Lara Gillespie has added the elite women's road race crown to the junior title she took two years ago; winning the gold in Co Limerick today.
The UCD Cycling Club rider won the title in a group sprint, in pouring rain, from last Thursday's elite TT winner Eve McCrystal; the Strata 3-VeloRevolution rider having to settle for silver today.
And just behind the winner and runner-up in Knockaderry, Co Limerick, today came former Irish criterium champion Ellen McDermott (Team Boompods).
The Newcastle West Wheelers promoted title race came down to a sprint from a group after countless small breakaways got clear only to be held on a tight leash and reeled in again.
And while McCrystal, who appears to be in fantastic form at present, pushed teenager Gillespie very close in the sprint for victory, the UCD scholarship athlete made no mistake.
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She powered up the finishing straight and had time for a two-handed salute as she crossed the line to take another title win.
Gillespie has also previously been elite cyclocross national champion and has taken medals on the track at the junior World Championships and Europeans.
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The 19-year-old's win comes just 24 hours after Ben Healy (Trinity Racing), aged just 20 years, won the men's road race title. The new champions have continued the trend at home and abroad of 2020 proving to be a year in which youth is breaking through.
McDermott did well to take the bronze in the sprint as she had been active off the front of the race; attacking in a group with Sharon Bird (Ballymena Road Club), who was clear for a long time during the race, and Megan Armitage (Wolftrap Cycling Club).
Bird had earlier been away in what looked like a very strong group which included her team mate Eileen Burns, two-time TT title winner Kelly Murphy (Storey Racing) and one of the rising stars of Irish sport Maeve Gallagher (Castlebar CC), though they were recaptured.
And while defending champion Alice Sharpe (Ciclotel) was among those attacking off the front in a bid to split the race, all of the breakaways were chased down paving the way for the group sprint for the medals.
More to come.
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