The cyclocross season is now winding to a close but before the final curtain there are two major domestic fixtures to come; the final round of the Cyclocross National Series and the National Cyclocross Championships.
The series will conclude this Sunday at the McCrystal's Track in Co Louth, promoted by Bellurgan Wheelers. Entries are still open - until January 3rd at 8pm - and you can enter by following this link.
The National Cyclocross Championships will be fought out this year in Galway, will all the action set to unfold on Sunday week, January 12th, at Fair Green, Townparks, Ballinasloe.
The champs are being promoted by Ballinasloe Cycling Club and you can enter by following this link, with entries closing this Sunday, January 5th, at 11.59pm.
National Series finale
The four-round national series will come to a conclusion on Sunday with a full schedule of races, including for youth age groups from U6 to U12 between 9.50am and 10.35am. The women, U14 and U16 riders get underway at 11.30am.
Advertisement
Related News
They will be followed by the M50s, M60s, support race starting at 12.55pm. And the final event of day - for male senior, junior and M40 riders - starts at 2.15pm. Given the weather forecast, it may be a very chilly day for racing and spectating.
Irish international rider and men's series leader, Tadhg Killeen (Murphy Geospacial-Kilcullen CC), has taken no fewer than 10 wins this season. Those victories by the 19-year-old include winning two of the three rounds in the national series to date, and finishing 2nd - to Dean Harvey - in the other.
Those results mean Killeen has a big lead, of 24 points, over 2nd place Richie Barry (St Finbarr's) in the men's series going into the final round. Tim O’Regan (All human-VeloRevolution) is in 3rd place, some 35 points down.
Stephanie Roche (Scott Racing) holds the lead in the senior women’s series after two 4th placings and a 3rd place in the three rounds to date. She is on 147 points, which is just 10 ahead of Rachel Newell (McConvey Cycles) while Jean Wilson (EPIC MTB) is 3rd on 133 points.
Indeed, the top five - in what is a delicately poised series classification ahead of Sunday's race - are covered by just 20 points.
Niamh Stephens (Team Giant Dublin) is 4th on 131 points and Sally Drennan (Midleton CTC) is 5th on 127 points. Caoimhe May (Orwell Wheelers), who won the second round, is 6th on 115 points.
Aoife O’Donovan (Dungarvan CC) is best-placed junior female rider from Team WORC’s Greta Lawless and Ami Flavin (Dungarvan CC). Hugh Óg Mulhearne (Verge PI) is leading male junior from Greenmount CA’s Ciaran O’Sullivan and Spellman-Dublin Port’s Curtis McKee.
