Munster Road Race Champs | Results all categories | Sticky Bottle

*Liam Crowley wins the main event at the Munster Road Race Championships promoted by Blarney Cycling Club in Whitechurch, Co Cork (Photo: Sean Rowe)*

Liam Crowley has added the Munster Road Race Championships to the Irish intervarsity title he won earlier in the year. The UCD Cycling Club rider was best from a breakaway at the end of the Munster title race promoted yesterday by Blarney Cycling Club in Whitechurch, Co Cork.

Crowley, who also won the Beggan Shield in Bohermeen, Co Meath, earlier this year after a return to form following illness and injury, took victory yesterday after being heavily marked and ultimately bringing a lot of other riders into contention.

However, in the end Crowley made no mistake. He was best of the group sprinting for gold, taking it ahead of the Greenmount Cycling Academy duo of Simon Ryan and Daniel Bresnan, who won the team prize along with Ross Lee.

With six laps of a 17km course to negotiate, Crowley went in as a favourite to win but suffered a setback on the second lap when his team mate, Joel Luke, punctured. However, the bunch had already split in two by that point after the two UCD riders had pushed the pace, into a headwind, on the main climb on the opening lap.

While Crowley, and many others, made best efforts to get up the road, the racing was aggressive and moves were covered. However, Simon Ryan (Greenmount Cycling Academy) and Arminas Meskauskas (Panduit Carrick Wheelers) eventually got clear and remained off the front - by almost a minute - for several laps.

Back in the bunch, which numbered no more than 20 to 30 riders after splitting on the opening lap, Crowley was active in the chase along with Sam Moloney (Burren CC) and Eoin Clifford (Blarney CC). On laps four and five, the large chasing group made inroads on the two leaders' advantage. Eventually the remains of the peloton - numbering about 15 riders - caught the two leaders with two laps to go.

And on the final passage of the climb, a group of about six pulled clear. While several attacks were fired off the front, including from the eventual winner, it came down to a sprint front the front group.

Crowley was quickest in the dash to the line to claim the Munster title and the Ray Looney Trophy, a race run since 1952. Crowley joins Pasty and Donal Crowley - Blarney CC riders who won stages in Rás Tailteann - among a select group of men to win that trophy twice.