The breakaway in the Masters 40 race sprints in at the finish after a great National Road Race Championships contest (Photo: Sean Rowe)

Masters 40, 50, 60 National Road Race Championships

John Hodge of Dungarvan CC has taken a fantastic win in the Masters 40 event at the National Road Race Championships.

He got the better of his nearest rivals by a length at the finish of a hard-fought contest in Co Wexford.

Just behind it was Paul McCarter of Donegal Bay CC who pipped Anthony Doyle (Strata 3-VeloRevolution) for silver.

Last year’s runner-up Alan Bingham (Cuchulainn CC) was also in the breakaway but finished just outside the medals.

The winning escape came home just seconds ahead of a reduced peloton having broken clear on the last lap.

Dermot Radford (North Tipperary Wheelers) would bridge to the leaders on his own, making it five up front.

But that huge effort so close to the finish took its toll and, like Bingham, he finished just outside the medals.

Bingham would take 4th on the day and Radford came in for 5th, with the peloton only seconds behind.

Many of the riders commented after the race that the course was harder than it has been given credit for.

Greg Swinand leads Des Woods and Tom Shanahan in the escape. They would finish in that order in the Masters 50 race (Photo: Liam Ruth)

In the Masters 50 race, Greg Swinand has taken the title. The Aqua Blue Academy man had beaten the aforementioned Bingham for Masters 40 gold last year.

Since then he has broken the elite national hour record and, incredibly, also aged into the Masters 50 category.

He took gold this afternoon from Des Woods (Newry Wheelers) in a two-up sprint after Tom Shanahan (Limerick CC) lost his place up front.

However, Shanahan was rewarded for his work up the road when he survived to take bronze.

The medallists had forged ahead in a breakaway and gained a gap of over two minutes. Once clear they fought a hard battle to decide their order on the podium.

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In the Masters 60 race, and almost 20 years since his last national title, Sean McIlroy was too good for the opposition.

The Panduit Carrick Wheelers man escaped solo late in the race. And though he never got a gap of more than 20 seconds, he timed his effort well.

The final ramp on the course was testing and the chasers cut his lead significantly there. But they couldn’t get him back and he took the title by about five seconds in the end.

Best of the rest was Tom Henry CC, taking a coveted national champs medal in 2nd place. And it was McNally Swords CC man Pat Halpin who rounded out the podium.

More to follow.