Irish champ Harvey piles on pressure on winning return to cyclocross

Dean Harvey on his way to victory, in his national champion's livery, during the men's A race at Round 4 of the Ulster Cyclocross Series (Photo: Toby Watson)

It's been a long time between drinks for Dean Harvey on the cyclocross scene, but the national champion roared back into action on Sunday at the Ulster Cyclocross Series to add his latest victory on mud to his palmares.

In the women's race, Elena Wallace (Harps CC) continued her relentless progress of recent seasons to take a confident win. Like Harvey in the men's event, she took it on from the start and went about her business strongly from gun to tape to win it well.

Harvey (22) raced on the road this year for Martigues Sport Cyclisme - winning Tour International de Martinique and the National Criterium Championships - and gained selection for Ireland for Tour de l'Avenir and the European Road Championships.

And having taken a break in recent weeks after his Europeans appearance, he raced to a strong victory on Sunday in Ecclesville, Fintona, Co Tyrone at the first time of asking. On the Omagh Wheelers-run race, Harvey demonstrated the kind of form that will make him hard to beat in the weeks ahead.

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Elena Wallace of Harps Cycling Club had plenty of time to celebrate at the end of a victorious ride in the women's race on Sunday (Photo: Toby Watson)

Though Harvey faced Darnell Moore (Caldwell Cycles) as his main rival - with Moore having won in Derry two weeks ago - he got into an early lead and continued to take time on each of the seven laps.

New junior rider - and last January's U16 winner at the Nationals - Caleb McGreevy (VC Glendale) gave a very good account of himself to claim 3rd against the top elites.

Harvey's winning margin over Moore was 44 seconds at the chequered flag and that was an advantage he put together in increments, rather than pulling out a big bazooka at any point during the race.

He had eight seconds over Moore at the end of the opening lap and then added to that by between one and 10 seconds on each of the remaining six laps. Similarly, the gap between 2nd and 3rd - Moore and young McGreevy - was marginal at the start but extended with each passage at the circuit, and was 1:52 by the end.

Graham Boyd (McConvey Cycles) was 4th, some 3:39 down on Harvey, as Glenn Kinning (Kinning Cycles) rounded at the top five, some 5:03 down.

New junior rider, and reigning Irish U16 champion, Caleb McGreevy put in a good shift to take 3rd in the senior men's race (Photo: Toby Watson)

In the women's race, eventual winner, Wallace, got clear early, with the riders who went on to finish 2nd and 3rd - Rachel Newell (McConvey Cycles) and Darcey Harkness (Dan Morrissey Pissei) - settling into a race-long chase behind her.

Wallace had almost 30 seconds on Newell with two of the five laps completed, with Harkness 3rd at that point, just over one minute down on the lone leader. And that's the way the order of the top three stayed for the remainder of the race.

At the finish, Wallace claimed the victory by 1:22 from Newell, with Harkness rounding out the podium some 3:57 down. Helen White (Stamullen RC) took 4th at 4:44 while Catriona Wheeler (Agivey Cycling Club) placed 5th at 7:18.

Josh McClune of Team Madigan riding to another victory in the U16 race (Photo: Toby Watson)
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The men's B race was won by Justin Doherty (Dunloy CC) by just five seconds from Brian Kellett (Dromara CC), after he fought back following a slow start. William McFarlan (Lakeland) was 3rd at 40 seconds.

Josh McClune (Team Madigan CC) won the U16 boys race by 43 seconds from Darragh Murphy (Rostrevor MTB), with Rory McCool (Square Wheelers) in 3rd at 1:27. Aoife Kellett (Dromara CC) won the U16 girls event.

The U14 boys race was won by Darragh Quigley (Foyle CC) from Billy Lord (Breffni Wheelers) and Jack McGahan (Square Wheelers). Aoife Campbell (Square Wheels) was the winner of the U14 girls contest.

Sun, Nov 16th: Round 4 Ulster Cyclocross Series

Ecclesville, Fintona, Co Tyrone

Omagh Wheelers

Men’s A Race

  1. Dean HARVEY Martigues Sport Cyclisme 53:54
  2. Darnell MOORE Team Caldwell Cycles 54:38
  3. Caleb MCGREEVY VC Glendale 56:30
  4. Graham BOYD McConvey Cycles 57:33
  5. Glenn KINNING Kinning Cycles Cycling Club 58:57
  6. Darragh MCCARTER Spellman-Dublin Port 59:01
  7. Declan MCENTEE Emyvale CC 1:01:29
  8. Trevor COSTELLO Islandeady Cycling Club 1:01:31
  9. Barry KELLETT Dromara Cycling Club 1:01:53
  10. Jason HENRY Inspired Cycling 1:02:09
  11. Barry CONVERY Newry Wheelers CC 1:02:11
  12. Stephen MCKENNA Omagh Wheelers Cycling Club 1:02:36
  13. Pj HYNES Bellurgan Wheelers -1 lap
  14. Jonny ADAMS McConvey Cycles -1 lap
  15. Kevin HEYWOOD Killinchy Cycling Club -1 lap
  16. Johnny MCCABE Cuchulainn CC -1 lap
  17. Mark MOLLOY Dunloy CC -1 lap
  18. Jay MCCAULEY Strabane Lifford Cycling Club -1 lap
  19. James GORDON Phoenix CC -1 lap
  20. Stephen WALSH Carn Wheelers -1 lap
  21. Rob JENNINGS Bear Cycling -1 lap
  22. James MACKEY Foyle CC -1 lap
  23. Peter MORRISON Velo Cafe Magasin -1 lap
  24. Fearghal KELLY Phoenix CC -1 lap
  25. John LORD Breffni Wheelers -1 lap
  26. Niall James MURPHY Lakeland -1 lap
  27. Eamon LONEY Un-Attached Ulster -1 lap
  28. Sean MCCOURT VC Glendale -1 lap
  29. Colin SMITH DB Cycling Club -1 lap
  30. Seán MAGUIRE VC Glendale -1 lap
  31. Paul HAMILTON Team Caldwell Cycles -1 lap
  32. Niall SMITH CKR Cycling Club -1 lap
  33. Joe HENRY Velo Cafe Magasin -1 lap
  34. Tom DOHERTY Four Masters CC -1 lap
  35. Alun POWELL Un-Attached Ulster -1 lap
  36. Aidan REIHILL Lakeland -1 lap
  37. David MCCLEAN Dunloy CC -1 lap
  38. Martin BRADY Virginia Triathlon and Cycling Club -1 lap
  39. Richard MCKEOWN North Down CC -1 lap
  40. Mark GORDON Newry Wheelers CC -1 lap
  41. Dara MCKENNA Emyvale CC -2 laps
  42. Johnathen HADDEN Island Wheelers -2 laps
  43. Aidan LAFFERTY Island Wheelers -2 laps
  44. Fred MACSORLEY Apollo Cycling Team -2 laps
  45. Derek KING Apollo Cycling Team -2 laps

Women’s Race

  1. Elena WALLACE Harps CC 46:51
  2. Rachel NEWELL McConvey Cycles 48:13
  3. Darcey HARKNESS Dan Morrissey Pissei Cycling Team 50:48
  4. Helen WHITE Stamullen RC 51:35
  5. Catriona WHEELER Agivey Cycling Club 44:09
  6. Laura BIRLEY Un-Attached Ulster 46:16
  7. Tetyana KOKHAN Un-Attached Ulster -1 lap
  8. Sinead PARSONS Islandeady Cycling Club -1 lap
  9. Laura BROWN Bangor City Bike Club -1 lap
  10. Margaret KEARNEY Agivey Cycling Club -1 lap
  11. Claire HENDERSON Un-Attached Ulster -1 lap
  12. Kathleen MCCAFFERTY Dunloy CC -1 lap
  13. Julie MURPHY Un-Attached Ulster -1 lap
  14. Laura MULCAHY Un-Attached Ulster -1 lap
  15. Emma WEIR Un-Attached Ulster -2 laps
  16. Rachel MCBRIDE Omagh Wheelers Cycling Club -2 laps

Men’s B Race

  1. Justin DOHERTY Dunloy CC 50:41
  2. Brian KELLETT Dromara Cycling Club 50:46
  3. William MCFARLAND Lakeland 51:21
  4. Kevin MCDOWELL Un-Attached Ulster 51:26
  5. Damian O'HAGAN Clogher Valley Wheelers 52:47
  6. Niall MCCARRON Newry Wheelers CC 53:12
  7. Adam EWART Apollo Cycling Team 53:26
  8. Brian KELLY Team Caldwell Cycles 54:30
  9. Peter GALLAGHER DB Cycling Club 56:36
  10. Damien CONNOLLY Square Wheels 56:37
  11. Andrew FENNER Longford Cycling & Racing Club 57:11
  12. Oliver LOGAN Omagh Wheelers Cycling Club 57:20
  13. Gareth DEMPSEY Square Wheels 57:47
  14. Andrew GREEN 3PEAKS Cycle Club 58:04
  15. Donal GALLAGHER Omagh Wheelers Cycling Club 58:18
  16. Mark P KAVANAGH Lakeland 58:33
  17. Francis QUIGLEY Foyle CC 59:25
  18. Mark MAGORRIAN Un-Attached Ulster 48:55
  19. Stephen MCNALLY (no club listed) 50:06
  20. Gareth EVANS Shimna Wheelers Cycling Club 50:10
  21. Dave MCNEELY Un-Attached Ulster 50:34
  22. Daniel MCCALLION Foyle CC -1 lap
  23. Michael HAMILTON Un-Attached Ulster -1 lap
  24. Barry CASSIDY Emyvale CC -1 lap

U16 Boys Race

  1. Josh MCCLUNE Team Madigan C.C. 32:18
  2. Darragh MURPHY Rostrevor Mountain Bike Club 33:01
  3. Rory MCCOOL Square Wheels 33:45
  4. Kealan DOHERTY Foyle CC 34:33
  5. Dylan FINNEGAN Square Wheels 35:05
  6. Corran MCCOURT VC Glendale 35:38
  7. Darragh YOUNG Apollo Cycling Team 31:11

U16 Girls Race

  1. Aoife KELLETT Dromara Cycling Club 33:40

U14 Boys race

  1. Daragh QUIGLEY Foyle CC 35:36
  2. Billy LORD Breffni Wheelers 37:05
  3. Jack MCGAHAN Square Wheels 30:37
  4. Oisin MCKENNA Omagh Wheelers Cycling Club 31:19
  5. Jamie SHERLOCK Square Wheels 32:09
  6. William SUNDERLAND Apollo Cycling Team 34:30
  7. Jake MCKEE VC Glendale 35:33
  8. Thompson HUME Dunloy CC -1 lap
  9. Caoimhin LONEY Un-Attached Ulster -1 lap
  10. Joshua MCQUAID Square Wheels -1 lap
  11. Owen MCCLEAN Dunloy CC -1 lap

U14 Girls Race

  1. Aoife CAMPBELL Square Wheels 39:02

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