Ger Corcoran leads Mayo cycling League

Round 5 of the League took place on fast, flat circuit based on the Swinford/ Carracastle by pass, with 55 cyclists from 6 clubs taking part this was the biggest turn out to date.

4 groups on the road separated by 13mins from front to back the strong scratch group made up of riders who will take part in the An Post Ras in a few weeks time were keen to race.

The writing was on the wall for the groups ahead, when the scratch men averaging 45kms per hour worked relentless to reel in all the groups with 8kms of racing to go.

With the roads been fast and flat there were several attacks by the non sprinters but none could open the gap, in the final dash for the line with some 40 odd racers still in contention and the likes of the Clarke brothers, David Brennan of the Mayo Edge Ras team and the Mayo Centra squad of Padraig Marrey, Donal Harrington, JJ Flaherty and Barry Holian the lightly hood was that a winner would come from this lot in the final push for the line.

Ger Corcoran from Covey Westport had other ideas and jumped early in the sprint opening up several bikes lengths only to be closed down at the death by the in form Padraig Marrey of Western Lakes CC, Barry Holian of WLCC was a few bikes length back in third position with Chris Troy Castlebar CC in 4^th.

Previous league leader Kevin Roache Foxford didn’t make the top ten so looses out on valuable points towards the overall and lost the jersey to Westport’s Ger Corcoran.

In the team competition on the night Western Lakes CC just edged out Covey Westport by 5pts with Castlebar CC in third place.

Overall in the league

Ger Corcoran Covey Westport will wear the Marrey bikes yellow jersey as he now leads on 269pts with Western Lakes duo Barry Holian 255pts and Padraig Marrey 252pts close behind.

Overall In the Team competition after 5 rounds

Western Lakes CC lead on 1029pts, Westport Covey 833pts, Castlebar CC 782pts, Cunga CC 121pts and Swinford on 76pts

Next round takes place on Friday May 25^th in Cong, with the Ras men out of the question this gives all the domestic racers a great chance to up set the overall.

Overall league table attached below

Mayo League Overall after Rd 5

Westport Covey Wheelers take charge after round 4

After four rounds of the inter club league Covey Wheelers are in the lead of both the Overall and the Team competition.

Round 4 was held in wet, windy and miserable conditions at Ballinrobe but this did not deter 38 brave souls who signed on for the 57kms around Lough Mask, with 16 minutes separating back to front it was up to the scratch men to up their game, with 4 of the Ras squad in the back group including the Red jersey of Barry Holian they soon settled into their rhythm.

With the big climb of Maam Trasna at half way the scratch men wasted no time reeling in the groups having everyone nearly caught by Finney with only a handful from Group 2 still out in front.

A group containing P. Marrey, JJ Flaherty, Michael Gilvarry and Michael Flanagan all of Western Lakes and one lone Covey in Ger Corcoran going clear at the top of the climb the odds were very much in the Lakes favor.

With 8k to go the elastic finally snapped with Marrey and Flaherty going clear of the other 3,  at the end  Padraig Marrey jumped clear winning on his own from JJ Flaherty with Ger Corcoran winning a hard fought battle for 3^rd

The winners time was 1hr and 28minutes averaging over 40kph. At Round 5 Michael Brady Covey Westport will wear the Marrey bikes sponsored Red jersey as league leader. In the Team competition Covey wheelers also lead the table,  see tables below.

Team league table

Round 5 is part of the John Holian memorial race in Cross and takes place on Friday June 8^th

Overall league table

The Marrey bikes  Ballinrobe 2 day on August 11th and 12th  is the only Handicapped stage race in Ireland where Ladies, Juniors, and A3 riders can compete fairly with A and B riders. Entry before July 1st for only €30

This race is pre entry only and will be capped of at 140riders so enter early.

Marrey bikes are the main sponsors with Jersey sponsors  Champion System UK & Ireland.

This stage race has the jerseys, the cups and €2500 in prizes so why not make a long weekend of it and stay around to  go horse racing on the Monday the 13th of August.
For the 3rd year running there will be a specially donated cup presented to the rider who scored the most points over the 2 days, the cup will be presented by the Mc Mahon family on behalf of their late son Ciaran Mc Mahon.

Route Details
Saturday 11th August, 3pm start (Martin Munroe Memorial Cup for stage winner)
Sign on from 12Noon closing at 2pm sharp at cycling centre on Kilmaine road Ballinrobe

Stage 1  Ballinrobe-Partry, Tourmakeady, Maire Lukes 1st KOH, Killateeaun 2nd KOH, Maam Trasna 3rd KOH, Larches, Ail Duil 4th KOH, Dangerous decent, Kilmilkeen, Maam, Maimean 5th KOH, Cornamona, right for Cong, 2miles turn Left followed by 1.5miles left followed by 1.5 miles right at Dringeen for Ballinrobe, Kilimor bridge finish on drag 1.5miles from Ballinrobe at Ferrick’s hill.

Total  distance  85kms

Sunday 12th August, 9.00am start, Sign on at the line reverse of GC
Stage 2A, 8km Time Trial, Kilmaine to Ballinrobe

Stage 2b 1pm start (Garhill Cup for stage winner)
Sign at the cycling centre from 12noon closing at 12.40sharp

4 Lap of 20k  Ballinrobe-The Neale- Kilmaine – Ballinrobe
Finish outside the Cycling Centre on the Kilmaine Road .

Eileen Marrey Memorial Trophy for overall winner.

Open to categories:
Seniors A1, A2, A3, Juniors, Ladies, and Veterans
Handicap system in place.

Enquiries to Race secretary Padraig Marrey
Phone 0353 877992857

Entry form attached Balinrobe 2-day Entry Form 2012

The second round of the Western Lakes Beginners League is on this Wednesday 16th May. Sign on from 6.45pm at WLCC Cycling centre. Starting from there at 7.30 pm. Route is a flat 32k turning left at White Gates, right at Robeen crossroads, thru Newbrook, left at Gilligans Post Office in Ballyglass, straight thru Ballygarris crossroads and finishing at Churchview. Please encourage your buddies to get out. If you can’t race that day volunteers needed for marshalls, lead cars etc. contact Marie Frazer 087 7819954 or Martin Joyce 087 2613349

For the first time ever Mayo cycling will get a big boost with 2 teams competing in the An Post Ras.

The Mayo Centra team to compete in the An Post Ras was announced after months of hard preparation and racing.

The squad of seven, comprised of Western lakes and Covey wheelers Westport club members, have gone through a full transformation from normal club racers who competed locally to full fledge elite racers. As part of the training the squad has already stepped up to compete at International level races like Ras Mumhan (Kerry 4 day) and the Tour of Ulster (Ulster 3 day). Having the opportunity to race in the 60^th edition of the 8 day An Post Ras is the reward for all their hard work.

The team will be led by the experienced Padraig Marrey (Westport Postman) who headed up the project as coach and organiser and will under take to complete his 10^th Ras.

Michael Brady (Plaster Westport) will be the second most experienced rider of the squad who is looking to finish his 2^nd Ras.

JJ Flaherty (Fish Farmer Renvyle) has stepped up in category this year and his training has payed off with some good results.

Michael Flanagan (Engineer Killconly )  has turned his focus away from mountain biking and has concentrated fully on road racing this year.

The final member of the squad is Charlestown based ex lorry driver Donal Harrington, Donal went from been obese at 110kgs some 18months ago to one of the strongest racers in Connacht a staggering statistic considering the time scale.

The team aim to be competitive in the county team classification and hope that luck might aid them in the hunt for a good stage placing.

The Support crew is full of experience with Dublin based Myles Gallagher an ex professional Manager with the Murphy&Gunn team, Westport man Ray Staunton and Brendan Scullion (Claddaghduff) will make sure that all the mechanical needs of the finely tuned racers are adhered to. Melissa Irvine will give the physio to the aching bodies after each stage, she comes all the way from the Newtownards and  is the sister of Martyn Irivne who is Olympic bound n August.

The team will be clad in the blue and yellow colours of the Centra Supermarket chain, thanks to shop proprietors’ Higgins and Keegan.

“The Centra food range meets the high standards of Elite sports persons who require optimum nutrition,” says a Centra spokesperson”.

To put a squad in the An Post Ras the following sponsors are also on board, Champion Systems UK will sponsor the race cycle clothing, Erin Recyclers Donegal/Sligo are sponsoring accommodation, Insignia Plus Westport are sponsoring the leisure clothing, Marrey Bikes Ballinrobe will provide Sports Nutrition and equipment, Tim Hastings motors Westport will sponsor race vehicles for the 1200kms race.

With the 180 strong peloton racing through 35 towns and over 30 categorised climbs reroute to the Finish at line in Skerries Co Dublin.

The 3^rd stage of the Ras finishes in Westport on Tuesday the 22^nd at approx 2pm, it will be coming from Gort, via, Galway, Oughterard, Maam Cross (Climb), Maam, Lough Nafooey(CLIMB) Maamtrasna (Climb) Tourmakeady, Killvalley finishing on Mill St.

Anyone interested in following the daily activities of the Ras should look up http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/IrishCyclingRas/Route/  for live up dates.

Also follow the team’s Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/TheroadtotheRAS

Mayo Centra Team

Padraig Marrey

Donal Harrington

Michael Flanagan

John James Flaherty

Michael Brady

Support crew

Manager Myles Gallagher

Mechanic Ray Staunton

Assit Mechanic Brendan Scullion

Physio Melissa Irvine

Team sponsors

Centra food store chain

Erin recyclers

Marrey Bikes

Champs systems UK

Insignia Plus

Tim Hastings motors Ltd

12 DAY COUNT DOWN TO POLKADOT CHALLENGE.

Sherlock storms to victory.

Ryan Sherlock of Cycleways was by far the strongest rider at the Bog Week 2 day sponsored by the Renvyle INN, Rogan’s Gala and Renvyle house hotel, Sherlock won all 3 stages but had to negoiate the handicap on both road stages before he was guaranteed the win. Padraig Marrey of the promoting Western Lakes CC managed to hold Ryan on the second road stage to secure 2nd overall. With Liam Frawley Galway Bay holding on for 3rd overall.

Pictures to follow.

Stage 2b

Results Stage 2 54 miles

1^st Ryan Sherlock Cycleways 2.23.50

2^nd Padraig Marrey Western Lakes CC @1”

3^rd Peter Touhy Castlebar CC @1.11

4^th Michael Gilvarry Western Lakes CC@1.11

5^TH Ger Corcocan Westport @1.18

6^TH Liam Frawley Galway Bay CC @1.18

Final Overall of Bog week 2 day after 3 stages
1st Ryan Sherlock Cycleways

2nd Padraig Marrey Western Lakes CC@1.04
3rd Liam Frawley Galway Bay CC @2.19
4th. David Walsh Slaney CC @2.24

5th David Brennan @2.33
6th Daniel Kirwan Lucan RC @2.39

Results stage 3 and Final GC

GC after stage 1 and TT start order

In dry conditions the A1 and A2 made hard work of trying to bring back the 3.5minute handicap on the A3 group with 2 of them holding on to the coat tails of Ryan Sherlock who spent 40 odd miles trying to getaway from the A1 pack.

The long slog up to the finish took its toll on the racers especially in the wide open windy conditions.

Race Sponsors are Renvyle Inn, Rogan’s Gala and Renvyle house hotel.

Results Stage one 48miles

1^st Ryan Sherlock Cycleways 1.54.42

2^nd Liam Frawley Galway Bay @3”

3^rd Donnacha O Brien Cork County @11”

4^th David Walsh Slaney CC@32”

5^TH Padraig Marrey Western Lakes CC @32”

6^TH Michael Brady Covey Westport @32”

Bog week Shield for A4 Racers

In the A4 race over 28miles, Thomas Maguire fought of the challenge of Westport’s Tom Bourke winning the Bog week shield. Padraic Hughes from the promoting club Western Lakes took 3^rd .

Results Bog week shield

1^st Thomas Maguire Galway Bay

2^nd Tom Bourke Covey Westport

3^rd Padraic Hughes Western Lakes CC

4^th Keith O Connell Covey Westport

5^th Louis Maloney GardaCC

6^TH Shane Gilligan Western Lakes CC

When a cycle race is staged in Connemara it means one thing strong winds from the Atlantic sea, last year in the races first edition the Slaney team all the way from Wexford took the spoils with David Walsh and  a strong team performance secured that they took most of the overall prizes back to the sunny South East, they are back again in 2012 but will not have it all their own way with strong teams from Galway Bay, Castlebar, Westport Covey Wheelers, the Mayo Centra Ras squad and the Western Lakes CC as hosts also boast a strong squad. This race is ideal preparation for riders preparing for the An Post Ras or the Tour of Ulster.

 See Race details below

On April 28^th & 29^th, there will be a feast of cycling which is being run in conjunction with Western Lakes Cycling Club, one of the finest cycling clubs in the west of Ireland.   This is the second year of the Conamara Bog Week 2 Day Cycle Race which will provide the competitors with a challenging course and two days of exciting riding” says JJ Flaherty, one of the organizers of the event.

Saturday 28^th  – sign on Marian Hall Tullycross 12.30pm.  First Stage  2.00pm start.   This race is for categories A1, A2, A3 and Jnr. 

 On Saturday, a race open to A4’s will take place.  It is a 60km race over an exciting course, sign in at 12.30pm at The Marian Hall Tullycross.  Race start 2.10pm.  The winner will receive the Conamara Bog Week Shield which is sponsored by Rogan’s Gala Store, Tully.

 Bog Week  2 day 2012 route details

Bog Week 2 day  2012- Stage1 with 2 laps based around Tullycross
44.22 mi route

http://soc.li/6BIbHTm

Stage 2 TT in Letterfrack / Tullycross
2.7 mi route in Letterfrack

http://soc.li/Eeqk0SO

Stage 2A in Tully Cross
52.9 mi route in Tully Cross – CAT 5 Climb

http://soc.li/UGK3nFI

 The winner of the Conamara Bog Week 2 Day Cycle Race will be presented with the beautiful and prestigious Gogarty Cup which is sponsored by Renvyle House Hotel.  As Ronnie Counihan – General Manager of Renvyle House Hotel stated ‘We are delighted to sponsor Conamara Bog Week and especially the bike races as the founder of Renvyle House Hotel, Oliver St. John Gogarty was not only a leading literary figure but was also a first class cyclist’.  Presentation will take place in the Renvyle Inn where all the riders will be treated to refreshments after some grueling days of cycling.

 This promises to be a great weekend of cycling with some fine riders taking part over a challenging and breathtakingly beautiful course.  These races put cycling on the map in the Conamara area and give support and encouragement to local riders such as John James Flaherty and John O’Halloran who have been wonderful advocates for cycling, a considerable sport in Conamara.  This is the fourth year of the partnership between CEECC and Western Lakes CC and each year the number of riders taking part is growing.   “We look forward to a brilliant weekend” says Joe Rogan of Rogan’s Gala.  Last year the Wexford riders stole the show but they won’t get it all their own way in 2012.  This is a pre Bog Week event to fit in with the cycling calendar.  The Conamara Bog Week proper starts on Friday May 25^th and runs until Monday June 4^th – an authentic multi-layered event that has something for everybody wrapped up in the very best of Irish trad music.

www.westernlakescc.com Cycling contact: JJ Flaherty 087 9120910

General Information on Conamara Bog Week:

CEECC www.ceecc.org / lfrack@eircom.net  095 43443 /085 1154629.