Aoife O'Donovan (Dungarvan CC) may be the reigning U16 road race national champion, but the 16-year-old is now riding as a junior in cyclocross and made a big mark yesterday on the home scene.
As she was one of only three women to enter the Munster Cyclocross Series in Clonmel, all three were put into the men's B race, and they started at the back of the field.
It was expected they would fight it out between themselves for the women's win on the day, but nobody told O'Donovan that. And rather than keeping an eye on her female rivals, she set off and went through the men's field.
Picking off all of those ahead of her, she was soon at the front and as the race reached its closing stages, she was still at the front before taking a solo victory in the men's event.
Advertisement
O'Donovan ended the contest - after 40 minutes of racing - some 15 seconds up on runner-up, Declan Burke of Upperchurch Drombane CC.
Related News
Dermot Logue of host club Panduit Carrick Wheelers was narrowly beaten by Burke to 2nd place, in a tight finish, with Des Ryan (MBCC) in 4th just a further seven seconds back.
In the men's A race, Richard Barry (St Finbarr's CC) was victorious after a six-lap battle, in just under 50 minutes. As was the case in the B race, there was a very strong performance from one of the U16s from the 2024 road season now moved up to junior for the 2024-25 cyclocross campaign.
Hugh Og Mulhearne, the Verge Sport PI Cycles rider who won the U16 Cycling Ireland National Road Series this year, took 2nd place in the A race, just 12 seconds behind accomplished elite rider Barry.
Michael Collins (Newcastle West Cycling Club), who took a brilliant stage win at the Junior Tour of Ireland this year while riding for Munster Tarrant Skoda, rounded out the podium on the day, just over three minutes down on winner Barry.
More to come.
