Lindsay Watson was faced with going to the line with some very strong riders at the Lucan GP so took matters into his own hands (Photo: Toby Watson)
Lindsay Watson has opened his 2026 account today with victory in the Lucan GP in Co Meath, where 210 riders turned out to ride the Lucan CRC races, including 40 in the C1 race. Watson was among those riders who tried repeatedly to get away early in the contest, though the sheer speed of the race ensured nothing stuck, until the penultimate lap when the winning move went.
The composition of that breakaway in the 90km race was a tidy mix of experienced proven winners and young riders still coming through in the top tier with their best years ahead of them. And though today's event was a very fast all-out attacking affair, Watson put together his win via a combination of legs and race smarts.
"There were moves away early, maybe eight to 10 guys, and you were thinking to yourself 'well that's it for the day'. But then very quickly they were coming back, just because of the pace," he said.
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On the fifth lap of six, when yet another breakaway went clear, this time they were gone as they got down to business pretty quick; going through and pulling out the gap in the C1 race.
In that move with Watson were eight other riders: Travis Harkness (Unattached Ulster), Sean O'Kane (Orwell Wheelers), Eoin Kelly (UCD Cycling Club), Ronan O’Connor (APS Pro Cycling by Team Cadence Cyclery), Daire Feeley (Burren CC), Joseph Mullen (Moynalty CC), Gareth O’Neill (Athlete Nutrition Coach Nordic Labs) and David Harrington (Lucan CRC).
They rode hard when they initially got clear; that cooperation continuing deep into the final lap. However, when it became clear they would stay away, thoughts started turning to the finish - maybe a sprint - and one or two of the breakaway riders started missing turns.
Watson was facing the prospect of going to the finish with some very strong riders, who know how to sprint. Feeley and O'Neill in particular are two riders nobody will ever want around them coming to a finish line. Harrington, of host club Lucan CRC, is also a strong finisher.
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Watson took the initiative with about 2km to go, jumping hard on the final stretch to the line. And with a speedsuit and new wheels, he carried his pace all the way to the line with the benefit of a cross-tailwind.
Behind, as Watson's gap initially opened, the others in the group perhaps looked to O'Neill and Feeley to close down the attacker, or at least have a go after him. That resulted in a cagey final kilometre.
As Watson made it all the way to the finish to win solo, last year's Shay Elliott Classic winner, O'Connor, also decided to make his own move. He too managed to get away solo, taking 2nd place.
And then right behind came the rest of the breakaway men: O'Neill winning the sprint from Harrington, Feeley, Mullen, Harkness, O'Kane and Kelly. Ciaran Maguire (Dan Morrissey Pissei) won the bunch sprint for 10th.
In the women’s race, Annalise Murphy (Longcourt Hotel-NCW Wheelers) and Aoife O’Donovan (Dungarvan CC) went to the line in a two-up sprint for victory. Murphy just about held off her young rival in a very close finish.
Behind them, O’Donovan’s team mate, Amy Flavin, won the group sprint for 3rd place from Elena Wallace (Harps CC), Holly McCaffrey (Longcourt Hotel-NCW) and Mia Smith (Brother UK-Orientation Marketing)
The C2 race came down to a bunch finish, won by Gary Dondaldson (Caldwell Powerhouse) from Conor Regan (Kilcullen CC Murphy Geospatial), Conor Kelly (VC Glendale) and Neill Delahaye (Bellurgan Wheelers).
The C3 race was won solo by Matthew Lane (Orwell Wheelers), with a three-up sprint settling the final two places on the podium. Gavin Stapleton (Kilcullen CC Murphy Geospatial) was 2nd from Alexander Graham-Smyth (Orwell Wheelers).
