Niall Clarke was a comfortable winner in the separate A2 event at the Boyne GP yesterday. The ASEA-Wheelworx man, formerly of Cuchulainn CC, skipped across to the break before attacking them for a solo win. Above, winning the Newbridge GP the weekend before last; Clarke now moves up to A1 (Photo: Sean Rowe)
By Brian Canty
Niall Clarke made it two wins in as many Sundays yesterday when he romped to victory in the separate A2 event at the Boyne GP, promoted by Drogheda Wheelers.
With four kilometres of undulating terrain to go on the 84-kilometre course, the ASEA-Wheelworx man stormed clear of the breakaway and time-trialled his way to the line.
It was almost a carbon copy of how he won the Newbridge GP a week earlier.
And a word of warning to the A1 riders; he’ll be competing against you from next weekend and is extremely strong despite become a newcomer to cycling.
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Clarke only took the sport seriously from 2013 after a couple of years dabbling in mountain biking.
Prior to that he had been a top-class motocross rider but an horrific crash where he broke his femur and spent four years recovering saw him take up the bike as part of his rehab.
The 33-year old required four surgeries and two bone grafts to correct his mangled limb but he’s healthy again, and absolutely loving the bike.
Away from cycling; he employs 70 staff in the three filling stations and two heating oil depots he runs.
And if that isn’t enough, he has four kids – and 14, 8, 6 and 4 years - and a “superstar” wife Claire.
Oh, and he somehow manages between 12 and 15 hours training a week.
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Clarke seems like a raw talent that can be moulded into the best rider possible by others in his ASEA-Wheelworx team; the experienced Bryan McCrystal being one (Photo: Sean Rowe)
“All of these races are just training sessions,” he said today.
“I trained for 1½ hours before and the same after the race yesterday and this weekend I’ll be doing the Wallace-Caldwell Memorial and the Des Hanlon.
“I’m definitely putting the work in; I’m usually at races before the organisers and I’m the last to leave,” he added.
Clarke’s big goal is a good ride in the national time-trial championships in June, though he didn’t specify what ‘good’ actually meant.
Speaking of yesterday’s win he recalled: “It was lot faster than the race in Newbridge but again the break went inside two of the seven laps.
“I decided to bridge across so when I did, there were 7 or 8 of us there.
“That junior (Dermot Turlock from Lucan) was strong; I kept calling him Hinault because he kept everyone in check.
“We lost one or two guys on the last lap but coming into the last 4k there was a drag.
“I could see everyone was looking at each other so I just checked out, it was draggy the whole way but I won by a bit of a gap so I was happy.”
For full results of all races at the Boyne GP yesterday, click here.
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