There are some really quality riders in the 60-strong field for the National Criterium Championships; Peter Hawkins is one of them (Photo: Larry Hickmott - VeloUK.net)
Winner of the National Criterium Championships in Cork last year, Paidi O'Brien's name is among the 60 riders who have signed on for the 2014 decider, which takes place in Mondello Park, Co Kildare, later today, Thursday.
The Osbourne Meats-Edge Sports defending champion will face some stiff opposition even though he has been in great form of late, with another medallist from last year Mark Dowling of DID Dunboyne also in the field this time around.
Former champion Peter Hawkins of the Madison Genesis pro team in the UK is also down to start and will give a good account of himself, as will the VeloRevolution duo of Zippy Doyle and Aidan Crowley, Paul O'Reilly of Fixx Rouleurs, Stephen Halpin (BikeWorx) and Ian Inglis (Curran Racing).
Advertisement
The Aquablue quartet of Bryan McCrystal, Damien Shaw, Robin Kelly and Joe Fenlon are all very strong riders, with Kelly very fast at this type of racing and well capable of becoming champion.
Danny Bruton (AC Bisontine) is also home from France to chase the title, while veteran Hugh Mulhearne (Carrick Wheelers) could use his road strength and track craft to cause an upset.
A road and track international, Javan Nulty took gold and silver at the national track championships at the weekend and could medal again on Mondello (Photo: Paul Atkinson)
Another two riders who could also get victory over the line are Neil Delahaye and Javan Nulty of DID Dunboyne. Nulty is an U23 road and track international and took the national pursuit title on the track at Sundrive Rd, Dublin, last weekend as well as winning silver in the 15km scratch race.
Delahaye has not raced much this year, mainly due to his international coaching duties with Cycling Ireland. But he got into the breakaway at the national road championships in June and if he supports Nulty they can make a real impression.
Related News
The man who beat Nulty to that scratch race title last weekend, John Lynch has been a winner before on the Mondello track. And riding for the promoting club, Murphy Surveys Kilcullen CC, he would dearly love to take another national title this evening.
Racing gets underway at 6.45pm sharp and as the track is booked up until 6pm, there will be no support race prior to the championship showdown.
One among a very strong Aquablue team, Robin Kelly has the speed and smarts to become champion (Photo: Pawel Sadowski – Shutterstills.com)
National Criterium Championships
Thursday, August 4th
Mondello Park, Co Kildare
Promoted by Muprhy Surveys Kilcullen CC
1 Paul O'Reilly (Fixx Rouleurs)
2 Richard McDonagh (Muprhy Surveys Kilcullen)
3 Sean O'Callaghan (Naas CC)
4 Paidi O'Brien (Osbourne Meats-Edge Sports)
5 Michael Crowley (Osbourne Meats-Edge Sports)
6 Barry Meade (Unattached)
7 Aidan Crowley (VeloRevolution)
8 Derek Cunningham (Lucan CRC)
9 Martin Cashman (Osbourne Meats-Edge Sports)
10 Keith Hughes (Bikeworx)
11 Murt Rice (Sundrive Track Team)
12 Brendan Whelan (Adamstown Cycling Team)
13 Simon Ryan (Adamstown Cycling Team)
14 Paul Kennedy (VeloRevolution)
15 Alan Butler
16 Stephen Halpin (BikeWorx)
17 Liam Curran (Curran Racing)
18 Ian Inglis (Curran Racing)
19 Mark Reilly (Lucan CRC)
20 Brian McArdle (Orwell Wheelers)
21 Bryan Geary (Dublin Wheelers)
22 Jonathan Reidy (Muprhy Surveys Kilcullen)
23 Justin McGee (South Dublin CC)
24 Damien Shaw (Aquablue)
25 Brian McCrystal (Aquablue)
26 Justin McGee (South Dublin CC)
27 Dave Reilly (South Dublin CC)
28 Joe Fenlon (Aquablue)
29 Darragh Zaidan (Adamstown Cycling Team)
30 Sean Reynolds (BikeWorx)
31 Liam Brown (Murphy Surveys Kilcullen)
32 Robin Kelly (Aquablue)
33 Colm Bracken (Murphy Surveys Kilcullen)
34 John Lynch (Murphy Surveys Kilcullen)
35 Anthony Doyle (VeloRevolution)
36 Diarmuid Collins (Orwell Wheelers)
37 Danny Bruton (AC Bisontine)
38 Mark Reilly (Lucan CRC)
39 David Swift (Orwell Wheelers)
40 Alan Maye (Clonard Wheelers)
41 Michael Hennessy (Fermoy CC)
42 Peter Hawkins (Madison Genesis)
43 Hugh Mulhearn (Carrick Wheelers)
44 Fran Meehan (Aquablue)
45 Danny Bruton (AC Bisontine)
46 Eugene Murtagh (Lucan CRC)
47 Javan Nulty (DID Dunboyne)
48 Neill Delahaye (DID Dunboyne)
49 Anthony Doyle (VeloRevolution)
50 Brian Hammond (Lucan CRC)
51 Michael Green (Phoenix)
52 Gary Sheehan (Cycle4SickChildren)
53 Aidan Reid (Black Rose Racing)
54 Mark Dowling (DID Dunboyne)
55 Brian Reynolds (Lucan CRC)
56 Dave O'Connor (Park Wheelers)
57 Diarmuid Collins (Orwell Wheelers)
58 Michael Stafford (Wexford Wheelers)
59 Ciaran McKenna (Emerald CC)
60 Ian Richardson (UCD CC)
(Promoting club Murphy Surveys Kilcullen CC has said the small number of names that are twice on the start list appear to be riders who have booked a place for themselves and another rider)
Topics
