Gleeson and Daly (61) take spoils at Newcastle West Classic

Former Irish international Vinny Gleeson (Mego RAW Cycles) was victorious in today's Newcastle West Classic in Limerick, winning in a bunch sprint after a hard 97-kilometre contest (Photo: Sean Rowe)

By Brian Canty

Vinny Gleeson rolled back the years this afternoon to win the Newcastle West Classic in a bunch sprint.

The Mego RAW Cycles team man edged Derek Boywer (Unattached) at the end of the 97-kilometre event, with the very promising young junior Dillon Corkery of Cork Giant rounding out the podium.

The A2-A3 contest saw around 60 sign on for 4¾ laps of a 22-kilometre circuit and on the first of those laps a group of three escaped.

They stormed up the road and had 1:30 on the bunch by the start of the second lap.

However, they faded as the kilometres ticked down and were eventually reeled in; their recapture sparking more attacking.

Two more groups managed to go clear, the first of which went over a minute up the road with a smaller group about 30 seconds back.

But like the first move of the day, the bunch was having none of it and on the final lap it was all back together, which paved the way for the sprint in which Gleeson prevailed.

A similar number of riders signed on for the combined A4 and women’s event, though they completed one less lap for 76 kilometres.

Again, the outcome was decided in a sprint which was won by 61-year old Tom Daly of O’Leary’s Stone Kanturk, who many will know as an author and coach and ocassional contributor to this parish.

One rider did have a 40-second advantage on the second lap here but he didn’t manage to last the pace out front.