McKenna takes tenth season win in Moynalty as U16 rider Smith wins A3 race

Sean McKenna was victorious again this afternoon, winning the Moynalty GP in fine style. The Aquablue man has more wins than anyone on the domestic scene this year and has maintained his form since winning the Lacey Cup in Tralee back in February. (Photo: Joe Duffy)

By Brian Canty

Sean McKenna has taken his tenth win of the season at the Moynalty GP; winning solo from a strong field on a difficult circuit.

The Aquablue man, who is having an amazing season capped by international selection at home and abroad, had around 30 seconds to spare on his former UCD CC teammate Joseph Breheny.

Ali Macaulay (Team ASEA) rounded out the podium for third.

Breheny and Macaulay were part of a four-man group that also contained Craig Rea (Phoenix CC) and Darnell Moore (Caldwell Cycles) all sprinting for second.

The four-lap, 116-kilometre, race was a testing one in which the peloton broke up very early leaving only the strongest men out front.

And those left behind had the ignominy of being pulled off the course by the commissaires as they were caught by the A3 bunch from behind.

However, there were no such problems for McKenna who took flight from the breakaway to take his tally for the season to double figures, an unusual feat.

The A3 race winner Luke Smith on his way to victory in a hotly-contested kermesse in Belgium on Thursday. He will travel to Georgia at the end of the month for the European Youth Olympics Festival in a five-strong Irish team (Photo: Lucas Janssen Sportography)

Around 75 riders signed on for the A3 event and it proved a brilliant day for the host club who are only in their second year of hosting an open road race.

Luke Smith gave the sizeable home support plenty to cheer when the 16-year-old came home first ahead of Louis Carnac (Sorrento CC) and James Quinn (St Tiernan’s).

The U16 rider looks to be emerging as a special talent and took victory today just days after bagging an impressive win in Belgium where he was taking part in a racing and training trip with the U16 Irish squad.

Two riders went clear on the last of three 29-kilometre laps and they pulled out a lead of around 40 seconds.

Sensing the win slipping away, Smith rode across and made the juncture before the hardest part of the race; a 1.5-kilometre climb with sections of the road reaching 11 per cent.

Smith pressed on over the top by himself and rode solo to the line, with the bunch swallowing up those two he had been with for a spell on the last lap.

He had just short of a minute on runner-up Carnac by the finish; a fantastic performance for the U16 rider who will go to the European Youth Olympics Festival in Georgia in two weeks.