Thanks to the Marmotte and Etape, it's been a while since we checked in with the open racers. Since our last update, there's been results from Bryan Geary, Sandra Telford, Scott Gilchrist, Stephen Rowan and a podium finish for Jamie Busher. Freddie Stevens is the man of the month, collecting a win, a placing, and an upgrade to A3! Details below, with a race report from Stevens himself!

We've a lot to catch up with, going back a month to the Destination Sport Criterium run by Lakeside Wheelers in Mullingar. Paul Perry put in a great race in the A4s, but it was Bryan Geary who earned himself an excellent 4th in the A3 event. He was edged out in a small sprint by Rás stage winner Mehall Fitzgerald and Navan's John Clarke after a lone escapee won with a solo move from the halfway point. Aideen Keenan was also competing for DID Electrical, but came away with only a broken collarbone for her efforts.

There are photos from the crit on jimmymcelroy.com, including an excellent one of Geary's cornering skills.

Two days later Sandra Telford took a solid 6th in the women's race at the Seamus Kennedy Memorial, coming home just behind the likes of former National Champ Mel Späth, with Scott Gilchrist netting a fine 4th amongst the A4s. That race was noted for Jules Cantwell's work on the front in the final 10km to shell some competition from the bunch, further evidence of the A4s' great team efforts this season.

Down south to Bunclody, where Freddie Stevens added to his points tally from his victory in Carlow in June. With a tough finishing climb, a small group got away as the race neared completion despite a high pace being set by the Orwell trio of Scott Gilchrist, Kilian Doyle and James Crisp. Stevens and teammate Stephen Rowan were forced to chase, and in the chaos on the climb passed some fading riders, to take 5th and 7th respectively.

The Orwell contingent in Bunclody (photo thanks to Stephen O'Shea)

With four points awarded for 5th, Steven's total was up to seven, with only three needed for the upgrade to A3. The opportunity to seal the deal came last weekend at the Tralee Manor West GP, where he over-shadowed Jamie Busher's superb 2nd place in the A3 event. Busher has been steadily building his form throughout the season, recording a blazing 58:19 in the 25TT Club Championships to score 5th overall.

Busher being awarded his 2nd place envelope (thanks to Tralee Manor West BC)

Stevens stole the headlines on the day, with a clear win bumping him up the categories to A3. He takes us through the race below:

  "The day started with a neutralised start up to a wide road at the bottom of the climb.

  "The 3km climb kicked at the bottom and eased off towards the finish, it had a cross headwind from the left going up it. The race started of at a steady pace but it was very hard to move up as the roads were narrow. After having found it hard to move up I decided to just stay near the front for the rest of the race.

  "The race began to slow and no one would go to the front, I often found myself easy pedalling at the front with no one coming around me. This continued right up to the last lap.

  "With half a lap to go a small group of 5 got away. I was not going to pull this back for everyone. With about 7k to go I attacked to bridge the gap, I put in a good effort on the flat tail wind section to come up to a splintered breakaway. I passed riders one by one until just at the bottom of the climb I made the bridge to the one remaining man out front.

  "We worked ok together up the climb with a gap of 25 secs according to the car that came by.

  "With 1km to go I took a look and could see the bunch coming up behind us but I felt we could make it. I dug deep with the other guy on my wheel.

  "With about 400-300 he attacked from my wheel. I managed to stick with him and pass him in the last 100.

  "Just about got one hand in the air as I crossed in 1st.

  "Really pleased with the result as I was thinking to myself "this was a mistake" with 3k to go."

 
Stevens celebrates his win (photo thanks to Declan McCarthy)

Destination Sport Criterium, Mullingar (19/6/2015)

A3 Race
1 David Casserly (Lakeside Wheelers)
2 Micheál Fitzgerald (Clonmel CC)
3 John Clarke (Navan Road Club)
4 Bryan Geary (Orwell Wheelers)
5 Dermot White (Lucan CRC)
6 Caimin Muldoon (NRPT-Magnet.ie)
7 Kenneth Conlon (Naas CC)
8 Andrew Keogh (Lucan CRC)
9 Justin McGee (South Dublin CC)
10 Shane Quinn (Longford CRC)

Seamus Kennedy Memorial, Dunboyne (21/6/2015)

A4 race
1 Neil Power Dungarvan CC)
2 Jonathan Boyle (TC Racing)
3 Peter Gibbon (Lucan CRC)
4 Scott Gilchrist (Orwell Wheelers)
5 Tony McGowan (Square Wheels)
6 Kieran Condon (Kells CC)

Women's race
(sponsored by Kube Interiors)
1 Mel Späth (Team Tibco)
2 Shenna McKiverigan (Banbridge CC)
3 Eimear O Reilly (Towers CC)
4 Catherine McAteer (Garda CC)
5 Emily Birchall (NRPT-Magnet.is)
6 Sandra Telford (Orwell Wheelers)

Eddie Tobin Memorial, Bunclody (5/7/2015)

Slaney CC A4 Race
1 Shane McKeown (Accorn RC)
2 Peter Gersy (Carlow RC)
3 Darren Davitt (Gorey CC)
4 Glen White (Stamullen)
5 Freddie Stephens (Orwell Wheelers)
6 Paul Norton (Velo Revolution)
7 Stephen Rowan (Orwell Wheelers)
8 John O’Leary (Barrow Wheelers)

Tralee Manor West GP, Tralee (12/7/2015)

A3 Race
1 Darragh McCarthy (St Finbarr’s)
2 Jamie Busher (Orwell Wheelers)
3 Paul Kennedy (Newcastle West CC)
4 Clinton O’Mahony (West Cork CC)
5 Robert Forrest (Blarney CC)
6 Michael Leahy (iBike)

A4 Race
1 Freddie Stephens (Orwell Wheelers)
2 Diarmuid Kerrisk (Unattached)
3 Keith Colville (Clonmel CC)
4 Pierce Boland (Unattached)
5 Eoin Woods (North Tipp Wheelers)
6 Hugh McSweeney (Currow CC)