With the growing number of slightly older riders taking to the domestic peloton, Cycling Ireland has already created three Masters categories with national road titles. And now a fourth is being trialled, with Masters women set to have their own dedicated road title to aim for if the interest is big enough. It means they would not be expected to beat the likes of current elite champion Lydia Boylan, above, if they were to win a road championships medal.
In recent years the growth in Irish road racing has been fuelled by a huge increase in the number of slightly older riders taking to the peloton for the first time.
And many of those who raced before for gave it up for various reasons have come back to the sport.
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In response, Cycling Ireland has created new Masters’ categories.
This involves the over 40s riders, who had all traditional raced in one veterans’ category, has been split into a number of age related groups.
These included Masters 40, Masters 50 and Masters 60.
Last June there were national road titles on offer in all three categories, with some fantastic racing deciding the destination of the medals.
Aidan Crowley of Strata 3-Velorevolution took a very popular win from another highly regarded man on the home scene, Craig Sweetman of Stamullen.
Declan Hanrahan of Carrick Wheelers took the Masters’ 50 crown from John Madden of Dig Deep Coaching.
And in the Masters 60 race Kevin O’Leary of St Finbarr’s CC took the title to Cork.
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More Masters turned out to race than male U23 and elite riders; 205 in all three Masters races combined as against 131 in the combined U23 and elite race.
Conspicuous by their absence, however, were the Masters women, with the creation of the new categories and promotion of Masters road race championships limited to the men.
But Cycling Ireland has announced that scenario is about to change, with female riders soon to be competing for Masters titles on the road.
It seems there will be just one race that all riders aged 40 years or over will ride.
Said Cycling Ireland: “At the National Championships in 2016 there will be a demonstration event to be included in the elite women's National Road Race Championships for female riders aged 40 and over.
“This competition will be run within the elite women's race, similar to how the U23 men's event is held within the elite men's road race.
“If there is sufficient interest in this event, it will become a fully recognised championship event in the coming years.“
With 56 riders having turned out for only women’s race held at the national championships in Omagh last year, it may be difficult to generate sufficient interest for a Masters race to become a permanent fixture.
However, were just 18 men in the Masters 60 race in Omagh and it was a fully fledged championships event.
The creation of a Masters women’s race will also likely encourage some of the slightly older riders who may not have wanted to race against the elites to give the championships a go.
Meanwhile, at its recent board meeting Cycling Ireland also decided there would be new national champions’ jerseys in the Masters categories. However, no further details were released at this time.
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