Mark Smith has taken victory in the A3-Junior race at the
Paddy Flanagan Memorial promotion in Co Kildare today.
The junior rider, now promoted to A2, broke clear in a
two-man move and emerged best in the sprint.
The racing was over four laps of the Newbridge GP course,
for a total race distance of 70km, though it failed to split decisively.
Repeated attacks went but were brought back every time in
what was tight racing in Co Kildare.
Eventual winner Smith (Ciclotel
Travel fueled by YPB) was heavily marked but on the last lap he made the best
of the climb close to the finish.
He attacked hard on that incline and
eked out a gap, with Michael Hayes of Comeragh CC getting across to him.
That made for two strong riders up front with just 4km to go to the finish. On the line Smith got the better of the Comeragh man after strong riding by both.
Advertisement
Ryan Geraghty proved best of the rest, rounding out the
podium in the colours of Bikeworx Celbridge.
He was followed by Shane Coll of Drogheda Wheelers in 4th
with Fergus Whelan (Kildare CC) in 5th and Sean Heaslip-Owens (Dublin
University CC) rounding out the top six.
Related News
Smith adds his win today, for the Manzer Thackaberry Cup,
to the victory he took in the Deenside Cup earlier in the campaign.
Mark Smith was
also 2nd in the Newbridge GP and placed 2nd on stage 2 of the Orwell Two Day
last weekend as well as 3rd overall in the Kanturk Three Day last month.
In the main A1-A2 event in Kildare Town today, the Paddy
Flanagan Memorial, Charlie Prendergast extended what is now becoming a rampant
run of form.
The Castlebar CC man took his seventh win of the season
and his second of the weekend having won Friday night’s John Holian Cup.
Today in Kildare Prendergast won in a sprint from a
breakaway; as he has done repeatedly this year.
He saw off Luke Smith (Bio-DHL-FRS) and Liam Curley
(Strata 3-VeloRevolution) who were 2nd and 3rd respectively.
The top three were part of a six-man move that went clear
on the opening lap and stayed intact for the whole race despite plenty of
attacking.
With them in the move were Paul Kennedy (Foran CC), John
Buller (Bio-DHL-FRS) and Dermot Trulock (Lucan CRC) who finished 4th, 5th and 6th
respectively.
Full results to come.
Topics
