Marine Lenehan (Dan Morrissey-Primór by Pissei) has today won a European title at the Gran Fondo European Championships in Italy today. The 25-year-old, a newcomer this year to the domestic road racing scene, has impressed on home roads since the start of the season, taking a series of strong results.
Today the Wicklow woman took gold, and the iconic European champion's jersey, at the Alè La Merckx Gran Fondo in Verona; the 2023 European Championships in the Gran Fondo discipline.
"I am over the moon, and it's slowly starting to sink in that I am European champion, which feels completely crazy as I only started training for biking late January," Lenehan told stickybottle after her win today. "I was previously doing triathlon, and 100m hurdles."
Today's 138km Gran Fondo included 3,200m of elevation, with three main climbs - of 8km, 24km and 30km.
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"On the start line, I had promised my self to give my all today and go full gas," said. "I managed to pace myself up the climbs, riding at my own pace. I had done a training ride during the week where I had the opportunity to try out the first two climbs which was a big help. But I wasn't expecting such a performance today, my legs surprise me everyday."
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Lenehan said her team mate Matteo Cigala, the Irish-based Italian who was European champion last year and placed 4th in his 19-34 years men's title race today, had been of huge assistance to her in the build-up to today's event.
Lenehan was best in the 19-34 years women's category, winning by almost five minutes from her nearest rival, Liisi Alamma, an Estonian champion cyclist and triathlete. Lenehan, who is from Ashford in Co Wicklow but has lived in France for periods, was 3:55 up on Alamaa after 4hrs 41mins of racing.
Elisa Parisi, an Italian riding for ASD SC Formigosa, took the bronze medal, over six minutes behind new European champion Lenehan.
The Irish woman has been racing this year in Ireland in the colours of Dan Morrissey-Primór by Pissei and showed her promise very early in the season when she made the five-rider winning breakaway in the Donal Crowley Memorial, the first round of the Cycling Ireland National Road Series.
However, just as the sprint for victory began in that five-rider group, Lenehan suffered a heavy fall which ended her chances of a better result.
More to come.
