Flying Dowling has too much for Feeley and Lacey in Tralee

Mark Dowling has taken a very impressive victory at the Tralee Manor West GP in Co Kerry (Photo: Toby Watson)

By Brian Canty

Mark Dowling has won the Tralee Manor West GP this afternoon, reclaiming the title he last took in 2013.

The DID Dunboyne man was always fancied to do well on this course as the punchy ramp up to the finish line is perfectly-suited to his characteristics.

And the former Rás Mumhan winner did not disappoint.

He burst clear of breakaway companion Daire Feeley (iTap) with one 13.9km lap to go and pulled out around 45 seconds on the young Roscommon man by the finish.

Sean Lacey (Aquablue) had been with that trio before being distanced following a Dowling attack on the fifth of eight laps.

And though the Tralee native was in no man’s land for the rest of the race he did very well to hang on for third.

Lacey came home well clear of Dermot Radford (Tipp Wheelers) who was next over the line.

The third annual running of the event saw a strong field sign on and after a period of aggressive racing early on, a six-man group managed to escape, containing defending champion Michael Fitzgerald (Strata3-VeloRevolution).

A chase group formed behind containing Páidí O’Brien (Osbourne Meats-McCarthy Cycles) and a number of Moda Endurance Kingdom Sport riders.

But by lap three there was a further reshuffle and a break of six went clear.

Cathal Moynihan (Aquablue) initiated that move but Lacey counterattacked and managed to get up the road, with Dowling and Feeley also present.

Six would become three with three laps to go with Feeley, Lacey and Dowling pulling clear of the others.

The separate A3 saw the biggest sign-on of the day and the six-lap, 88-kilometre, event went the way of Darragh McCarthy (St Finbarr’s).

The 23-year-old Corkman won from an eight-man break that went clear around the halfway point.
McCarthy was the last man to make his way into the move.

They all worked cohesively and stayed away to the finish, with McCarthy getting the verdict from Jamie Busher (Orwell Wheelers) and Paul Kennedy (Newcastle West CC).

Freddie Stephens (Orwell Wheelers) was victorious in the A4 race; the Orwell Wheelers’ man getting the better of Diarmuid Kerrisk (Unattached) and Keith Colville (Clonmel CC) after 4 laps.