Houreau collects his trophy after his first ever win
By Brian Canty
Roundwood, Co Wicklow
The Christy McManus Memorial race in Roundwood, Co Wicklow, was overshadowed this afternoon, Saturday, by the serious injuries sustained by one rider who crashed heavily in the sprint in the A4 race before the main event.
Randall Burke (pictured below) from Usher IRC, a friend of the late Morgan Sparrow who died last month after a crash in a league race in Dublin, was towards the front of the group coming in for the sprint on a narrow stretch of road about four kilometres from Roundwood when he fell.
He appeared to collide with at least two more riders before careering onto the road.
He suffered serious injuries to his face which required the attention of paramedics, who also treated up to half a dozen other riders. Thankfully, none of those was as seriously injured as Burke, though one rider did suffer a very nasty looking gash to his arm.
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Ambulance personnel treated Burke on the road for some time. We understand that he is staying in Loughlinstown Hospital overnight and suffered a broken nose and concussion.
The A4 race was won David Fitzsimons (Murphy Surveyors), ahead of Alan Brosnin (Dublin Wheelers CC), with David McCann (Park Wheelers CC) in third.
That incident involving Randall Burke forced the A2-A3 race to be delayed by almost an hour but that paled into insignificance in the context of Burke’s very heavy fall.
When the racing did get underway, a sizeable A3 bunch was given a generous two and a half minute buffer over a slightly smaller A2 bunch and the limit men worked very well to set a good tempo.
Indeed, with a large Bray Wheelers turnout the action clipped along at what must have been one of the fastest speeds for this category so far this year.
With the race shortened by one lap from eight to seven on account of the earlier accident, it was always likely that the A3s would stay away.
That didn’t stop the A2 men from drilling it, and on the opening lap helped by a couple of horses that split the bunch by coming onto the road, a 10-man chase group formed. Four of them were Orwell riders while the in-form Mark Nugent (Waterford Racing Club), John Mason (DID Dunboyne) as well as Art McManus, with another South Dublin CC rider and a Cork County CC rider the others in there.
They worked well together initially and trimmed the margin back to 1:40 by the fourth lap. But that was as close as they got over the shortened course and they were soon joined by some more from behind.
The A3’s stayed away to the finish to fight it out. In the gallop to the line it was Frenchman Gael Houreau from the Velo Club Eckwersheim team in Strasbourg who was quickest, getting the better of Waterford fast man Mark Gunning while Graham Thomas (Lucan CRC) was third.
Houreau, aged 24, has been riding for eight years and currently resides in Athlone, Co Westmeath, where he works in a laboratory as part of his studies.
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“I didn’t know how my form was coming here today but I am a sprinter, maybe a puncheur, and the course suited me well. It is my first ever win so I am delighted,” he beamed afterwards.
In the U16 race Sorrento CC’s Fintan Ryan took the win, following his victory on the track in the Duane Delaney Memorial at Sundrive Road last weekend.
The U14 race went to the ever impressive Dion McCarthy; the Fermoy CC man having won four of the five stages of the North West International Youth Tour in England last weekend.
The U12 race went to another Fermoy CC rider, Eoin Birchall. He also travelled to the UK last weekend and won one of the five stages in his category as well as taking the outright GC win.
Randall Burke suffered a heavy fall but should make a full recovery
Christy McManus Memorial
1) Gael Houreau (Velo Club Eckwersheim)
2) Mark Gunning (Waterford CC)
3) Graham Thomas (Lucan CRC)
4) John Dorris (EPIC)
5) Mike Millar (Phoenix CC - McConvey Cycles)
6) Cian Dwyer (Dungarvan CC)
Best A2
1) John Mason (DID Dunboyne)
2) Art McManus (South Dublin CC)
3) Mark Nugent (Waterford Racing CC)
Unplaced Veteran: Rob Magee (Bray Wheelers)
Junior: Danny Bruton (DID Dunboyne CC)
U16
1) Fintan Ryan (Sorrento CC)
2) Anthony Clarke (Bray Wheelers)
3) George Graham (Ballymena)
4) Jack O’Connor (Orwell Wheelers)
5) Jude Roche (Navan RC)
6) Dermot White (Lucan CRC)
U14
1) Dion McCarthy (Fermoy CC)
2) Adam Thatcher (Slaney CC)
3) Reece Young (Slaney CC)
4) Emily Birchall (Fermoy CC)
5) Fionn Jordan (Slaney CC)
U12
1) Eoin Birchall (Fermoy CC)
2) Jack McCathy (Fermoy CC
3) Will Ryan (Bray Wheelers)
4) Liam Hanley (Navan CC)
5) Laura Birchall (Fermoy CC)
6) Elliott Young (Slaney CC)
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