Irish riders Dean Harvey (Spellman Dublin Port) Aine Doherty (VC Glendale) have gotten into the mix again today in Britain at the National Trophy Series, just a week after scoring top 10s in 'Round 3' of the series in Falkirk. Roisin Lally (Scott Bright Motor Group) also took a top 10 placing today.
Today in South Shields, Harvey placed 4th in the combined U23-elite men's race and was only narrowly beaten for a place on the podium. Doherty, a 16-year-old who has just stepped up into the junior ranks, placed 7th in the junior women's race. The duo will be contenders for places on the Irish team at the UCI World Cyclocross Championships in the Netherlands in December if a team is sent.
Today, Harvey (19) was got a good start in the 62-rider race and after his 7th place in Falkirk last weekend, he stepped it up in South Shields on what was a fast course. When a group of five formed not long into the contest he was in it, before their number was trimmed back to four.
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And as the rain began to fall and some of his rivals were quick to change onto mud tyres, Harvey waited a little longer and perhaps paid for that as gaps began to open in the slippier conditions.
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Thomas Mein, the British national champion riding for Hope Factory Racing, proved strongest of the front runners and won the event by 28 seconds from Jenson Young (Garden Shed UK-Ribble-Verge Sport). Joseph Beckingsale (Montezuma's Race Team) placed 3rd at 1:12. Ireland's Harvey just two further seconds back in 4th. The Irish rider was also 2nd in the U23 category after Young.
Irish junior rider Doherty placed 8th last weekend in Falkirk and went one better today with 7th; the teenager clearly coping well in her first events as a junior. Her race today was won by British international cyclocross rider Niamh Murphy (Montezuma's RT).
Hope Inglis (Team OnForm) placed 2nd, at 49 seconds, in the 30-rider race. Daisy Taylor, a British champion and international rider in XC MTB, was 3rd at 1:06. Doherty was 3:01 down in 7th.
In the elite women's race, Irish rider Lally placed 10th in the 20-rider race and may also be in contention for Worlds selection. Her race today was won by British international Anna Kay (777), who took victory earlier this month in Verge Cross Clonmel. Today she was 2:46 up on Alderney Baker (Team Empella) with Alderney Baker (Saint Piran) in 3rd, at 3:02. Lally was 5:45 down in 10th.
Other Irish riders racing today included Lee Harvey (VC Glendale), who was 46th in the U23-elite men's race and Darcey Harkness (VC Glendale), who was a non-finisher in the elite women's race. Ciaran Lally and Liam O'Brien (Fermoy CC) were 51st and a DNF respectively in the men's junior race while
Hannah McClorey (RFDA) was 14th in the women's junior race.
