Eve McCrystal has made a successful return to the Cycling Ireland National Road Series, which she has dominated at times, to take victory in the opening round in Limerick this morning.
McCrystal, fresh from winning two silvers in the road race and TT at the Paracycling World Road Championships with Katie George Dunlevy, was too strong for her rivals in the sprint to the line today.
After three laps of the course in Knockaderry, which hosted last year's National Road Championships, the women's field was somewhat whittled down today.
However, the fight for victory still came down to a sprint from a group, with about 15 riders arriving at the finish line together at the end of 61.5km of racing to compete for the victory.
Former national road race champion and reigning TT champion McCrystal, who is riding this year for her local club Bellurgan Wheelers, powered to the line to win. And now at 42-years-old, the Louth woman is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon.
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Caoimhe O’Brien pushed McCrystal closest in the sprint today, though the Weston Homes-Torelli-Assure 19-year-old had to settle for 2nd place. Junior rider Erin Grace Creighton (McConvey Cycles) was 3rd over the line, with Megan Armitage (UCD Cycling Club) next.
While the junior and elite women's events were combined into one race today, the results are separated for the junior and elite National Road Series classifications.
That means in the elite event today the podium was made up of McCrystal, O'Brien and Armitage. Creighton won the junior race, from Caoimhe May (Orwell Wheelers) and Aoife O'Brien (Weston Homes-Torelli-Assure).
McCrystal said after her victory she was delighted to win and pleased to be on the start line as it was the first time since 2019 she had ridden the National Road Series.
"I tried a few times, to no avail, to get away but it's just that type of course," she said. "I never thought I'd say this ever in my career but I think it just needs to be a little bit hillier.
"There was plenty of attacks and plenty of movement in the bunch and there was a great bunch of girls; there's very strong new girls coming up and I think it's exciting for women's cycling in the future."
In other news from Limerick this morning, Liam Crowley of O'Leary Stone Kanturk won the A3 race with a very strong kick in the bunch finish. The A4 race was won by Newcastlewest CC's Paul Collins after it also came down to a bunch sprint.
We have the elite men's and junior men's races later today and we'll have lots more coverage on all the races to come.
Cycling Ireland National Road Series
June, 20th: Round 1 Knockaderry, Co Limerick
Promoted by Newcastle West Wheelers
Elite Women (61.5km)
- Eve McCrystal Bellurgan Wheelers
- Caoimhe O’Brien Weston Homes-Torelli-Assure
- Megan Armitage UCD Cycling Club
Junior Women (61.5km)
- Erin Grace Creighton McConvey Cycles
- Caoimhe May Orwell Wheelers
- Aoife O'Brien Weston Homes-Torelli-Assure
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