Our 15 photos capture the panicked crash that blocked the men's 'Cross Champs

He may work full time as an engineer, but Sean Rowe's eye for a great photograph suggests he could be making his living shooting the biggest races around the world.

Wexford man Rowe has been documenting races, both road and off road, for many years.

And he was in action on Sunday at the National Cyclocross Championship's in Swords, north Dublin.

Rowe's experience told him the start of the elite men's event would be a chariot race in itself.

And he positioned himself just down from the start line to get some action shots.

As the riders got underway, there was the usual jostling before a few fell around 10 men back from the front.

Some escaped without a problem, others fell and those behind them - including eventual winner David Montgomery - were held up.

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Have a look at Rowe's compelling series of shots capturing the nervous tension of the start of the biggest cyclocross race of the year.

 

The very front of the race, with a couple of riders getting very close; eventual bronze medal winner Glenn Kinning is on the extreme right.

Around four riders have already passed as Sean O'Tuathail of Bray Wheelers is seen leading in this shot; around six or eight men back, a few riders are down.

Photographer Rowe begins to get a clearer image of the damage as the last of the riders to escape the crash sweep passed him.

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Dublin Wheelers man Eoin McGovern, in all black, was the second last man to get by the crash, as the fallers just behind are now blocking the path.

Initially there are only a couple of men down, as the quick thinking others get up on the ditch and keep going. The second man to do so here is in a yellow jersey. Just behind him, and barely visible, is the eventual winner Montgomery in the blue and white jersey; you should be just about able to make him out.

Some of those who have fallen are trapped under the weight - and bikes - of others as those in front fly on in pursuit of the first eight riders who escaped the spill. Gold medal winner Montgomery is the third rider from the left still on their feet.

With men still down, there's only one thing for it if you are trapped; take to your feet, grab your bike and muscle your way passed into the clear path ahead. Montgomery is on the far left, with his side just visible, as he is clearly trying to grab his bike to get passed the blockage.

The riders continue to pass the fallers.

Most of the field has gotten passed the blocked section of path, but still there are some riders down. The Phoenix CC man, Alex Donald, looks as if he came off worst.

Donald begins to gather himself and Darnell Moore is also picking himself up off the ground; he had won two rounds of the Ulster Cyclocross Series this year and would have been hoping to make a good impression yesterday.

There are a couple of grimaces in the back end of the field after the early-race excitement the riders could have done without.

Moore - in the orange and black of Caldwell Cycles - is up on his feet but he's at the back end of the field now with it all to do

Moore limps off as Donald is finally able to get back up.

Finally with some help, he checks the bike before he sets off, now last man.

Donald faces a long and lonely path ahead.