Bryan McCrystal emerged best of some explosive exchanges at the end of the Newbridge CC-promoted Paddy Flanagan Memorial yesterday.
By Brian Canty
Bryan McCrystal showed he has come out of the An Post Rás in superb form, and looks well capable of getting amongst things in the National Championships next weekend, when he stormed to victory in the Paddy Flanagan Memorial in Kildare today.
The Aquablue man beat off the challenge of Greg Swinand (UCD CC) and his team mate Keith Gater after the trio had broken away from the original break which contained 10 or so riders.
Swinand was one of the strongest on the day and had been in all the main moves over the 115-kilometre race. But had no answer to the tactics of the Cork-based team, who attacked and counterattacked him in the final kilometres.
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The race saw a large field sign on in perfect weather conditions, and though the course was largely flat save for a number of slight drags, the main break went away on the opening lap of eight.
A four-man escape formed initially with Javan Nulty (DID Dunboyne), Chris Reilly (Liquidworx-Fitscience), Gater and Swinand in there, but they were joined by a large group from behind early on, making it over 15 up front.
Aquablue had Joe Fenlon, Gater and McCrystal present, while UCD had Swinand and promising U23 rider Sean McKenna there too.
Danny Bruton (AC Bisontine), Mark Dowling and Javan Nulty (DID Dunboyne), a pair of VeloRevolution riders, the aforementioned Chris Reilly as well as Mark Reilly (Lucan CRC) were just some of the others there.
That group pulled out three minutes on the bunch by the start of the third lap and it was game over for anyone trying to bridge at that point in the Newbridge CC main event.
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That did not stop Robin Kelly (Aquablue), Eoin Morton (UCD CC) and Mick Aherne (Dungarvan CC) having a go.
That break began to splinter around the halfway point; Swinand going clear with Gater, and McCrystal covering everything behind.
However, the eventual winner jumped across on his own and that made it three up front.
They quickly pulled out 1:20 on a chase group of four, which contained Nulty, Dowling, McKenna and Mark Reilly.
And that’s how it stayed for the remainder of the race; though the margin almost doubled on that last lap as the front three were not hanging around.
The A3 race saw a huge field of well over 100 riders battle it out over six laps with the honours going to Darragh Long of the Nicolas Roche Performance Team, making it a very good day for them; Matt Teggart also winning up north in the Groucho GP.
Long beat off the challenge of Brian Reynolds (Lucan CRC) and Adam Swirydowicz (Swords CC) with up and coming first year junior Seamus Sinnott (Wexford Wheelers) in fourth.
The A4 race was another bunch sprint, but that was a dead heat between Evren Unal of Newbridge CC and Sean Power (Athy CC).
Sat, June 21st, Newbridge CC Promotion
Kildangan Rd, Co Kildare
Paddy Flanagan Memorial A1 & A2
- Bryan McCrystal (Aquablue)
- Greg Swinand (UCD CC) @10secs
- Keith Gater (Aquablue)
- Javan Nulty (DID Dunboyne) @2:30
- Mark Dowling (DID Dunboyne)
- Sean McKenna (UCD CC)
- Mark Reilly (Lucan CRC)
- Danny Bruton (AC Bisontine) @3:00
Manzer Thackaberry Memorial A3 Race
- Darragh Long (NRPT)
- Brian Reynolds (Lucan CRC)
- Adam Swirydowicz (Swords CC)
- Seamus Sinnott (Wexford Wheelers)
- Barry Talt (Murphy Surveys Kilcullen CC)
- Dermot Gregan (Slipstream)
- Tadgh Kelly Dublin Wheelers CC
- John Hodge (Dungarvan)
- Unplaced Junior Luke McVeigh (Clonard CC)
Ned Flanagan Memorial A4 Race
=1 Evren Unal (Newbridge CC)
=1 Sean Power (Athy CC)
3 Derek Gormley (Sisk)
4 Neil Power (Dungarvan CC)
5 David Howell (Comeragh CC)
6 JP Nillins (DID Dunboyne)
7 James Lawless (Usher IRC)
8 Jerry Nearney (Laois CC)
9 David Nolan (LSW)
10 Brian Sheridan (TC Racing)
- Women’s Prize Maria Mulvaney (Lucan CRC)
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