Conor Regan (16) wastes no time with first senior victory | Sticky Bottle

*Conor Regan has wasted no time in getting stuck in for a win in senior racing, having just moved up from the U16 ranks (Photo: Caroline Kerley)*

A national title winner on the track this year, Conor Regan has wasted no time in taking his first senior win, having just left the U16 ranks for the junior category in recent weeks.

And his Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospacial club was celebrating on the double today in Co Westmeath because team mate Doireann Killeen won the senior women's race, and by a very big margin.

Though Regan is just getting used to his surroundings in the new category, not to mention riding against the seniors for the first time, he put in a very strong performance at the opening round of the Leinster League of Cyclocross.

Hosted by Lakeside Wheelers at Belvedere House and Gardens, Regan took the lead early, though Sean Lundy (UCD Cycling Club) put it up to him, in what very much became a race of two halves.

At the start, of the seven lap race, it was Ian O'Connell (Team Worc) who got the strongest start to take an early lead, though eventual winner Regan was just behind and took the lead on the second lap.

Ronan O'Flynn (Orwell Wheelers) was also in the mix at the front on those first couple of laps, as eventual runner-up Lundy started sluggishly and relinquished a lot of time, though he would come charge back late in the contest.

Once Regan took the lead, it looked like he would ride away to a very large winning margin. Lundy, for example, had lost 54 seconds to solo leader Regan with four laps completed, before his late charge. Over the next two laps, Lunch closed that gap by 43 seconds.

And going onto the last lap, while Regan was still leading, it looked like the momentum was now with Lundy. However, Regan upped his game again on the final passage of the circuit, with him and Lundy going around the course in exactly the same time.

That meant young Regan ran out the winner by 12 seconds from Lundy, with O'Flynn rounding out the podium, some 1:23 down on the winner. O'Connell was 4th, with junior rider Fionn Crinion (IMBRC) rounding out the top five.

In the women's race, the battle for victory was much clearer cut; Killeen going into an early lead and then continuing to pile it on at the front over the five-lap race. She won by 3:27 from Leah McCarthy (K Capital Rocky Mountain). Ffion Dolan (TC Racing) was just a further 20 seconds back in 3rd place.

By the time the opening lap was completed, eventual winner Killeen had 44 seconds in hand over McCarthy and 50 seconds over Dolan. Fiona Lally (Team WORC) was just a couple of seconds further back, in 4th, while Aisling O'Connell (Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club) was very close behind in 5th.

After that first lap, the gaps between the riders at the front of the race continued to grow, with the exception of Dolan closing the gap by a few seconds to McCarthy in 2nd place. However, those gains were short-lived as McCarthy soon began to pull ahead again.

By the finish, Killeen was 3:27 up on 2nd place McCarthy, while junior rider Dolan was 3:47 down. Then came Lally and O'Connor, in 4th and 5th at 4:04 and 5:32.

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