After a break to concentrate on exams, Paidi O'Brien returned to winning ways tonight at the Blarney criterium
By Brian Canty
Paidi O'Brien made a successful return to racing tonight after a break for college exams, the Banteer sprinter winning the Ray Looney Criterium in Blarney.
Part of a four man breakaway that went clear after about 20 minutes of racing, O'Brien led home talented Irish junior internationals Dylan O'Brien and Eddie Dunbar and local rider Eoin O'Connell of the promoting Blarney club.
This quarter finished over 40 seconds clear of a chase group containing Eddie Barry (Liquidworx-Fitscience), Mick Fitzgerald (VeloRevolution) and O'Connell's brother Brian (Blarney).
Related News
The race was 50 minutes and three laps with a number of primes throughout and despite a smaller than expected turnout on a perfect night for racing, the action was fast and furious from the drop of the flag.
Advertisement
Dunbar tried several times to get away, as did Eddie Barry and Olan Barrett and Mick Fitzgerald - who was one of a few riders who completed the An Post Rás last Sunday to ride and appearing to show no ill-effects from the exertions of that.
The decisive split happened when Dylan O'Brien, Eoin O'Connell and eventual winner O'Brien went clear inside the opening half of the race and though they quickly pulled out a 15-second margin, the addition of Dunbar gave it some added firepower.
Dunbar had to work hard to get across, given he was so tightly-marked but as soon as he wriggled free, he jumped straight across and the time gap swelled to over 30 seconds as the bunch behind stalled temporarily.
Many more tried to bridge but with the quartet working so well together, it was never likely.
It was an especially good night for O'Connell who followed an excellent runner-up place at Coachford last weekend with this tonight, not to mind a few euro for the prime he took after around half an hour.
Blarney Criterium
Blarney criterium, Cork (50 minutes and three laps)
Results:
1. Paidi O'Brien (Osborne Meats/Edge Sports Shop)
2. Dylan O'Brien (O'Leary's Stone Kanturk CC)
3. Eoin O'Connell (Blarney CC)
4. Eddie Dunbar (O'Leary's Stone Kanturk CC)
5. Eddie Barry (Liquidworx-Fitscience)
6. Mick Fitzgerald (VeloRevolution)
Topics
