Dunbar driving sees off scratch men in Broadford, but Moynihan pounces for win

Tralee’s Cathal Moynihan rode a clever race in Broadford and was strongest when it counted most

By Brian Canty

Tralee BC is celebrating a double victory after its riders took the spoils in both races at the Cycling Pursuits Cup in Broadford in Co Limerick today, Sunday.

The main event went to Cathal Moynihan, who landed the biggest result of his career. Donncha Galvin, who only took up racing last year, was best of a huge field of over 100 riders in the A4 category race.

However, much of the talk afterwards centred around the generous time gap the A3 group got on the A2s and A1s in the main race.

The A3s – including race winner Moynihan - had five minutes on the A2s (27 riders) while the A1s (14 riders) were a further four minutes back, meaning they had nine minutes to make up on the A3s.

Some riders who spoke to stickybottle after the race said they believed the gaps were so generous they had ruined the event and given the back markers very little hope of a result from the outset.

But race director Liam Collins, who recorded the biggest ever sign-on for the event, defended the time gaps.

“Based on the time gaps last year, it seemed fair. But the problem was last year the A2s got five minutes on the A1s and they waited to be caught by them. This year the A3s got a handicap and based on the first three laps it was on target to come back together, they were being reeled in. Eddie Dunbar drove it then, they said afterwards that he was riding so hard on the front that he pulled the gap back out by himself. One fella said that he’d have won the race but he just attacked in the wrong places.”

Whether or not the time gaps were too generous or Dunbar did most of the damage, to give Moynihan his credit he wasn’t handed the race on a plate. He still had to contend with a tough course and some really strong riders in his own category, never mind holding off those behind.

Unlike previous years, the A3s were organised from the outset and though their lead did get trimmed for the first three laps, the furious pace set by Dunbar at the front ensured they would not be caught. He even took off on his own at one stage and managed to stay clear for over a lap, pulling out a lead of 30 seconds.

But he was brought back and probably used up too much energy to contend for victory at the finish. Moynihan was clever and played his cards well. He missed an initial break of four that went clear on the second lap, but along with almost a dozen others he rode a steady tempo at the front to reduce their arrears to the men out front.

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They were all back together by lap four (of six), with the A2s and A1s still languishing further down the road. By now it was apparent that they would not bridge across, and on the final lap Gary Scully (Visit Nenagh DMG) took off.

Moynihan said he hesitated, but sensing others were hurting, he tried to get across.

“Gary was riding really well but I knew that was it. So I managed to bridge across to him when it ramped up again and the two of us worked well together on the descent. And outside Broadford then I launched a bit of a sprint and got ahead of him so I’m delighted.”

“The A1s and A2s never really had a chance, to be honest. I think (the time gap) was maybe a bit too much but racing is racing. It was probably a disappointing day for them because they’re serious about results too.”

The EMC employee, whose only other win came in the 2011 Drumm Cup in Currow, said that after a very solid winter his focus is now on Rás Mumhan, and possibly even the big one in May.

“It’s a big ambition of mine to do the Rás so maybe if I could get some good results behind me I could get into a team because we won’t be putting a team in it. If there’s any year to be in it, it’s this year. And because it comes down around Kerry I really would like to be in it. But Rás Mumhan comes first and that’s what I’m focussing on.”

And to add to a superb day for the club, Donncha Galvin notched his first ever win in only his fifth race when he soloed to a marvellous win in the A4 event.

The race, though only three laps, attracted some 120 riders and Galvin was active from the outset. On the second lap of three he took off, surged clear and stayed away for over half the race, coming in ahead of Limerick CC rider Jurgen Simspon with Killarney’s John Brosnan rounding out the podium.

Cycling Pursuits Cup Results (236 riders)

C Moynihan, Tralee BC
Gary Scully, Visit Nenagh Team DMG
Donal Harrington, Western Lakes CC
Michael Ahearn, Dungarvan CC
Stephen Shanahan, Limerick CC (Also won the Richard Brown Memorial for 1^st Junior)
Eddie Dunbar, O’Leary’s Stone Kanturk CC
Benny Cassidy, Killarney CC

1^st Unplaced A3 Shem Cullen, Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers
1^st Unplaced A2 Dermot Radford, Tipperary Wheelers
1^st Junior, Mark O’Callaghan

A4 Category