Former national elite champion, Darnell Moore (Caldwell Cycles), and Esther Wong (Team Ireland) survived elite men's and women's race at the UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Dublin to finish on the same lap as the winners.
With the pace fierce from the start, and headwinds to contend with on some of the long straights, the gaps opened through both fields on the first lap and continued to widened, especially among those in the second half.
Wong - an 18-year-old who has now declared for Ireland having ridden the road Worlds for Great Britain last month - put in a very spirited display. Having been thrown into the pro race today, after the elite and U23 women were combined in one race, she did very well to finish on the same lap as winner Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions).
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The other members of the U23 Team Ireland selection - Caoimhe May, Hannah McClorey, Elena Wallace and Doireann Killeen - were two laps down. Roisin Lally and Stephanie Roche, who both rode for their clubs, were also at two laps.
Race winner Brand made her move from a long way out on the circuit at the Sports Ireland Campus in Abbottstown. And though world champion Fem van Empel (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) looked several times like she may be pegging Brand back.
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However, the leader was flawless today and came home for a brilliant win some 24 seconds up on Brand, with Zoe Backstedt (Canyon//SRAM Racing) 3rd at 1:03.
In the men's elite race, no Irish was entered but several top domestic riders were selected by Cycling Ireland to compete in the event in club colours.
Their fortunes followed those of the Irish women, with Moore the only rider to hang in and finish on the same lap as winner Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal).
He claimed victory in a very close finish from Toon Aerts (Deschacht - Hens - FSP), Felipe Orts (Ridley Racing Team) and Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal), with just two seconds separating the top four.
Moore was 30th at 7:40 with Richie Barry (St Finbarr's) and Tim O'Regan (All human-VeloRevolution) in 33rd and 34th, both at two laps.
Paul O'Reilly (Roadman Racing Team) and Ronan O'Flynn (Orwell Wheelers) were 35th and 36th, both at four laps.
