Greta Lawless (17) wins elite UCI-ranked Verge Cross Clonmel

Greta Lawless may still be aged just 17 years but she was best in elite UCI-ranked cyclocross action at Verge Cross Clonmel today (Photo: Toby Watson)

Greta Lawless, one of Ireland's most exciting prospects off-road at present, has put in a great performance at the UCI-ranked Verge Cross Clonmel, seeing of the challenge of the British and French U23 and elite riders who got closest to her.

Lawless (Team WORC), who has already represented Ireland at the junior Europeans and Worlds, prevailed in a two-woman battle with British U23 rider Hope Inglis (Spectra). The Irish teenager claimed victory from Inglis by just one second, with British elite rider Katie Scott (Spectra) 3rd, almost 1½ minutes back.

There was nothing to separate Lawless and Inglis throughout the five-lap race on Sunday, with the duo matching each other lap-for-lap and Lawless getting the better of her rival in the final push for the line.

That is a very solid win for the Team WORC rider, who is really shaping up as an exciting prospect for Ireland in both cyclocross and MTB and she should not enjoy plenty more success through the winter season.

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Curtis McKee of Spellman Dublin Port was out on his own at the end of the junior men's race (Photo: Sean Rowe)

France's Léa Corabouef (VC EVRON COETMIEUX) was 4th today, some 2:20 down on Lawless, followed by Irish duo Hannah McClorley (Doltcini-Cycle Division) and Doireann Killeen (Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospacial) in 5th and 6th.

The Irish also took victory today in the junior men's race, with Curtis McKee (Spellman Dublin Port) leading hope Ryan Daly (Scott Racing) - 34 seconds separating them - after five laps of racing.

Hugh Og Mulhearne (Verge Sport PI Cycles) was 3rd, just 17 seconds down on Daly in 2nd. The top three, as early as the first lap, slotted into the positions at the front, though they were initially matched by others.

However, as the race progressed, McKee pulled ahead, from Daly and Mulhearne; the gaps between that trio getting marginally bigger through the race, though it was close.

Travis Harkness leads eventual elite men's race winner Jenson Young, with eventual 3rd place finisher Tadgh Killeen closely tracking them (Photo: Sean Rowe)

James Armstrong (VC Glendale), Britain's Magnus Denwood (Harrogate Nova Race Team) and Cameron Henry (Inspired Cycling) were all in the mix in the early stages with the eventful podium finishers before filling positions 4th to 6th on the line.

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In the elite men's race, former British junior international Jenson Young (Spectra) took a clear win; best after eight laps by 1:50 from runner-up Travis Harkness (Spellman Dublin Port). Tadhg Killeen (Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospacial) rounded out the podium, just 11 seconds behind Harkness.

Though Harkness was marginally faster that Jenson on the opening lap, the British rider gained 11 seconds on him on the second passage of the circuit and then continued to build his lead all the way.

There were four Irish riders in the top six, with Richard Barry (St Finbarr's) in 4th, Robin Seymour (Team WORC) 5th and then Britain's Joel Hurt (Ribble Verge Sport) taking 6th place.

More to come.

Sun, Oct 13th | Day 1 Verge Cross Clonmel

Powerstown Park Racecourse

Promoted by Clonmel Cycling Club

Women’s Race

  1. LAWLESS Greta IRL Team WORC 40:37 Junior
  2. INGLIS Hope GBR Spectra 40:38
  3. SCOTT Katie GBR Spectra 42:06
  4. CORABOEUF Léa FRA VC EVRON COETMIEUX 42:57
  5. MCCLOREY Hannah IRL Doltcini - Cycle Division 43:29
  6. KILLEEN Doireann IRL Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospacial 43:39
  7. GROGAN Joanne USA Barker Mountain Bikes 43:53
  8. MAY Caoimhe IRL Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 44:19
  9. LALLY Roisin IRL Loughborough Lightning 45:26
  10. ROCHE Stephanie IRL Scott Racing IRL 45:29
  11. NEVEUX Maeua FRA 47:03
  12. O'DONOVAN Aoife IRL Dungarvan CC 48:05 Junior
  13. WILSON Jean IRL EPIC MTB Expert Cycles 48:15
  14. DOLAN Rhiannon IRL TC Racing 48:37 Junior
  15. STEPHENS Niamh IRL Team Giant Dublin 48:42
  16. O'CONNOR Aishling IRL Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 49:36
  17. FLAVIN Ami IRL Dungarvan CC 150:28 Junior
  18. DOLAN Ffion IRL TC Racing -1 lap Junior
  19. O'ROURKE Grace IRL Spellman-Dublin Port -1 lap Junior

Elite Men’s Race

  1. YOUNG Jenson GBR Spectra 58:43
  2. HARKNESS Travis IRL Spellman-Dublin Port 1:00:33
  3. KILLEEN Tadhg IRL Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospacial 1:00:34
  4. BARRY Richard IRL St. Finbarrs CC 1:01:38
  5. SEYMOUR Robin IRL Team WORC 1:01:53
  6. HURT Joel GBR RIBBLE VERGE SPORT 1:02:06
  7. O'REGAN Timothy IRL All human/VeloRevolution Racing Team 1:02:49
  8. O'FLYNN Ronan IRL Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 1:03:01
  9. NULTY Javan IRL Un-Attached Leinster 1:03:04
  10. FLAVIN Marcus IRL Dungarvan CC 1:03:37
  11. COLLINS Michael IRL Newcastle West Cycling Club 1:03:38
  12. HARVEY Lee IRL Spellman-Dublin Port 1:04:41
  13. O'CONNELL Gavin IRL Team WORC 1:04:59
  14. LUNDY Sean IRL UCD Cycling Club 1:05:06
  15. BOYD Graham IRL McConvey Cycles 1:05:07
  16. FEENEY Sean IRL Team WORC 1:05:14
  17. DONWORTH Joseph IRL Greenmount CA 1:06:15
  18. O'CONNELL Ian IRL Team WORC 1:06:16
  19. O'BRIEN Diarmuid IRL All human/VeloRevolution Racing Team -1 lap
  20. LALLY Ciaran IRL Reifen Racing -1 lap

Junior Men

  1. MCKEE Curtis Spellman-Dublin Port 38:02
  2. DALY Ryan Scott Racing IRL 38:36
  3. MULHEARNE Hugh Og Verge Sport PI Cycles 38:53
  4. ARMSTRONG James VC Glendale 39:14
  5. DENWOOD Magnus Harrogate Nova Race Team 39:35
  6. HENRY Cameron Inspired Cycling 40:53
  7. O'MAHONY John Newcastle West Cycling Club 41:25
  8. COLLINS Diarmuid Newcastle West Cycling Club 41:26
  9. BUCKLEY Nicholas James Sliabh Luachra Cycling Club 42:24
  10. O'SULLIVAN Ciaran Greenmount CA 42:40
  11. FITZGERALD Seán Gorey Cycling Club 43:03
  12. KAVANAGH Brian Gorey Cycling Club 43:42
  13. O'KEEFFE Ben Spellman-Dublin Port 43:43
  14. COAKLEY Conor Inspired Cycling 46:41
  15. MURPHY Conor Team Caldwell Cycles
  16. KILLEEN Fionn Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospacial

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