Lucan riders end road race season on a high note

RONAN Killeen carded another big result after he won out in this year’s Provincial Masters Road Race on the Traders Cup course in Dundalk.

The Lucan Cycling Road Club competitor was joined in the early breakaway by teammate, Eugene Murtagh along with Alan Mackey, as they opened up a one-minute and 30-second gap on the Peloton heading into the closing lap.

Bad luck then struck for Murtagh as he suffered a puncture, leaving Killeen and Mackey to battle it out for the prize.

Killeen pressed a pace which distanced Mackey over the final climb and subsequently saw the LCRC rider securing no less than his third Leinster title having previously recorded wins in 2019 and 2020.

Marcin Mizgajski won the bunch sprint for bronze behind the two leaders after the gruelling 88-kilometre, four-lap contest.

Superb sprints were also recorded in the combined categories race by Lucan trio, Jack Lyne (bronze in A2), Andy Grehan (silver in A3) and Adam Foley (silver in the Junior division).

In the M60 race, Lucan’s Super Vet, Mike Haynes maintained his good form and secured silver behind Paul McCann of host club, Cuchulainn CC.

There was more success for Killeen, Foley and Hayes in the Leinster Criterium Championships which took place in almost perfect conditions on the Corkagh Park Cycle Track.

In the junior event, Foley secured bronze with a fine sprint as did Killeen in the Elite race, while Haynes landed gold in the M60 category.

Rob Farrell also added to a great return for Lucan at this event after he bagged gold in the A2 division following a superb display that saw him surmount the challenge of Tamona Meskauskas of Bohermeen CC and UCD Cycling Club’s Hugh Maguire.

Sundrive Track Team also had something to celebrate at this event after their own Sean Curtis landed the M50 title, while there were third-place finishes for Jennifer Neenan and Matthew McCullagh in the Women’s and M40 divisions respectively.

With the road racing season now wrapped up for 2022, a number of LCRC racers will soon be turning their attention to cyclocross racing that features a highly-competitive National and Leinster series, starting in early October.