Former international road racing rider Ronan McLaughlin has come back from an awful leg injury to break the Derry to Dublin place-to-place record which had been held by Olympian Mo Foster for 58 years.
McLaughlin (35), from Donegal, now living in Derry, is clearly back in mint condition after his crash eight months ago, which should have been minor but which left him in hospital for a period followed by months of wearing a brace on his leg.
He was out riding his gravel bike in a park in Derry when he came off and broke his left Tibia and Fibia. He also suffered a spiral fracture down the length of his Tibia, the main bone of the lower leg.
Related News
However, he has clearly recovered and gotten himself back into great shape and this weekend took on the Derry to Dublin record attempt, setting a new marker by a big margin, but pointing out the big difference between the equipment available to Foster compared his options in the present day.
Advertisement
Foster, a legend of Irish cycling in his day who represented Ireland in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico, had set a time of 6:26:00. McLaughlin, who is already the Everesting world record holder, went considerably faster yesterday with a time of 5hrs 14mins 13sec, subject to ratification.
"Derry to Dublin was one of the many records Big Mo set during his racing days which also included racing at the 1970 Olympics, two World Championships, and winning the Tour of Ireland," McLaughlin said after his ride to Dublin.
"Fifty eight years later, and with the help of all the bike, tech, training, and road network advancements of the past six decades, not to mention a phenomenal support crew, we set a new record for the Derry-Dublin with a time of 5hrs 14mins 13sec, subject to ratification."
