in.
Stanley continues to look strong ploughing for home with some very tough terrain to come.
Ryan Sherlock leads Paidi O'Brien after they had dropped a large chasing group and hunted down those ahead.
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And here's the chase group they had just left to go in pursuit of the front of the race.
Fraser Duncan leads a team mate from the Cycling Ulster team; with three wins to his name already this season it was not to be his day.
The bunch in the A1-A2 race now way back from the various small groups and ones and twos up ahead.
Eddie Dunbar continues to plough for home on his own at the head of the A3 and junior race
A winner in Blarney last weekend and second in Newbridge the previous week, Michael O'Loughlin leads the escape in pursuit of Dunbar up the road.
The close up shot shows the lads are giving it everything and suffering under their own efforts.
The Aqua Blue team car shouts some encouragement at Bryan McCrystal after he had dropped Paddy Clarke.
To be fair, O'Brien (on the left) and Sherlock never have up; here they have just passed Paddy Clarke.
UCD CC's Anthony Walsh, now in 5th place, is suffering on his own a little further back the road.
Mark Dowling has jumped from the chase group up to the remnants of the winning move; namely UCD's Sean McKenna and Mark Buchanan. The Cycling Ulster man had punctured but regained his place.
UCD CC's Greg Swinand, a winner in Newbridge two weeks ago, leads this chase group home.
Bryan McCrystal looks delighted with his A1-A2 win; the biggest 0f his cycling career by far.
Paidi O'Brien takes Ryan Sherlock in the sprint for 2nd.
Having been up there all day, Paddy Clarke hangs on for 4th.
An exhausted Anthony Walsh of UCD CC takes 5th on the day.
The defending champion, Sean Lacey takes 6th ahead of UCD CC's Eoin Morton.
Conor McConvey, left, just about takes Eddie Barry in the push to the line for 10th place.
Winner McCrystal takes his silverware after another great race by Carlow Road Cycling Club.
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