Josh Callaly best at 'Campbell Memorial' after 75km breakaway

Josh Callaly has taken a strong win, after being clear for the full race, at the Brendan & Kitty Campbell Memorial in Co Meath (Photo: Sean Meade)

Josh Callaly (Velo Performance U23 Development Team) has taken a strong win at the Brendan & Kitty Campbell Memorial in Co Meath after Peter McLean (Velo Café Magasin) lit up from the very start.

Callaly can now look ahead to the remainder of the season with confidence, with that action expected to involve several races in Italy with his team, including U23 Tour of Lombardy.

McLean, clearly feeling very confident today, took off from the start, with Callaly going after him, joined by Tadhg Killeen (Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospatial).

Though they still had around 75km to race, the trio got down to it immediately, going very hard for the next 20 minutes in a bid to stamp their authority on the race, and catch the C2s ahead.

That catch was soon made, with the leading three C1 riders going through the C2s - and later the C3s. Evergreen Tim O'Regan (Velo Revolution-Speed Queen) proved the only C2 able to match them.

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However, the bunch did not give up, and for a long time the leaders were less than one minute clear, meaning there was not time for anything but full commitment.

Once they'd shaken everyone else off their wheels, the four leaders continued to work away in a bid to hold off the bunch.

And it wasn't until the final passage of the 6.4km circuit - raced 12 times - that the winning scenario began to play out in the 30th edition of the Jons Drogheda Wheelers promotion.

McLean went again just as the final lap was starting and, as he was being caught, Callaly countered and managed to get away from the other three.

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He put his head down and soon had a gap of 15-20 seconds, hitting out for the finish line and winning it well in the end. The Rás Mumhan stage winner had plenty of time to celebrate his victory, such was his advantage over the chasers.

McLean, Killeen and O'Regan arrived at the finish for a three-up sprint, with McLean just about holding off Killeen and O'Regan placing 4th on the day.

A strong chasing group of about six riders was next, with that sprint for 5th place won by Liam Crowley (Orwell Wheelers) from yesterday's Peter Bidwell Memorial winner, Luke Smith (Moynalty CC).

Ciaran Maguire (Dan Morrissey Pissei Cycling Team) was next in that group, in 7th, from Christopher Marshall (Velo Performance Racing Team) and Gareth O’Neill (Athlete Nutrition Coach Nordic Labs), with Mark Dowling (Velo Revolution-Speed Queen) rounding out the top 10.

Sun, July 26th: Brendan & Kitty Campbell Memorial 2026

Donore, Co Meath

Promoted by Jons Drogheda Wheelers

  1. Josh Callaly (Velo Performance Racing Team)
  2. Peter McLean (Velo Café Magasin)
  3. Tadhg Killeen (Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospatial)
  4. Timothy O’Regan (Velo Revolution-Speed Queen)
  5. Liam Crowley (Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club)
  6. Luke Smith (Moynalty Cycling Club)
  7. Ciaran Maguire (Dan Morrissey Pissei Cycling Team)
  8. Christopher Marshall (Velo Performance Racing Team)
  9. Gareth O’Neill (Athlete Nutrition Coach Nordic Labs)
  10. Mark Dowling (Velo Revolution-Speed Queen)

Women's Winner

  1. Emer Heverin (Camsmajaco)

Junior Podium

  1. Riley Smith (Banbridge CC)
  2. James Mackey (Foyle CC)
  3. Noah Finn (Unattached Leinster)

Unplaced C2

  1. Martin O’Loughlin (Panduit Carrick Wheelers)
  2. John Mason (Velo Revolution-Speed Queen)
  3. Niall Browne (Drogheda Wheelers)
  4. Declan McEntee (Emyvale CC)
  5. Martin Casey (Velo Revolution-Speed Queen)

Unplaced C3

  1. Robert Ryan (Bear Cycling)
  2. Patrick Ennis (Unattached Leinster)
  3. Paul Butler (Stamullen RC)
  4. Darran McHale (Galway Bay CC)
  5. Jonathan Harvey (Banbridge CC)

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