Chris McGlinchey may have faced the best of the next generation of Irish cycling in the mud of Belfast today, but his experience prevailed over their youth to take the victory.
The Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus rider - a former leading downhill specialist turned road and eRacing international - took a solo victory at the end of the GP Falling Leaves.
He was 24 seconds up on the next man home, 2021 junior road international Dean Harvey, who was riding for the promoting club VC Glendale.
And rounding out the elite men's podium was another of Ireland's top road race juniors this year, Darren Rafferty, who has signed for Hagens Berman Axeon. Rafferty was just five seconds down on Harvey, and 17 seconds down on winner McGlinchey, on the line today.
The women's race at the Northlink Park, Andersonstown, venue was won by Judith Russell. The Phoenix CC veteran took the win from Martina Hawkins (Dromara CC) and Caroline Martinez (Chainreaction) after five laps of racing.
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Russell put down a marker very early and had a gap of 1:30 on Hawkins and Martinez as they passed through the finish line to start the second lap. She extended her lead over Hawkins by another 42 seconds on the second lap and put an additional 1:20 into Martinez; continuing in the same vein over the next two laps.
At the end of the contest Russell took the victory from Hawkins and Martinez, both of whom were a lap down on the winner.
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In the men's race, McGlinchey got the fastest start and on the opening lap took six seconds out of Harvey and 14 out of Rafferty. There was very little to separate the top three over the next two laps, though both Harvey and Rafferty were marginally faster than McGlinchey.
While lone leader McGlinchey went into the fourth lap just four seconds up on both Harvey and Rafferty, he put another 11 seconds of daylight between himself the two chasers on that lap and established his race-winning gap.
Rafferty spent most of the summer racing in France and rounded out his season with 4th and 11th in the junior TT at the Europeans and Worlds before taking a break from racing.
He was returning to competition for the first time today and that time away was clear to see in his performance. He lost 15 seconds to McGlinchey and Harvey on lap 5 after a few slips, before hitting back with the fastest lap of the race on lap 6.
His 7:17 for that sixth lap was nine seconds faster than anyone else rounded the course through the race.
However, consistency was the order of the day for both McGlinchey and Harvey and they ended the contest in 1st and 2nd place, with Rafferty 3rd despite passing Harvey for a brief period in the second half of the race.
Sun, Nov 28th: GP Falling Leaves
Promoted by VC Glendale
Northlink Park, Andersonstown, Belfast
Elite Men's Race
- Christopher MCGLINCHEY Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus 54:48
- Dean HARVEY VC Glendale 55:12
- Darren RAFFERTY Villeneuve Cycliste 55:17
- Darnell MOORE Team Caldwell Cycles 57:06
- Glenn KINNING Kinning Cycles Cycling Club 58:18
- Darragh MCCARTER Spellman-Dublin Port 58:31
- Lee HARVEY VC Glendale 58:46
- Robin SEYMOUR Team WORC 58:56
- Timothy O'REGAN Team WORC 59:05
- Oisin FERRITY Island Wheelers 59:13
- Curtis NEILL Carn Wheelers 59:22
- Adam RAFFERTY Island Wheelers 1:02:08
- Des WOODS Newry Wheelers CC 1:02:24
- Jason HENRY Inspired Cycling 1:02:51
- Barry KELLETT Dromara Cycling Club 1:03:29
- Drew MCKINLEY Newry Wheelers CC 1:03:36
- John BOGUES Phoenix CC -1 lap
- David O'NEILL Inspired Cycling -1 lap
- Jamie MEEHAN VC Glendale -1 lap
- Ian O'CONNELL Team WORC -1 lap
Elite Women's Race
- Judith RUSSELL Phoenix CC 45:31
- Martina HAWKINS Dromara Cycling Club -1 lap
- Caroline MARTINEZ Chain Reaction Cycles -1 lap
