How the race was won | Clifford, Condon strike at Kilteely GP

Eoin Clifford and Rory Condon up the road in the main event in Limerick on Sunday (Photo: Ronan Condon)

Eoin Clifford (Velo Revolution-Speed Queen) has claimed his first win of the season, at the Kilteely Grand Prix, after joining a seven-man breakaway that was cut back to two before he went solo in the closing stages.

With 12 laps of the 7.5km to negotiate, the C1 riders were chasing the C2s for four minutes in the handicapped race. And once the catch was made, by five C1 riders, close to the halfway point, a strong breakaway group forged clear.

In that group, with eventual winner Clifford, were: Paul Kennedy (Burren CC), Rory Condon (Zappi Racing Team), John O’Mahony (Newcastlewest CC), Oran O’Callaghan and Darragh McGee (O’Leary Stone CC).

With about two laps remaining, the attacks from the group saw Condon and Clifford get away from the others. As they took the bell for the final lap, the two leaders had an advantage of about 30 seconds on the chasers.

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On the final passage of the circuit, Clifford managed to distance Condon and rode to the finish solo to win by about 20 seconds. He secured the Kieran MacMahon Perpetual Cup in the Greenmount Cycling Academy promotion.

Condon also finished solo, in 2nd, before Kennedy led home the chase group for 3rd place. Oran O’Callaghan (O’Leary Stone CC) was best C2, from James Griffin (Waterford RC) and Arnaud Doumlin (O’Leary Stone Kanturk).

In the C3 race, with four laps of seven completed Damien Culhane (Newcastlewest CC) broke clear solo to win. Behind him, Richard Quinn (CRNS) won the group sprint for 2nd place ahead of Sean Conroy (Greenmount CA).

Sun, April 12th | Kilteely Grand Prix

Promoted Greenmount Cycling Academy

Kilteely, Co Limerick

C1-C2 Race (90km)

  1. Eoin Clifford Velo Revolution/Speed Queen
  2. Rory Condon Zappi Racing Team
  3. Paul Kennedy Burren CC
  4. John O’Mahony Newcastlewest CC
  5. Darragh McGee O’Leary Stone CC

C2 Category

  1. Oran O’Callaghan O’Leary Stone CC
  2. James Griffin Waterford RC
  3. Arnaud Doumlin O’Leary Stone Kanturk
  4. Keith Walsh Greenmount CA
  5. David Gordon Castlebar CC

Unplaced Junior

  1. Ciaran O’Sullivan Greenmount CA

C3-Women's Race (52.5km)

  1. Damien Culhane Newcastlewest CC
  2. Richard Quinn CRNS
  3. Sean Conroy Greenmount CA
  4. Dean O’Brien Blarney CC
  5. Tom Shanahan Limerick CC
  6. David Donovan Dungarvan CC

Women's Podium

  1. Aoife O’Donovan Dungarvan CC
  2. Natasha Bronhorst Tuam CC
  3. Amy Flavin Dungarvan CC

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