A top quality field turned up for the first ever Mayo cycling champs, strong teams from Castlebar CC, Westport Covey Wheelers and Cunga CC were'nt strong enough to beat the Western Lakes squad of 18 riders.
On the night this is how the Western Lakes CC riders placed overall: Sean O Malley was 4th across the line winning Gold for the club racer category, Donal Harrington was 8th on the night winning silver for the A3 category, Padraig Marrey was 9th getting third in the A1 category, Graham Casey was 11th and 4th in the Club racer cat, Noel Gibbons was 12th and 5th in the club racer category.
Full race report
Prendergast is Mayo Cycling Champion 2012.
Over 60 riders signed for the first ever Mayo cycling Championships at Partry for 55kms race route.
With all the best racers the county has produced over the past few years all turning up and looking to claim the inaugural title, racing was going to be fast and furious.
The race started with a small handicap between the ladies and U16 back to the A1, A2,A3's with the club racers and A4's in the middle the pace was high from the gun with all the racers keen to win their respective category.
The decisive move was made by Ciaran Clarke Castlebar CC and Jason Prendergast Cunga CC when they made their move after 18k of racing, opening a small lead Jason's brother and the in form Charles Prendergast soon jumped across to join the leaders on the long drag into Ballyglass.
Only a few KMs prior a bad crash knocked 10 riders to the ground at high speed splitting the main field into small groups, David Brennan Castlebar CC was the biggest casualty been carted to hospital with his injuries.
The scramble behind split the field into small bits.
Up front the Prendergast brothers drove hard catching the remains of the club racers and dragging Sean O Malley Western Lakes and James Mc Greevy Westport Covey with them opening up a minute gap at Castlebar with 20k of racing to go.
Behind Western Lakes duo Padraig Marrey and Donal Harrington worked hard leaving the main bunch and set chase, hunting down the front 5.
David O Loughlin Cunga CC and out of retirement showed he had lost none of his speed when he joined the chase group lead by the Western lakes duo and what was left of the club racers group.
At Ballyheane Charles Prendergast open up the throttle dropping O Malley and Mc Greevy leaving 3 up front, behind tactics played its part when Harrington WLCC tried racing away from David Hannon Annagh Wheelers for the A3 prize and Marrey and O Loughlin had their own battle for the A1 prize.
In the end it was the in form man from Louisburg Charles Prendergast who rides for the Cong based club Cunga CC jumping clear with a few kms to go taking the laurels.
Cunga CC made it a one two with Jason Prendergast out sprinting Ciaran Clarke for 2nd.
Photos Conor Mc Keown or
Results of Mayo cycling Champs 2012.
Overall
1st Charles Prendergast Cunga CC
2nd Jason Prendergast Cunga CC
3rd Ciaran Clarke Castlebar CC
A1’S
1ST Charles Prendergast Cunga CC
2nd David O Loughlin Cunga CC
3rd Padraig Marrey Western Lakes CC
A2’s
1st Ciaran Clarke Castlebar CC
2nd Chris Troy Castlebar CC
3rd JJ Flaherty Western Lakes CC
A3’s
1st David Hannon Annagh Wheelers
2nd Donal Harrington Western Lakes CC
3rd TJ Coen Castlebar CC
A4’s
1st Noel Mulroy Westport Covey
2nd Michael Flynn Westport Covey
Junior
1st Jason Prendergast Cunga CC
2nd Liam Corcoran Castlebar CC
3rd Niall Kilkenny Castlebar CC
Under 16
1st David Brody Castlebar CC
2nd Cale Coen Castlebar CC
3rd Sean Flynn Westport Covey
Ladies
1st Lauren Gourlay Castlebar CC
2nd Mary Brennan Castlebar CC
3rd Andrea Heneghan Western Lakes CC
Club Racers
1st Sean O Malley Western Lakes CC
2nd James Mc Greevy Westport Covey
3rd Padraic Frain Swinford CC
Team/ Club Champs
1st Western Lakes CC
2nd Castlebar CC
3rd Westport Covey
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