Paul Kennedy takes biggest win with all-out aggression in Blarney

*Paul Kennedy, a former hurler, reinvented himself as an elite level cyclist and has now taken his biggest win at the age of 43 years (Photo: Sean Rowe)*

Paul Kennedy, a former hurler who came to cycling relatively late, has taken his biggest win at the Donal Crowley Memorial in Blarney, Co Cork, which was the second round of the Cycling Ireland National Road Series.

Kennedy (Skyline Cadence) not only fired himself solo up the road a very long way from the finish, but also proved one of the main animators of the race from the outset.

And though he had team mate, Cian Keogh, to frustrate the chasing group when he made his big move, nothing could take away from the quality of the victory, which he secured by a very large margin.

While the men's race was better supported than the women's event, the field was small with some notable absences - runner-up George Peden (PB Performance) the only big name from Ulster in a season when riders from that province have been excelling. However, as any rider knows, you can only beat those who turn up on the day.

And Kennedy did that in some style yesterday for the biggest win of his post-GAA career as an elite cyclist.

*George Peden leads a successful chase of the breakaway on his way to 2nd place on the day and the lead in the senior men's National Road Series (Photo: Sean Rowe)*

The men faced a course of 140km yesterday - long by domestic racing standards - which included racing just over 15km out to a circuit of just over 50km, for two laps, featuring the Nadd climb.

"It was a hard race at 140km," said Kennedy. "We got away early enough, Cian (Keogh) my teammate was up the road so I bridged across to him. We whittled down the group on the last climb and I attacked on the descent, got a gap.

"The gap just grew and grew, I won it by a minute and a half so I'm happy enough. The Crowley family are steeped in history here in Blarney and there's serious history in Blarney Cycling Club. It's a great honour to win this cup."

On the first of the two 50km laps, Kennedy and Keogh formed a breakaway group with Liam Crowley (UCD Cycling Club), Michael Gammell (Burren Cycling Club), Willem O'Connor (JEGG-DJR Academy) and Conor Verbruggen (Bray Wheelers).

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While they put their heads down, they soon had company in the shape of Peden and juniors Killian O'Brien (International Veleka Team) and David Gaffney (Team 31 Jolly Cycles U19).

Left to right in the breakaway: Cian Keogh, Michael Gammell (obscured), Paul Kennedy, Conor Verbruggen and Willem O'Connor, with Liam Crowley just ahead of them on the climb of the Nadd (Photo: Sean Rowe)

While that effectively became the winning move - for some of the riders present - others fell away, while chasers caught them, and beat them to the chequered flag.

Like Annalise Murphy (Longcourt Hotel-NCW Wheelers) in the women's race, Kennedy used the final passage of the ascent of the Nadd as a launch pad for the winning attack. However, he made his move on the descent, going clear and making it all the way to the finish with a solo move of well over 30km.

Peden proved best of the rest; attacking the chasing group with about 2km to go to take 2nd place. Peden also took over the lead in the National Road Series, after finishing 2nd - to Daire Feeley (All human-VeloRevolution) - at the Des Hanlon Memorial last month, the opening round.

Keogh beat Crowley in the battle behind Peden that settled 3rd and 4th places. And then came Jason Kenny (UCD Cycling Club) and Patrick O'Loughlin (Panduit Carrick Wheelers), both of whom staged a very strong chase in the latter stages of the race to come through for 5th and 6th just behind Crowley.

Luke Smith (Moynalty Cycling Club) then led in a chasing group for 7th, from Quillan Donnelly (Dan Morrissey-Primór by Pissei), Eoin Clifford (Dan Morrissey-Primór by Pissei), Patrick O’Sullivan (Orwell Wheelers) and Conor Verbruggen (Bray Wheelers).

O’Sullivan of Orwell Wheelers was top junior on the day, from Willem O’Connor of JEGG-DJR Academy and Killian O’Brien International Veleka Team.