Imogen Cotter takes first win since life-threatening training crash

*Imogen Cotter takes victory on the fifth round of the Cycling Ireland National Road Series, her first win since her crash in Girona in January last year (Photo: Bryan Keane-Inpho)*

Imogen Cotter has been back in the peloton for some time now after her life-threatening crash in Girona early last year when she was hit by an oncoming driver in a van while she was out training. However, the Co Clare woman took her first win yesterday since that crash 18 months ago, an important juncture for any cyclist who has returned to the sport after a major setback.

She was best in the John Drumm Cup, the fifth round of the Cycling Ireland National Road Series, in Co Kerry. The 29-year-old Fenix-Deceuninck Continental rider was narrowly beaten in the last round of the series - the Sean Nolan Meath GP a week ago - when Caoimhe O’Brien (Cyclingteam Belco-Van Eyck) beat her into 2nd place.

However, yesterday in the Currow CC promotion Cotter didn't leave it to a final sprint; making the front group as the contenders for victory was whittled down before going solo as the finish neared.

*The main field on the opening lap, before the five-rider breakaway pulled clear (Photo: Bryan Keane-Inpho)*

"I hadn't any particular place planned to attack, I just kind of went and I just thought I'd make it hard for everyone and make it a difficult race," she said after the finish. "I felt the pace was a bit slower at parts so I thought I could maybe inject a bit of pace. On the drags and hills I was trying to put some pace in.

"When I attacked, they didn't go with me, and I had maybe half of the last lap on my own. Once I'm into a rhythm, that's kind of my strong point at the moment. I had a very bad injury last year; the explosive stuff isn't great but long and steady stuff is my forte so that's what I did."

The women's race was 82km, based from Currow in Co Kerry, with three laps of a circuit that also took in Castleisland and Scartaglin as well as a short route to and from the circuit for the start and finish.

*The winning breakaway: McCarthy leads from Speers, Neenan, Doran (obscured) and Cotter (Photo: Bryan Keane-Inpho)*

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Very soon after the start - before the opening lap was even completed - it became clear who the contenders were, with a five-rider group emerging at the front. Cotter was there along with Jemma Speers (North Down CC), Yvonne Doran (Orwell Wheelers), Jennifer Neenan (Longcourt Hotel-NCW) and Carthach McCarthy (Blarney Cycling Club).

They worked well together and immediately they pulled clear it was obvious they would not be seen again by the small bunch left in their wake. They gained three minutes with two of the three laps of the circuit completed.

Cotter then made her move for victory on the final passage of the Scartaglin climb. She then descended down towards the finish to take victory. Behind her the other four women she had been clear with for the day all survived to take the next four placings.

*Neenan wins the sprint for 2nd place from Speers and McCarthy (Photo: Bryan Keane-Inpho)*

Neenan put in a great kick at the finish to win the gallop for 2nd place, ahead of Speers and McCarthy, with Doran finishing behind that trio to claim 5th place.

Clodagh Ni Ghallchoir (UCD Cycling Club) proved best of the riders who were not in the breakaway, taking 6th place from Mia Smith (Brother UK-Orientation Marketing Race Team), Lisa Stapelbroek (Un-Attached Munster) and Claire O’Sullivan (Greenmount CA).

Hannah Hayes (TC Racing) rounded out the top 10 on the day, and was first junior. She collected enough points to take the lead in the junior women's series from Shauna Finn (Arcane Race Team), the reigning Irish junior TT champion who did not race in Co Kerry yesterday.