Sunday 14th April: Blarney Co-Cork
BLARNEY CYCLING CLUB plays hosts to the second round of the Cycling Ireland National Road Series this Sunday, where the 2019 Leaders Jerseys will be unveiled, and a brand new trophy is on offer in the Women’s Race.
The Donal Crowley Memorial Road Race remembers Blarney’s two-time Ras Tailteann stage winner, a man who went on to dedicate his life to coaching numerous underage and junior cycling champions, before passing away aged 44 after an accident on the road in 1999.
The race has always carried great prestige for men, but this year it will also do for women with the creation of the Fiona Meade Perpetual Trophy to honour the former National Road Race Champion, who represented Ireland at the 2015 UCI World Road Racing Championships.
Kieran Crean, current Blarney CC Chairperson said of Fiona: “She is a credit to the club. Dedicating this new trophy to her name is a small gesture of appreciation of her contributions to the club and her incredible accomplishments on the bike. We want the ‘Fiona’ to be one of the special yearly races on the Irish cycling calendar and help grow the ladies cycling scene here.”
The first name on the Fiona Meade Trophy could be the reigning National Road Race Champion Eve McCrystal, who is expected to return from illness in Blarney this weekend. Last year she beat old foe Katharine Smyth in a prolonged battle, that came down to a two-up sprint for the line.
Douglas-based Grace Young, who won the first round of the National Road Series at the Des Hanlon Classic two weeks ago, has also been hit by illness but is keen to make the start line to ride for the first time in the 2019 Spin 11 Ireland Leaders Jersey.
Carrick-On-Suir’s Conor Hennebry will don the Men’s 2019 Spin 11 Ireland Leaders Jersey, having also won at the Des Hanlon. The 26-year-old reigning National Road Series Champion has gone on to be second to Dan Morrissey-MIG.ie-Pactimo teammate Sean Hahessy in the O’Doherty Cup in Dungarvan last weekend.
The Donal Crowley Memorial and Fiona Meade Trophy are hosted by Blarney Cycling Club and will be covered live on Twitter via @CINatRoadSeries this Sunday from early. FOR MORE DETAILS: http://bit.ly/NRS_2019
Feature photo courtesy Wikipedia
