Sean Moore takes a very impressive win; the moment perfectly captured by photographer John Busher in the rain of Westmeath.
Sean Moore, Eve McCrystal on Mullingar GP wins
Having been knocking on the door for a long time, Sean Moore took a big victory at the Mullingar GP on Sunday.
And he did it in some style; forging ahead on a sodden day for racing with Conor Hennebry for company.
Furthermore, while Hennebry has won some big races in recent years – including a stage at the overall at Rás Mumhan this season – Moore had the beating of him at the finish.
They survived out front on the last lap of the Westmeath circuit, with Moore (Gerard Cycles-DHL) winning the two-up sprint comfortably from his Viner-Caremark-Pactimo rival.
“It was a brutal day out on the bike; just raining from the gun. It was a pure hard man’s day,” said the winner afterwards
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“The break took a while to get away. Just coming onto the second last lap Mark O’Callaghan and one of the Swords riders were up the road.
“I clipped across and a couple of riders joined us. And Conor Hennebry got across to us coming through the finish the last time.
“Then he attacked and I went with it. And that was it; we rode to the finish and settled it in a sprint.”
McCrystal wins from Donegan, with Loscher and Oakes just a little further back the road (Photo: JohnBusher)
Moore said he had collected lots of top 10s but yesterday’s victory was his first big win and he was delighted to achieve it.
Indeed he was 2nd in this race last year; O’Callaghan winning it 12 months ago when an Aqua Blue Academy rider.
The race was held in the first rain to fall in most parts of Ireland for weeks; the action unfolding over four laps of a 34km course.
A strong field was assembled and the racing was aggressive from the start.
However, it wasn’t until just after the halfway point that what would prove to be the winning scenario unfolded.
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On the penultimate lap when Sean Moore got across to the first riders to attack and then more joined, the breakaway pulled out a gap of about one minute.
And while Hennebry was forced to ride hard to get across, he and Moore then left the breakaway with about 30km remaining.
And once out front they established a lead of about two minutes; Gerard Cycles-DHL man Sean Moore then winning the uphill sprint.
Behind them, the race for 3rd place was won by O’Callaghan (Cyberteam ASD) from Conor Murnane (UCD-FitzCycles.ie).
Craig Sweetman (Stamullen RC) was next, in 5th place on the day. He was followed by Cathal Purcell (Panduit Carrick Wheelers), Eoin Byrne (Scott Orwell) and Neil Delahaye (Fixx Rouleurs).
McCrystal adds another win to palmares
In the women’s event, the rider celebrating victory was someone who is no stranger to winning.
Indeed Eve McCrystal (Garda CC) was first over the line with the national champion’s jersey on her back.
She took the elite women’s title in Sligo two weeks ago in a sprint from a breakaway.
Yesterday she scored another win in a race she was 2nd in last year; to Sinnead Oakes (De Ronde Van Cork).
McCrystal said she knew the course and had been looking forward to racing it again.
“I think because it was shorter, it was harder from the start,” she said. “Even though the first lap was hard, most of us stayed together.
“And then on the second lap we upped the pace a bit; six of us got away and that dwindled to four.
“We worked really well together. We came in towards the finish and I attacked but Aine (Donegan) brought me back.
“And then at the finish I just got her on the line; I was really happy with that.”
Asked how it felt racing in the champion’s jersey, McCrystal said: “It’s great; I really wanted to win because I had the jersey on my back.
“I didn’t necessarily feel any pressure, I was just so happy to wear it. It was great to win with it on me.”
McCrystal win the finishing sprint well; Donegan (Scott Orwell) was 2nd and further cemented her reputation was one to watch.
Rounding out the podium was Sofie Loscher (Sundrive Track Team) from Isabel Oakes (Smugglers CC).
Those two fell just behind McCrystal and Donegan in the uphill sprint to the finish line.
There was then a bigger gap before Fiona Guihen (Black Rose Racing) too 5th, with Niamh O’Donovan TC Racing in 6th place.
- For full results of all Mullingar GP races please follow this link.
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