"A pleasant sunny morning in Fermanagh on the day the A4 caught the A3's with their pants down!!" The Lakeland GP hosted by the local club Lakeland CC last Saturday (27th April) in Derrygonnelly, the results...

Results courtesy of Ian Barfoot (Photo finish-Chief time keeper) and Commissaires Jean, Mario and Martin (photo below) photos BP Media, and a link to Sharon Mc Farland’s great action photos!

When Brazil came to Fermanagh, and the A3 race fell asleep!! (Part 1 of the Lakeland CC GP in Derrygonnelly) Sunny but cold, with a few surprises in petto …the last 2 years of the race have been greeted with hail, rain and very cold wind, this time the weather god’s giving the host club a bit respite, and certainly welcomed by the over 100 riders in the 3 races on offer… First of was the A1-A2 handicap race, with some many talent for the moment in the A2 cat the big hitters failed to catch them, Ruairi Woods (U23 Spellman-Dublin Port) getting the better of his A2 mates, with junior Cameron Henry (Inspired Cycling ) taking second, and Sean Gallagher (U23 Four Masters) 3rd… Something happened in the A3 race that we normally don’t see, they had a 2 minute time gap on the A4 race, which normally is more than enough distance to keep the 2 races apart, but not enough today, halfway the first lap the commissaire had to stop the A3 race, to let the A4’s through!! For the photographers like myself, we didn’t know that happened, and saw the A4’s passing us, they only had one lap to do, and we stuck behind the race, and never made the finish for that race…fairplay to the A4 riders…they worked hard and deserve the accolade! Thomas McCabe Moynalty CC won the sprint, with Patrick Murtagh Chain Driven Cycles 2nd, and Gareth McNeice Armagh City Cyclists completing the podium!! The A3 race ended up with a lone rider Tony Farrell Bohermeen CC 1st, second was junior Callum McCaffrey Saxun Extrusax Primoti, and Jason Henry Inspired Cycling, the daddy of Cameron 3rd!! It was 150 km from home, but hey…was pleased I witnessed something that makes you smile!!A safe race , well organised, and thanks for the food after, it saved us going to have something to eat on our way home!! Part 2 to follow with some winning shots, and the podium places, have a great Sunday, as we taking a day off…the shock of today demands it…lol Ps. It was great to see some different nationals on the start. including some Brazilian lads from the Dublin and Wicklow area (see first photo) Also a Dutch man, a Slovakian youngster, and a few with a GB licence…great to see!!

Greeting the Brazilian lads of the Brazuca CC and Orwell CC, bringing a bit of colour to the race!! Saudando os rapazes brasileiros do Brazuca CC e Orwell CC, trazendo um pouco de cor para a corrida!!