Sarah Piner breakaway heroics do nothing to prevent sprint win in National League

Sarah Piner takes the sprint finish from Michelle O'Halloran and Amy Brice in Rathdowney in round 2 of the Women's National League on Sunday (Photo courtesy Ossory Cycling Club)

Sarah Piner has won the second round of the Joe Daly’s Women’s National League, sprinting home for victory in Rathdowney, Co Laois.

The DID Electrical rider took the team’s tally to two-from-two, with team mate Amy Brice having won the opening round at the Boyne GP in Co Meath last month.

Based in Tullamore, Co Offaly, Piner finished ahead of Michelle O'Halloran (Lakeside Wheelers) who took second place on Sunday. The aforementioned Brice rounded out the podium and so retains her league lead from round 1.

Piner seemed thrilled with her win. “I feel great,” she said.

“I was tired after a week teaching step aerobics in my gym in Tullamore. It makes winning even more enjoyable as they are so few and far between so I enjoyed it.

“We have a really strong team and we work together really well. We have had good results this year so far. That makes the racing really enjoyable.”

It was a lively start to the race, with the first attack coming from eventual winner Piner, though her solo effort was short-lived.

Also active were Sandra Fitzgerald (Garda CC), Orla Hendron (Orwell Wheelers), Josie Knight (O'Leary Stone Kanturk) and Martina Cronin (Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers), among others.

However, while lone riders and small groupings at different stages managed to pull out modest gaps, nothing stuck.

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However, after around 15km Piner attacked on the hill and went clear. She remained out on her own until around the 30km mark before being reeled in by the bunch. She bagged the midway prime for her brave, but ultimately futile, efforts.

The next major bit of action was an unfortunate one, with perhaps the most exciting young rider in the country Josie Knight coming down in a crash after an apparent touch of wheels inside the last few kilometres.

The aggression of the first part of the race gave way to more strategic racing in the closing stages, lending something of an inevitable air to a bunch sprint finish scenario.

And so it came to pass, with Piner clearly having recovered from her breakaway heroics and using the kick that made her national omnium champion to claim a clear victory over O’Halloran.