Michael O'Loughlin of NRPT-Standard Life takes victory in the main event in Blarney today, with his father Martin O'Loughlin of Iverk Produce-Carrick Wheelers in 2nd place; Killarney's Brendan Cassidy is in 3rd place (Photo: Brendan Slattery)
By Brian Canty
Michael O'Loughlin has taken a stunning win today in the Blarney & District Traders GP in Cork, beating his father Martin O’Loughlin of Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers and Killarney CC's Brendan Cassidy in a three-up sprint to the line.
O'Loughlin junior, a first year junior, started the day with the A3 group who were given a gap of 1:45 on the A2 bunch, who in turn had 30 seconds on the scratch group.
The two O'Loughlins – in the breakaway together at the Newbridge GP last weekend - got down to business straight away, breaking clear with a number of others on the first of five 17-kilometre laps.
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They were soon joined by last week's winner in Newbridge Sean Hahessy (Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers), Dylan Foley (Aquablue), Brendan Cassidy (Killarney CC) and Denis Dunworth (Tralee BC/Manor West). They had all started in the A2 bunch but had taken off from it before the A1 scratch men got on terms.
They merged with some early escapees from the A3 bunch, to form a 10-man escape and by the end of the third lap they had built up a lead of two minutes.
But with prizes for the first 12 over the line, the effort from the scratch group was still honest, with a number of riders including Owen Cummins and Paidi O'Brien (both OBES) and Blarney CC's Kieran Crean managing to get some significant daylight on those behind.
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The latter two would eventually drop back with O'Brien getting caught in no man's land between the breakaway and main bunch.
On the last lap, the front group of 10 had been trimmed back to just six, which then split. The O'Loughlins and Cassidy gained around 20 seconds on the Hahessy, Foley and Hennebry, with O’Loughlin junior storming home for his first win at this level, just one month into his junior career having been an U16 rider last year.
Blarney & District Traders GP
Result A1-A2-A3 Race
- Michael O'Loughlin (Nicolas Roche Performance team)
- Martin O'Loughlin (Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers)
- Brendan Cassidy (Killarney CC)
- Conor Hennebry (Iverk produce Carrick Wheelers)
- Sean Hahessy (Iverk produce Carrick Wheelers)
- Dylan Foley (Aquablue)
- Paidi O'Brien (OBES)
- Mark Shannon (Visit Nenagh)
- Liam Ryan (Blarney CC)
- Cathal Moynihan (Tralee BC-Manor West)
- Jarlath Hassett (West Clare CC)
- Eddie Barry (Liquidworx-Fitscience)
Result A4 race
- Mark Callanan (De Ronde Van Cork)
- Paul Roche (iBike)
- Damien Travers (Dungarvan CC)
- Ronan O'Shea (iBike)
- Leigh Hewerdine (Killarney CC)
- Keith McCarthy (Blarney CC)
- Robert Merrick (Bandon CC)
- Alan Ryan (St Finbarr's)
Conor Hennebry (Iverk produce Carrick Wheelers) takes the gallop for 4th place from Sean Hahessy (Iverk produce Carrick Wheelers) and Dylan Foley of Aquablue (Photo: Brendan Slattery)
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