Meehan takes women’s National Cross title: “It was pure grunt, but I felt I won it well”

Meehan on her way to victory at the Nationals in the mud of Dundalk (Photo: Toby Watson)

By Caroline Martinez

Francine Meehan (Tullamore) has taken the women’s title at the National Cyclocross Championships in Dundalk, Co Louth. She executed a well planned strategy to come out ahead of renowned international mountain biker and National Road Race Champion Mel Spath (Cycleways CC).

“I’m thrilled my preparation paid off for today; I did a load of the little things and they all added up,” a clearly delighted Meehan told stickybottle after her victory in muddy and cold conditions in Muirhevnamor Park.

Members of her family were there and Brian Hammond helping her from the pits, a factor that she said made her win sweeter given that level of support. She believed because of the strength of the riders just behind her after the five-lap race that her victory was a worthy one.

“Mel was obviously second and Susie Mitchell third. (Mel) got off to a super start; that was probably from all of her mountain biking. Then a lot of the slower vets got between us and I had to manoeuvre around them and get up to her wheel. Once I got to the wheel I was like, ‘I’ll sit here for a minute’.”

“Then going onto the end of third lap I decided to do a bike change. So I just got ahead of Mel and got the bike change done and I opened up a huge gap with the clean bike. I just kept plugging away and plugging away. I have raced all the ‘cross races… against the guys all season so I just hoped I’d keep it going.”

“I was thrilled to bits. I had a big, big lead at the end. It was a good race. Before, I had won and people had said it’s a soft championships. But it was the biggest turn out for women today and I won it well.”

She said the muddy conditions made for heavy going, a factor that made her bike change very beneficial during the race.

“It was (muddy); It was pure grunt. It was very much a power course; not to give up and to keep picking away at it.”

In the end she ran out a very clear winner, with Spath 2:22 back and Mitchell, a World Masters Track Champion, in the bronze medal position some 5:40 in arrears.

For the year ahead Meehan said she would continue with her tandem riding, where she has piloted Catherine Walsh and picked up World Championship gold and Paralympic silver and bronze medals in 2012. She also plans to ride road races as an individual and some time trials.

“It should be good,” she said of her planned road season ahead.