Welcome to stickybottle’s ‘live updates’ coverage of the Boyne GP, which is being held today from Rathkenny, Co Louth, by Jons Drogheda Wheelers on the second weekend of the new road racing season.
There are three races on; one for C1s, one for C2s and the third for C3s. The C1 race is six laps, or 96km, with the C2 event five laps, or 80km, and the C3 race four laps, or 64km.
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We’re tracking the action all the way and bringing you blow-by-blow updates as the racing unfolds.
Boyne GP Live Updates
- The breakaway stays clear, with Ciaran Maguire (Dan Morrissey) winning in a three-up sprint from Patrick O'Sullivan (UCD) and Mitchell McLaughlin (Wheelbase). Kevin McCambridge (Inspired) took the sprint for 4th place.
- Now we have three riders off the front with just under 4km to go Ciaran Maguire (Dan Morrissey), Patrick O'Sullivan (UCD), Mitchell McLaughlin (Wheelbase). It looks like they have it, they've 20 seconds.
- However, just as the six caught the lone leader, Dahl, they were all caught by the bunch. Luke Smith (Moynalty) has gone out the back of the bunch with about 7km to go, it looked like he was getting cramps.
- Johannes Rom Dahl (Roadman CC) still leading but six riders now chasing - Ronan Killeen (Lucan), Paul Kennedy (Skyline), Daire Feeley (Burren CC), Lindsay Watson (Powerhouse Sport), Gareth O'Neill (Nutrition Coach), Eoin Kelly (UCD).
- Johannes Rom Dahl (Roadman CC) is now off the front solo by a few seconds on this final lap. He was active in the attacks at the very start and has also closed several gaps through this race, bringing the bunch up to small groups. He's a strong rider and he's looking good here leading solo, though only has a few seconds. He was over 10km to go, so it would be a long way on your own.
- Now we have another group going clear - Gareth O'Neill, Daire Feeley, Mitchell McLaughlin and a few others. But just as I write that, they're caught. So it's all together, though we've lost 14 riders through the race; 13 dropped and one puncture.
- However, the two leaders - Callaly and O'Neill - have now just been caught as another small group tries to go clear, but are also closed down.
- Callaly and O'Neill are now riding very well up front. The bunch had split a little in pursuit of the duo but has now regrouped, all together again chasing the two leaders, who have 5-10 seconds as they cross the line to start the final lap.
- Callaly still leading solo, that's a very good effort. Gareth O'Neill (Athlete Nutrition Coach) now trying to get across to him.
- That move by Callaly looked good - he got away and was really able to keep it going up the long drag on this fifth lap. A number of riders tried to jump across and it looked like they may catch him. However, those chasers were caught by the bunch, leaving Callaly still leading, by six seconds, with the bunch strung out after him.
- Josh Callaly (Campana) now trying to push on off the front. He's got a bit of a gap, but nobody has gone with him. The bunch is chasing him down, but he looks strong.
- Big lull now in the pace, field still all together on this fifth lap of six, with a lot of lads reaching for the grub, all at the same time.
- Junior rider Max Fitzgerald (JEGG), Mitchell McLaughlin (Wheelbase), Mark Dowling (VeloRevolution), and Gareth O'Neill (Athlete Nutrition Coach) all among those attacking now early on this fifth lap. Another junior rider - Toby Sweetman (VC Glendale) - is also in this C1 race today.
- And as has been the pattern through this race, the bunch has hunted down that three-man move of Feeley-McLaughlin-Byrne. The trio didn't get far. We are at 70kmph here early on the fifth lap of six at this Boyne GP by Drogheda Wheelers.
- Daire Feeley (Burren CC) getting frustrated with some riders, waving his arms about a bit. And just as he does that, he goes clear with Ruairi Byrne (UCD CC) and Mitchell McLaughlin (Wheelbase), all race winners last weekend. That's a very strong group of three just as we are finishing lap four.
- Riders getting clear on this fourth lap - Mitchell McLaughlin (Wheelbase), Mark Dowling (VeloRevolution), Gareth O'Neill (Athlete Nutrition Coach), Josh Callaly (Campana) among them. But they too have been caught - Roadman CC's Johannes Dahl Rom closing much of the gap to them at the front of the bunch.
- Still all together but Gareth O'Neill and Daire Feeley still trying to push things at the front.
- Gareth O'Neill (Athlete Nutrition Coach) now attacking off the front. However, after getting a gap solo, he's had second thoughts and seems to be sitting up and waiting - not mad about a suicide mission today, clearly.
- And the breakaway is caught just into the fourth lap. Only three or four of the breakaway was working, no surprise they were caught.
- The main field is now starting to split as the chase after this 16-rider breakaway - now on the fourth lap of six - does a lot of damage. Not all of the leaders are working, always the problem in such a big group. And the gap is now back to 12 seconds.
- Kevin McCambridge (Inspired Cycling) trying to get the chase going back in the bunch, but the gap to the 16 leaders shot from 10 to 20 seconds in a flash. The lead group is big and that might work against them. But once the work, they should move clear. We are just a couple of KMs from the end of lap three and the halfway point of this C1 race at the Boyne GP.
- The bunch is lined out after this 16-rider group. The gap is now 20 seconds, but we're into that draggy section around halfway into the course and the group at the front looks like it means business. It's the first serious move of this race. Let's see what happens. We'll get you names for the 16 men up front soon as we can, if it stays away of course, it may not. But I think this group is gone.
- A period of pressure has brought about the beginnings of what could be a significant split in this race, about 40km in. There's a front group/bunch of 16 riders, with Paul Kennedy (Skyline) at the front of the main field,
- Michell McLaughlin (Wheelbase) trying to start a move on the draggy first section of the course on this 3rd lap. But he only manages to line out the bunch, still all together.
- So that breakaway group was pulled back, the field regrouping once again, as we come to the end of the second lap - that's 32km completed, one third of the race done and dusted.
- OK, so the bunch is now getting lined out a bit more nearing the end of this second lap, the hammer is definitely going down. Daire Feeley (Burren CC) now making a move off the front on a long steady drag, marked by Luke Smyth (Moynalty CC). Those two were 1st and 2nd at the Mick Lally Memorial in Summerhill, Co Meath, last weekend; they are always value for money.
- We've averaged 46km per hour for the opening 30 minutes. That's fast as it's a lumpy course but it's a nice morning for racing, pretty mild and just a little damp on the roads from earlier rain. But no rain so far for the riders. We are still all together in this C1 race deep into the second lap of six 16km laps of this Boyne GP by Drogheda Wheelers.
- On this second (16km) lap of six, the race is all back together. This is cagey - or certainly a lot of firepower in here to close down these small attacks. But nothing sticking so far, though we're only just over 20km in, early yet.
- In the early stages of the second lap, on a lumpy part of the course, with riders began spat out the back of the bunch. And now we have eight riders off the front.
- Stuart Carrick of Bray Wheelers has gotten up to the two leaders, with others now also trying to get across, but that could bring things back.
- Two riders now building a small gap off the front - Joe Nathan Matar (Orwell) and Mitchell McLaughlin (Wheelbase). Matar was one of the animators of the Mick Lally Memorial last weekend while McLaughlin won the Annaclone GP last week and was 3rd in the Seamus Kennedy.
- We are now 10km into this 16km opening lap, still all together in this C1 race, Moynalty CC and UCD CC off the front trying to get things going
- We are with the C1 race today, just got underway, with a small group getting about 10 seconds only to be caught, Race all together, still on the first lap. Good numbers here today - 170 riders across the three races and 50 in this C1 race.
