Roche sisters fight it out for victory in Louth, Harvey takes men's elite win

The Roche family celebrated a 1-2 in the elite women's race at the Big Red Cloud Cyclocross League in Co Louth today.

Stephanie Roche led the way, taking victory after also securing the win last weekend at Drewstown House, Kells, Co Meath.

Today she won from her younger sister Annie Roche; both members of Irish cycling's most famous family and team mates at Scott Quanta Racing. Niamh Stephens (Giant Dublin) claimed 3rd.

In the men's race today at the same venue - McCrystal’s Cycling Track, Jenkinstown - Dean Harvey of VC Glendale took victory just weeks after he moved up out of the junior ranks to U23 level for the cyclocross season.

Darragh McCarter of Spellman Dublin Port was 2nd and the Glenn Kinning of Kinning Cycles rounded out the elite men's podium.

The events today doubled as Round 3 of the Big Red Cloud League and Round 6 of the Leinster League of Cyclocross.

In the women's race, over five laps, it was Annie Roche - a bronze medal winner in the junior road race at the National Road Championships this year - who got the best start.

She put a couple of seconds into her older sister on the opening lap, when Stephens in 3rd just 10 seconds back.

However, from that point Stephanie Roche gained the upper hand and on the second lap she went in front by three seconds. She then built on that lead by putting nine seconds and four seconds into her sister on the next two laps.

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On the final circuit, junior cyclist Annie Roche managed to claw back four seconds. However, U23 rider Stephanie Roche ran out the winner, by 10 seconds from her sister, with Stephens in 3rd at 28 seconds.

In the men's race, young Harvey really showed his class against seasoned rivals. He put in a huge opening lap to take 16 seconds on his nearest rival McCarter. Eventual 3rd place finisher, Kinning, gave up 41 seconds to the flying 18-year-old out front.

Harvey then simply continued to turn the screw over the next six laps and was the fastest in the field on every lap of the race. He gained six seconds on McCarter on the second lap followed by three seconds, 26 seconds, 18 seconds, 15 seconds and 24 seconds over the remaining loops of the course.

Harvey, who won the Cycling Ireland National Road Series for juniors this year, was the best part of two minutes up on the line. He took the win from McCarter by 1:45, with Kinning next at 2:14.

Sat, Nov 20th: Round 3 Big Red Cloud League

McCrystal Track, Co Louth

Promoted by Bellurgan Wheelers

Elite Men

1. Dean HARVEY VC Glendale 54:23
2. Darragh MCCARTER Spellman-Dublin Port 56:08
3. Glenn KINNING Kinning Cycles Cycling Club 56:37
4. Alan BINGHAM Newry Wheelers CC 56:42
5. Darnell MOORE Team Caldwell Cycles 56:47
6. Lee HARVEY VC Glendale 58:03
7. Niall DAVIS Biking.ie 58:29
8. Timothy O'REGAN Team WORC 59:00
9. Oisin FERRITY Island Wheelers 59:04
10. Curtis NEILL Carn Wheelers 59:15
11. Niall SOMERS Team WORC 59:23
12. Kevin KEANE St Tiernans Cycling Club 59:24
13. Graham BOYD McConvey Cycles 1:00:27
14. Gavin CARROLL Un-Attached Leinster 1:00:33
15. Colm MCGARVEY EPIC MTB/Expert Cycles 1:00:34
16. John DORIS EPIC MTB/Expert Cycles 1:00:39
17. Evan RYAN Team WORC 1:00:40
18. Conal SCULLY Carlow RCC 1:00:59
19. Frank MCDERMOTT Oldcastle CC 1:01:02
20. Finn HARRIS Bray Wheelers 1:01:15

Elite Women

1. Stephanie ROCHE Scott Quanta Racing 42:55
2. Annie ROCHE Scott Quanta Racing 43:05
3. Niamh STEPHENS Team Giant Dublin 43:24
4. Katie REILLY Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 46:35
5. Sally MCHUGH Unattached 47:07
6. Leah MCCARTHY Team Giant Dublin 47:49
7. Helen WHITE Stamullen RC 48:02
8. Mary DAWSON Bray Wheelers 49:44
9. Martina HAWKINS Dromara Cycling Club 50:05
10. Ellen MURRAY TC Racing 50:45
11. Emma SMITH Navan Road Club 50:50
12. Sasha GANNON Breffni Wheelers 51:29
13. Helen MCPARLAND Phoenix CC 51:51
14. Caroline MARTINEZ Chain Reaction Cycles 52:47
15. Laura BANFIELD McNally Swords CC 53:20

Men's B Race

1. David MCKEE VC Glendale 45:06
2. Kieran REGAN St Tiernans Cycling Club  46:02
3. David Neil ARMSTRONG Dromara Cycling Club 46:05
4. Jude Joseph ROCHE South Dublin CC 46:10
5. Jonathan BOYLE Un-Attached Leinster 46:28
6. Brian CRINION IMBRC 46:57
7. Oisin COLLINS Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospacial 47:22
8. Daire NULTY Breffni Wheelers 47:41
9. Jon HILDITCH Ballymena Road Club 47:43
10. Ciaran LEWIS Bray Wheelers 47:47
11. Benny SMYTH Unattached 47:49
12. Eamon LONEY Unattached 48:03
13. Andy ROSS VC Glendale 48:05
14. Marcin WROBEL Un-Attached Leinster 48:12
15. David DUNNE IMBRC 48:22
16. Christopher MCCANN Banbridge CC 48:25
17. Peter SHARKEY Stamullen RC 48:33
18. Stuart SUCKLING VC Glendale 48:38
19. Ian O'HARA Lucan Cycling Road Club 48:41
20. Dave O'CONNOR Park Wheelers 48:44

U16 Girls Race

1. Aliyah RAFFERTY Island Wheelers 36:32
2. Faith ROBINSON Bray Wheelers 37:27
3. Mya DOOCEY Navan Road Club 37:53
4. Lucy BROWN Phoenix CC 38:25
5. Rhiannon DOLAN Cuchulainn CC 40:39
6. Aoibhinn SHARKEY VC Glendale -1 lap
7. Aine REILLY Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club -1 lap
8. Zoe SHAKESPEARE Navan Road Club -1 lap
9. Aoibhe MURRAY Moynalty Cycling Club -1 lap
10. Lauren MURRAY TC Racing -1 lap

U16 Boys Race

1. Samuel COLEMAN Shelbourne/Orchard CC 30:56
2. Oisin MAY Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 31:18
3. Sean TOLAN Drogheda Wheelers 33:17
4. Callum MCCAFFREY Cuchulainn CC 34:03
5. Micheál O'SHAUGHNESSY Cuchulainn CC 35:46
6. Jamie BYRNE Carlow RCC 35:53
7. David HARRINGTON Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 36:06
8. Noah HARRIS Bray Wheelers 37:17
9. Cillian FOX Navan Road Club 37:28
10. Niall BROWNE Drogheda Wheelers 38:02