Round 7 of the Orwell League was the first opportunity for those who had joined late to race, and league debutant Valdis Andersons took the Limit group by storm, sprinting to win on his debut! In the A race, Gavin Dodd showed his continuing good form to take first ahead of a fast closing Scratch group.
Limit were let away first, with Semi-limit given half a lap to close. With few seeming willing to work in a concerted fashion, and such a generous handicap, Limit held the gap well and stayed away until the close. Those who took advantage of the late joining amnesty were placed in Limit, and it seems they contributed well to the workload.
At the line it was Andersons who came out on top, the Latvian taking the bunch gallop by a bikelength. Snapping at his heels was Julian Moore, who must have been practicing his finish since Round 4, when he helped drive the break but was only rewarded with fourth. Keith Harte took third, and another newcomer, Malcolm Garland, came home fourth. They were followed by Lucy Soden and Mark Mulcahy, while Isabel Cogan stayed ahead of Monica Marconi to take the unplaced woman prize.
Andersons has been dipping his toe in the murky waters of open racing, most memorably featuring in a crowded sprint in the Traders Cup in Dundalk. He originally took up mountain biking about two years ago, but is now a familiar sight on a road bike around the hills and valleys of south Dublin and north Wicklow. He credited the winter red spins for providing invaluable endurance training and Orwell riders for their coaching and advice.
The Scratch groups started together, which led to a very tactical race, as riders tried to jump off the front, but each was brought back, usually after a single lap. Just as they were about to get the bell, Diarmuid Collins made a late break, with Gavin Dodd working hard to bridge to him. On the final bend, Dodd romped ahead for the win, while Collins dropped like a stone back through the ranks, managing to hold on for sixth. Pat O'Brien led the surge from the pack, with Brian McArdle sprinting behind him. Fourth was Peter Gerrard, just ahead of Dan Whiting.
Dodd's win moves him up to second overall in the league, while Gerrard's fourth was enough to see him back on top. Diarmuid Collins remains in joint third place, but now he shares the podium step with Liam Rowsome.
Orwell League R7: Corkagh Park Criterium
Race #1 (L/SL)
1 Vadis Andersons (L)
2 Julian Moore (L)
3 Keith Harte (L)
4 Malcolm Garland (L)
5 Lucy Soden (L)
6 Mark Mulcahy (L)
Unplaced woman
Isabel Cogan
Race #2 (S/SS)
1 Gavin Dodd (SS)
2 Pat O'Brien (S)
3 Brian McArdle (S)
4 Peter Gerrard (S)
5 Dan Whiting (S)
6 Diarmuid Collins (S)
