Lakeside Mullingar awarded National Road Champs; promise "war of attrition" course

Left to right; Matt Brammeier, Sam Bennett, Philip Deignan, Philip Lavery (obscured), David McCann and Conor Dunne in an early escape at last year's National Road Race Championships in Carlingford, Co Louth.

By Brian Canty

This year’s elite and U23 National Road Cycling Championships will be held in Co Westmeath after Lakeside Wheelers Mullingar were awarded the June event.

Club spokesperson Shay O’Toole said the club is on a high, some five months away from the championships to be held from June 26th to 29th.

“It’s absolutely brilliant news for the club and everyone associated with it“, he beamed.

“We’re determined to put on a superb championships and hopefully, all the big name professionals will be there to make it a special occasion.

“As we’re in the midlands, you’ll struggle to find big, big climbs. But trust me, the course for the road race is anything but easy. It‘ll be like it always is – a wearing down process with the strongest being there at the finish.“

Last year in Carlingford, Co Louth, it was Matt Brammeier, then of Champion System, who took his fourth consecutive national road race gold medal, beating French-based Philip Lavery and Damian Shaw (Aquablue) into the silver and bronze medal positions respectively.

And with Shaw a former member of the Lakeside Mullingar, O’Toole said it will be a proud day for the Mullingar fireman to ride the championships at home and that he would dearly love to pull off another result.

“Damian is capable of anything and has a number of fantastic years ahead of him still,“ said O’Toole.

“He’ll love the look of the course and who’s to say he won't be there again.“

The championships comprise a time trial for elite women, U23s, and elite men along with road races for elite women, veterans, U23s and elite men.

Racing kicks off with the time trial on the evening of Thursday, June 26^th,where the 37km course will be on the old N6 between Kinnegad and Tyrrellspass, starting and finishing in Rochfortbidge.

Nicolas Roche who claimed a top 10 finish in last year‘s Vuelta a Espana has already indicated his intention to ride in both the time trial and road race, according to the club.

Then on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th of June, the focus of attention turns to the road races starting in Multyfarnham, around 10 kilometres north west of Mullingar.

Saturday will see the women and veterans take to the start line for six laps of the 19km circuit that will bring the riders through some picturesque countryside via Ballinafid, Crookewood and back to Multyfarnham.

On Sunday, the U23s and elite men will line up for 10 laps (190km) of the same challenging, rolling roads.