McCarter and McClorey triumph at 'McCrystal Series', Co Louth

Darragh McCarter was victorious in the men's race at the McCrystal Track in Co Louth (Photo: Toby Watson)

Darragh McCarter and Hannah McClorey have taken victory in the main events at the Big Red Cloud League in Co Louth.

McCarter (Spellman Dublin Port) is one of the strongmen of the domestic road racing scene and rode a perfect race at the McCrystal Track. After losing some ground very early in the seven-lap contest he stuck with his race plan and ground out a relentless pace to secure solo victory by almost one minute.

Paul O'Reilly of Dan Morrissey-MIG-Pactimo got the best start in the combined 80-rider field of senior, masters and junior riders. O'Reilly got ahead of McCarter on the opening lap and was marginally faster again on the second lap, at which point he was around 20 seconds up on the eventual winner.

However, McCarter pulled back all that time and went ahead on the third lap and from that point he kept pressing. By the end of the fourth lap McCarter had established a lead of over 20 seconds on O'Reilly.

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Richie Barry of St Finbarr's was just behind the leading duo and headed for an eventual 3rd place on the day.

Once McCarter had established himself as the lone leader he continued to power ahead, opening the gap on his nearest rivals every lap. By the end of the race he was 58 seconds up on O'Reilly, with Barry in 3rd some 1:26 down on the winner.

Junior rider Liam O'Brien of Fermoy CC put in a very strong ride to place 4th, with Niall Somers of Team Worc in 5th and Graham Boyd of McConvey Cycles in 6th place.

The women's race saw a smaller field, of 15 riders, line out and was a close run contest out front. British rider Hannah McClorey (RFDA) took victory from Annie Roche (Scott Quanta) and Darcey Harkness (VC Glendale).

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Junior rider Roche started strongest in the five-lap race; going into an early lead, though McClorey, also a junior, kept her close and trailed by just seven seconds after the opening lap.

McClorey then went around the second lap faster; gaining back the time she lost and edging ahead of Roche by a few seconds. And from that point she gradually built on her lead; McClorey gaining vital seconds each lap to win from Roche by 20 seconds after 45 minutes of racing.

Harkness claimed 3rd place, some 1:35 down on the winner, with Stephanie Roche (Scott Quanta) in 4th at 1:49 and Niamh Stephens (Liv Racing) in 5th at 2:37.

Sat, Oct 30th: Big Red Cloud League

Promoted by Bellurgan Wheelers

McCrystal Track, Co Louth

Men’s Race

  1. Darragh MCCARTER Spellman-Dublin Port 1 54:36
  2. Paul O'REILLY Dan Morrissey-MIG 2 55:34
  3. Richard BARRY St Finbarr’s CC 3 56:02
  4. Liam O'BRIEN (Jnr) Fermoy Cycling Club 4 56:16
  5. Niall SOMERS Team WORC 5 57:09
  6. Graham BOYD McConvey Cycles 6 57:56
  7. Colm MCGARVEY (M40) EPIC MTB-Expert Cycles 7 58:26
  8. Tadhg KILLEEN (Jnr) Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 8 59:00
  9. Frank MCDERMOTT (M40) Oldcastle CC 9 59:02
  10. Richard FELLE Team WORC 10 59:21
  11. Pj HYNES(M40)  Cuchulainn CC 11 59:34
  12. Evan RYAN (M40) Team WORC 12 59:46
  13. Johnny MCCABE (M60) Cuchulainn CC 13 1:00:32
  14. Finn HARRIS (Jnr) Bray Wheelers 14 1:01:31
  15. David MCCARTHY (U23) Verge Sport PI Cycles 15 1:01:33
  16. Eric DOWNEY Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 16 1:01:59
  17. Ronan KILLEEN (M40) Lucan Cycling Road Club 17 1:02:07
  18. Stephen POLLOCK (M40) Team WORC 18 1:02:25
  19. Joseph DONWORTH Limerick Cycling Club 19 1:02:49
  20. Chris BYRNE Park (M40) Wheelers 20 1:03:01

Women’s Race

  1. Hannah MCCLOREY (Jnr) RFDA 45:07
  2. Annie ROCHE Scott (Jnr) Quanta Racing 45:27
  3. Darcey HARKNESS VC Glendale 46:42
  4. Stephanie ROCHE Scott Quanta Racing 46:56
  5. Niamh STEPHENS Team Giant Dublin 47:44
  6. Sally MCHUGH Belpark Tri 48:25
  7. Heather FOLEY (M) Yeats Country Cycling Club 50:58
  8. Helen WHITE (M0 Stamullen RC 51:01
  9. Sasha GANNON (M) Breffni Wheelers 53:51
  10. Caroline MARTINEZ (M) Chain Reaction Cycles 55:16
  11. Ellen MURRAY (J) TC Racing 55:43
  12. Doireann KILLEEN Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 55:50
  13. Arron FOX Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club -1 lap
  14. Suzy MACKEN (M) Cuchulainn CC -1 lap

U16 Boys Race

  1. Samuel COLEMAN Shelbourne-Orchard CC 32:03
  2. Ryan MCCARTHY Verge Sport PI Cycles 33:09
  3. Conor MURPHY Rostrevor Mountain Bike Club 33:32
  4. Cal TUTTY Dungarvan CC 34:19
  5. Ryan FOX Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 34:47
  6. Sean TOLAN Drogheda Wheelers 35:14
  7. Callum MCCAFFREY Cuchulainn CC 35:59
  8. Micheál O'SHAUGHNESSY Cuchulainn CC 36:19
  9. Noah HARRIS Bray Wheelers 36:58
  10. Jamie BYRNE Carlow RCC 38:40
  11. Patrick O'SULLIVAN Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 39:54
  12. Tim CRONIN Navan Road Club 40:08
  13. Cillian FOX Navan Road Club 40:15
  14. David HARRINGTON Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 40:19
  15. Maximilian FITZGERALD Dungarvan CC 40:49

U16 Girls Race

  1. Greta LAWLESS Team WORC 36:48
  2. Faith ROBINSON Bray Wheelers 40:23
  3. Lucy BROWN Phoenix CC -1 lap
  4. Mya DOOCEY Navan Road Club -1 lap
  5. Aoibhinn SHARKEY VC Glendale -1 lap
  6. Zoe LINDSAY TC Racing -1 lap
  7. Aine REILLY Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club -1 lap
  8. Aoibhe MURRAY Moynalty Cycling Club -1 lap
  9. Lauren MURRAY TC Racing -1 lap

U14 Boys Race

  1. Rian MCCRYSTAL Bellurgan Wheelers 34:30
  2. Jack WOODS Carlow RCC 35:58
  3. Ryan DALY Scott Quanta Racing 37:08
  4. Fionn KILLEEN Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 37:53
  5. Shane O'BRIEN Fermoy Cycling Club 39:00
  6. Conor GOSS Cuchulainn CC 41:21
  7. Shane MEEGAN Cuchulainn CC -1 lap
  8. Jack LAWLESS Gorey Cycling Club -1 lap

U14 Girls Race

  1. Aisha GANNON Breffni Wheelers 30:43
  2. Emer HEVERIN Kinning Cycles Cycling Club 31:54
  3. Holly MCCAFFREY Cuchulainn CC 35:52
  4. Grace O'ROURKE Cuchulainn CC 39:19
  5. Jamie OWENS Lucan BMX Club 41:07
  6. Edith MURPHY Cuchulainn CC 42:27
  7. Ysabella HUELE Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 42:57
  8. Shannon DOYLE Un-Attached Leinster 45:10

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