Tom Regan has claimed his biggest career win at ‘Round 4’ of the Cycling Ireland National Road Series in Co Mayo today. The 39-year-old, who has been ever-present in the results this year, made the early breakaway and had too much power for his rivals in the final sprint to the finish line.
Tim O’ Regan (All human-VeloRevolution Racing Team) placed 2nd with Conor Halvey (Four Masters CC) rounding out the podium in 3rd place. Shane Smith (Moynalty Cycling Club) was 4th, Ronan Killeen (Lucan CRC) 5th, Paul Kennedy (Burren Cycling Club) 6th, Joel Luke (UCD Cycling Club) 7th and Loughlin Campion (Ashbourne Wheelers Cycling Club) placing 8th.
Regan (Seven Springs CC) was initially in a large breakaway
group, of almost 20 riders, that got clear on the first lap. And when that
group finally split, towards the end of the last lap, Regan was there again;
going to the line in an eight-man group and proving too fast for them at the
chequered flag.
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The men’s Brian O'Loughlin Memorial race, promoted by Cunga CC, took in five laps of the course in Cong, Co Mayo, for a total race distance of 138km run off in sunshine but also blustery conditions.
As was the case in the women’s race, a breakaway went clear on
the opening lap – numbering 17 riders – and enjoyed an advantage of less than
20 seconds with one lap completed.
While Matt Teggart (WiV SunGod) had won the first three rounds
of the Cycling Ireland National Road Series, he was missing from the fourth
round today as he was racing with his UK-based Continental team at Tour de la
Mirabelle in France.
However, even in Teggart’s absence there were plenty of big names, and proven winners, in the field today, with some of them up the road from early in the contest.
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Sprint settles the finish of the men’s race pic.twitter.com/vatxljLBuh
— Cycling Ireland (@CyclingIreland) May 29, 2022
In that 17-mean early breakaway were: junior riders Sam Bolger
(Killarney CC) and Conal Scully (Carlow RCC) along with Ronan Killeen
(Lucan CRC), Shane Smith (Moynalty CC), Paul Kennedy (Burren CC), Timothy
O’Regan (All human-VeloRevolution RT), James Davenport (All human-VeloRevolution
RT), Tom Regan (Seven Springs CC Loughrea), Cahir O’Higgins (Orwell Wheelers),
Aaron Rafferty (Spin11 - Chain Reaction RT), Rhys Kenny (UCD CC), Joel Luke
(UCD CC), Loughlin Campion (Ashbourne Wheelers CC), Conor Halvey (Four Masters
CC), Mark O’Donovan (Blarney CC), Jordan Luke (UCD CC) and Lorcan Daly
(Killarney CC).
However, on the second lap the gap between breakaway and bunch grew
significantly and was up at 1:50 out on the course. However, it dopped to one
minute, on a group of chasers, with two laps completed, and three to go, before
quickly going out again, to about 1:20.
In the chasing group that formed behind the breakaway were: Luke Smith (Moynalty CC), Conor Kissane (Killarney CC), Richard Gribbons (Seven Springs CC Loughrea), Anthony Hammond (Castlebar CC) and Seán Murnane (Orwell Wheelers CC) along with junior riders Curtis Neill (Carn Wheelers), Adam Gilsenan (Club Ciclistico Canturino) and Enda O’Halloran (Yeats Country Cycling Club).
However, while those chasers worked away, they never got on
terms with the leaders. The 17-rider front group remained together as they got
the bell for the final lap, with a lead of 1:45 over the chasers.
On the last lap, the pressure of the long hard race, coupled
with attacks from the front, saw an eight-rider group break free from the large
front group on the final climb on the course.
Regan was in that move and when the eight came to the line together to sprint it out for victory, the Seven Springs man grabbed his chance, turning out an impressive finishing kick to claim a big win from O'Regan and Halvey.
