Hawkins on top at Newbridge GP after day of aggression splits the field

Ryan Sherlock and Peter Hawkins driving the winning breakaway in Newbridge today

Peter Hawkins (IG Sigma Sport) has taken the Newbridge GP this afternoon, Sunday, after being forced to ride for much of the race in pursuit of an early breakaway that looked for a time as if it would succeed.

The Belfast man, who has raced in Belgium in the past fortnight, got clear in the closing stages today with Greg Swinard (Usher IRC). The duo just about neutralised a very impressive last lap solo effort by Fraser Duncan (Eurocycles) to set up the finish for a three-man sprint.

One of the other main in-form riders in Ireland at the moment, Ryan Sherlock (Cylceways) attacked what was left of the breakaway in the last couple of kilometres in an effort to close down the three leaders.

However, he left it too late and had to settle for fourth, finishing on his own just seconds behind the sprint for victory.

Hawkins said when a breakaway group of eight riders got clear after two of the six 17km laps in the A1/A2 race, he thought he had missed the boat.

“I was probably just day dreaming or something for a few minutes and the next thing I knew a good group were gone away and they were opening up a gap,” he told stickybottle.

“From that point, for the next few laps I did a good bit of riding in the bunch and just tried to get people to keep in going and keep riding after the break.”

After two laps of chasing, the field began to split during a period of attacking riding, and Hawkins pulled clear with Sean Lacey (Dan Morrissey-Speedy Spokes), Colm Cassidy (UCD) and yesterday’s winner in Carrick, Stephen Halpin (Metaltek SCOTT).

As that foursome were closing in on the leaders, another small group got across to them, including Neil Delahaye (DID Dunboyne CC) and Fraser Duncan (Eurocycles).

Just a few kilometres from the bell for the last lap, the chase group caught some of the riders from the early breakaway and then mopped up the others. That left a lead group of between 12 to 14 riders in the leading group with just over a lap remaining.

It was Duncan who then decided to take the bull by the horns, attacking going into the bell and getting a good lead as the others stalled behind him waiting for each other to close it down.

Duncan seemed determined to seize his chance and, clearly going very well today, he powered ahead alone in what were breezy conditions on a circuit that was draggy in places.

But with around 5kms to go, some intense attacking from the group behind him ended in Swinard getting ahead on his own on the second last drag of the day. Hawkins they went across to him.

The pair teamed up and caught Duncan, with that strong trio arriving at the finish together to fight it out.

“I was fairly confident I could beat Swinard in the sprint and Fraser had been out there on his own for a long time, so I knew he was wrecked,” said Hawkins.

“The form now is probably as good as it’s ever been. I rode a couple of races in Belgium, including the Omloop van het Waasland (195km UCI 1.2 last Sunday, where he finished 27^th). It was my first real pro race and I felt like I deserved to be there.”

Hawkins said he was now looking forward “to seeing what I can do” in the bigger races on the UK calendar in the year ahead and also in the An Post Ras.

Results of Newbridge Credit Union Grand Prix

A1/A2 (6 laps x 17.5 kms)

1st Peter Hawkins (IG Sigma Sport)
2nd Greg Swinard (Usher IRC)
3rd Fraser Duncan (Eurocycles)
4th Ryan Sherlock (Cycleways)
5th Mark Dowling (DID Dunboyne CC)
6th Stephen Halpin (Metaltek SCOTT)

Unplaced A2
1st Ciaran O’Conluain (UCD)
2nd Eoin McCarthy (Asfra Flanders)
3rd Javin Nulty (DID Dunboyne CC)
4th Peter Rimmer (Lakeside Wheelers)
5th Shane Baker (Usher IRC)
6th Art MacManus (South Dublin CC)

A3 (4 laps x 17.5kms)
1st Tomas Fallon (Seven Springs CC)
2nd Mark Nugent (Waterford Racing Club)
3rd John Priest (Staggs Lucan)
4th John Maguire (South East Road Club)
5th Michael Mahony (Blarney CC)
6th Danny Bruton (Stamullen)
7th Cian Dwyer (Dungarvan CC)
8th Martin Doyle (Slaney CC)

1st Junior Ciaran Campbell (Drogheda Wheelers)
1st Vet Terry Ferris

A4 (3 laps x 17.5 kms)

1st Ronan McDonneell (Dublin Wheelers)
2nd Derek Byrne (Ossory CC)
3rd David Dargle (Stamullen)
4th Phil O’Flaherty (Swords CC)
5th Lucas Furman (Newbridge CC)
6th Dermot Galvin (Comeragh CC)
7th Michael O’Mahony (Dungarvan CC)
8th John O’Shea (Carlow CC)

1st Junior Luke Gillespie (Naas CC)