Having won a stage at Kerry Group Rás Mumhan last year as a second-year junior rider, Niall McLoughlin has gotten his first season in the U23 ranks off to a flying start by winning the Phoenix GP main event today.
The Westport Covey Wheelers rider, aged 18 years, was best from a breakaway and had plenty of time to celebrate as he crossed the finishing line in the A1-A2 race promoted by Phoenix CC on the traditional Nutts Corner circuit.
The event - six laps of the circuit for a total race distance of 88km - was handicapped, with the A2s the limit group and the A1s of scratch. However, while those handicaps are often nullified very quickly in the early season races, that was not the case today.
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Indeed, the A2s - with about 20 riders rolling through - took advantage of the fact the course was flat, with very little wind - and actually gained on the A1s. Up front, while the A2 group saw plenty of cooperation by the best riders as they tried to stay clear, that still didn't stop the attacks from being launched.
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Eventual winner McLoughlin was active in those attacks, covering a large number of them. And when the decisive move was made in the last 3-4km, he was in that now. Also present were: Chris Donaldson (Spellman Dublin Port), Ian Inglis (Kinning Cycles) and Paul Doherty (Four Masters CC).
That was a very strong front group and when they decided to work with each other to pull away from the A2 bunch, the victory was gone up the road. In the final sprint, into a slight headwind, it was Donaldson who kicked first, though he suffered a chain-related mechanical, taking him out of the gallop.
McLoughlin, who is well know for his sprint at the end of hard and fast races, galloped in to win ahead of Doherty and Inglis.
In the A3-A4 handicapped event, junior rider Darragh Doherty (Flanders Color Defever Team) was best, claiming that victory just 24 hours after is 4th place at the Annaclone GP; a fantastic first week for the new campaign for the youngster.
The women's race was won by Elena Wallace, the Harps Cycling rider who had a great second last year, representing Ulster and Ireland on the road during that 2022 campaign.
Sun, March 5th: George Rooney Phoenix GP
Promoted by Phoenix CC
A1-A2 Race
- Niall McLoughlin Westport Covey Wheelers
- Paul Doherty Four Masters CC
- Ian Inglis Kinning Cycles
- Gareth Kirkwood Team Madigan
- Robert Kennedy East Antrim CC
- Stephen Irvine Crossgar Cycling Club
- Dean Lockhart Carn Wheelers
- Edward Kearney Phoenix CC
- Geoff Alderdice Dromore CC
- Paul Smith Unattached
Women's Race
- Elena Wallace Harps CC
- Lucy Brown Phoenix CC
- Ellie Kelso East Tyrone CC
- Zoe Lindsay TC Racing
- Gabrielle Fox Emyvale CC
- Helen McParland Phoenix CC
A3-A4 Race
- Darragh Doherty Flanders Color Defever Team
- Sean Gallagher Four Masters CC
- Graeme Cross Northern CC
- Karl Love VC Glendale
- Cathair McGuigan Dunloy CC
- Jimbo McCullagh Unattached
- Daniel Todd Dromore CC
- Christopher McCann Inspired Cycling
- Damien Russell Apollo Cycling Team
- Ciaran Bennett Harps CC
