More than 200 men will fight for three Masters' road titles tomorrow. All three fields feature big names in Irish cycling and one or two legends of the sport (Photo www.jimmymcelroy.com)
By Brian Canty
It's a markedly different situation to 12 months ago that Keith Gater finds himself in as he prepares to defend his national masters' 40 road race title on Saturday.
Last year he had a strong Aquablue team that included Joe Fenlon and Tim Barry for support. But this time around they're all on different squads.
Gater is the sole representative for Waterford Racing Team; Fenlon leads the Team ASEA charge while Barry will most likely do what he can for Greg Swinand, who joined his Aquablue squad from UCD CC at the end of last year.
The latter was left infuriated 12 months ago as he was chased and chased until a group of five got away and were never seen again. He wasn't in the group and didn't feature in the results.
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Keith Gater takes the vets' title in Multyfarnjam last season. Having switched teams in the off season, he will be on his own tomorrow in the Masters 40 race (Photo www.jimmymcelroy.com)
You could hardly blame those chasing Swinand though as such is his horsepower if he gets any gap he is near impossible to bring back.
What he and Aquablue have planned this weekend is one of the more interesting subplots in play.
John Horgan and John O'Brien have been enlisted for duty this weekend and they won't need any persuasion should a chase on Swinand's behalf be required.
But there are far more than Swinand in the race, with Gater an obvious contender as well as Derek Joyce (Galway Bay), Martin O'Loughlin (Carrick Wheelers) and Paul Mulligan (Caldwell Cycles).
Fenlon beat O'Loughlin into Clonmel in the 2012 title race having been in the break all day.
And after missing the An Post Rás through injuries sustained in a crash at Rás Mumhan he'll be keen to try and get up there again for a result.
Martin O'Loughlin suffered a broken leg and shoulder on St Patrick's Day but has staged a very impressive recovery and even won the Barrow Wheelers GP in Co Wexford last month (Photo: John Coleman – Dc Images)
O'Loughlin missed the race last year and it's a mark of his determination that he's back as a leading contender, despite breaking his leg and shoulder in March.
Of the others, Derek Cunningham (Bikeworx Celbridge) is flying at the moment and should be there or thereabouts. He is always a strong campaigner and a on the crippling Glengesh ascent in Donegal at Rás Dhun na nGall suggests his form is very good at present.
The threats posed by Craig Sweetman (Stamullen M Donnelly RC), Niall Whelan (Laois CTC), Aidan Crowley (Strata3-VeloRevolution), John Murray (Navan Road Club) and John Heverin (Clann Eireann CC) must not be taken lightly.
The event starts at 2pm and the riders will do five laps, for a total distance of 115 kilometres, with the racing passing through Omagh each lap.
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This year traditional vets’ category is split into three races and as well as the Masters 40 main event, which has attracted the biggest field of these championships at126 riders, the Masters 50 and Masters 60 titles are also down for decision tomorrow.
Chris McCann winning the A3 race at the Emyvale GP last month. He is among the favourites in the Masters 50 race in Omagh (Photo: Tommy Heaney)
The Masters' 50 race is 45 miles and has attracted an entry of 61 men.
It should be an interesting battle also with former professional John Brady leading a four-man Smartlamp-Aviation Display team that also includes Martin Gilbert, Michael Scully and Noel Thompson.
They'll all know that if Brady comes to the line sprinting for victory he'll be hard to stop such is his kick.
He recently won the Mark Hayden Memorial in Carlow, a great achievement for a man of his age.
Among those likely to challenge are the Dig Deep Coaching -Inspired Cycling pair of John Madden and Chris McCann, while the evergreen Sean Bracken of Usher Irish Road Club is showing no sign of slowing down.
His appetite for competition appears as ferocious as ever and if he brings the legs that have won him many a race over the years we reckon there's a medal in him.
The race gets underway at 10.30am and is comparatively short at 72 kilometres; three laps.
Brothers Jimmy Lally and Sean Lally lead the IVCA Founders' 50 last weekend; the latter rides the Masters 60 race at the national championships tomorrow and will fancy his chances (Photo with thanks to Brendan Culleton)
The Masters' 60 event starts at 10.40am. In total, 17 riders will take to the start for the three-lap 72-kilometre race.
Here, Sean Lally of Smartlamp-Aviation Display is the standout name. He won't have the luxury of teammates on this occasion but he may not need them, such is his form now.
He's been successful in a recent IVCA race and nobody will want to bring him to the line to sprint against him for medals.
There's a strong contingent from the north, understandably, with Phoenix CC, Ballymena Road Club, Banbridge CC and North Pole CC all represented.
Tom Daly makes the long journey up from Kanturk but the man we're going for is Sean McIlroy from Carrick Wheelers.
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