Geoghegan stars in Dundalk
Cuchulainn CC Traders Cup, Dundalk, Co. Louth, March 15th, 2009
Four Masters CC John Deere Classic, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, 15th March, 2009
Michelle Geoghegan produced another superb performance in Dundalk last Sunday to be the first, and indeed only, woman home in the Trader's Cup on a day when Orwell riders were prominent in all four groups on the road.
Meanwhile the long journey to Letterkenny for the John Deere Classic Ulster League event proved fruitful for Stephen Surdival whose climbing legs carried him to a strong eighth place finish.
No less than 30 Orwell Wheelers signed on for the Youth and Senior races in Dundalk with, encouragingly, 12 of those entered in the Youth events. In the Under 14 race Darragh Long just got the better of club mate Craig Arrigan to finish second behind Navan's Aidan Wall in a three up sprint for the line. Rachael Mellor was first girl in the Under-12 race.
Geoghegan was Orwell's star in the senior race continuing the form that produced second place in the first round of the Women's National League in Limerick last weekend.
Riding strongly throughout the 90km event in conditions altogether more agreeable than the blizzard she battled through the previous weekend, Geoghegan survived the intense pace and a race long cull that saw the Vet/Women/Junior groups slashed in size by the end.
The leading Women/Vets Over 50 and Junior group were caught just before half distance by the remainder of the Vets and the C Category riders who were holding their four minute advantage over the chasing B riders.
At two thirds distance the race had developed into a three group pursuit with a break from the A-B riders closing fast on the merged Vets/C/Women's group while the remainder of the As and Bs struggled to get on terms.
Geoghegan was moving strongly in the lead group with John Dillon and Stephen McNally also riding very comfortably, the latter frustrated in numerous efforts to break clear.
The lead A and B riders made the juncture with 3 laps remaining and soon forged clear to contest the finish. In the uphill sprint for the line Orwell 'second claim' club member and sponsor Scott McDonald, riding for his Winning Solutions squad, burst through to take his first win of the year.
Geoghegan came home safely in the group behind to secure the Women's prize and initially had some difficulty convincing the judges that she had actually completed the distance such was the rate of attrition.
McNally just missed out on the prizes as second Vet home behind Gordon Duncan of the East Antrim.
In Donegal, Stephen Surdival recorded another strong result in his first year as a first category rider, finish at the back of a three man group sprinting for fifth place at the end of 89 kilometres on exacting terrain that decimated the field.
Results
Cuchulainn CC Traders Cup
1. Scott McDonald (Winning Solutions)
2. Greg Swinand (Usher IRC)
3. Craig Sweetman (Stamullen)
4. Conor Murphy (Usher IRC)
5. Philip Lavery (Winning Solutions)
6. Barry Monaghan (Newry Wheelers)
7. Aaron Buggle (South Dublin CC)
8. Gary Cranston (Audi East Antrim)
Unplaced Lady: Michelle Geoghegan (Dundrum Town Centre Orwell Wheelers)
Unplaced Vet: Gordon Scott (Audi East Antrim)
Unplaced Junior: Gavin Kenna
Unplaced C: John Magurie
Unplaced B: Johnathon Gibson (Usher IRC)
Under 14
1. Aidan Wall (Navan RC)
2. Darragh Long (Dundrum Town Centre Orwell Wheelers)
3. Craig Arrigan (Dundrum Town Centre Orwell Wheelers)
Four Masters CC John Deere Classic
1. Adam Armstrong (Team Curran Racing)
2. Peter Hawkins (Decock Capino)
3. Ryan Connor (Usher IRC)
4. Fraser Duncan (Team Curran Racing)
5. Simon Williams (Juiced Orchard)
6. John Neil (Phoenix CC)
7. Paul Vaughan (Killcullen)
8. Stephen Surdival (Dundrum Town Centre Orwell Wheelers)
9. James McMaster (Team Curran Racing)
10. Daniel Kirwan (Usher IRC)
