CLUB NOTES

Post date: Apr 23, 2012 8:27:25 PM

Youghal Cycling Club Notes – Sunday 22nd April 2012

Summer League To date we have had two rounds of the summer league. We have had 32 riders line out over the two weeks. Both rounds of the league have been 30km road races around the Gortaroo circuit. On week 1 we had John Treacy take the honours and on week 2 it was rookie Maurice Fitzgerald that was first over the line. Strong riding in both weeks has Sean Broderick holding the overall lead. To ensure all riders are in with a competitive chance the league is handicapped from Categories 1 to 7. After round 2 the overall standings are as follows:

Name Category TOTAL

With only the two rounds complete the club are delighted with the turnout from riders and can see that the training is paying off as we have 10 riders promoted up through categories. We must also thank the marshals, timekeepers and photographers, as their help is paramount to the success of the league. Please keep it up folks. Round 3 will be held on Thursday 26th April. We are meeting at Summerfield Cross from 6:30pm with the first racers heading off at 7:00pm. The format of this weeks race will be an individual handicapped time trial.

Racing It was off on the long road to Tipperary last weekend as Eoin Whyte headed off to compete in the “Visit Nenagh Classic Road Race”. Eoin was going very well in his section and leading a breakaway group when misfortune struck. He was rounding a fast corner when a hailstorm shower came down and brought down a rider on his inside line that ultimately clipped Eoin and brought him down also. Made of tougher stuff is our Eoin and thankfully he was able to get back on the bike and finish in the top 20. Well done Eoin!

Club Spins Sunday morning saw the regular groups head off at 8am, 9am and 10am. With the weather a little on the showery and windy side, protecting ourselves from the elements was a priority. The 8am group headed out West Waterford to Clashmore, Cappaquinn and onto Lismore before stopping for the tea in Tallow. Some of the riders were feeling a little worse for wear and were anxious to get home as the pace had been high all morning. With that the entire group headed back the Tallow Road where the fresher lads veered off towards Inch and Mount Uniake before turning back to Youghal. With plenty of words of support from the rest of the gang the group split and some of us caught an early lunch!

The 9am group were set for a big spin and headed out the Tallow Road before veering left into Conna and up the Rathcormac direction. They rolled into town for lunchtime with a nice 100km on the legs. Big well done to Cillian Keneally as this was his first time breaking the 100km mark!

Meanwhile the 10am group had a peloton of 12 riders set off from Moby Dicks for their hardest spin of the season so far. They headed for Tallow. Just after the roundabout, the riders on the front upped the pace, leaving 3 riders out the back. By the time the 3 got to Lombard’s pub one of them had slipped further back we now had nine riders up the road with two trying to get across the gap and the one lone rider hanging on for dear life. At the Halfway bar the leaders sat up and waited for the stragglers. All back together we rode on to the Pike where we turned right for Browns Cross and the mad charge downhill to Camphire Bridge, over the River Bride and on to Cappaquin. The scenery on the Blackwater Valley was something to behold. Again some bright spark upped the pace again so it was all out the saddle ride like hell to keep the time gap down. The coffee stop in Cappaquin was badly needed. Refreshed we set out for home through Dromana and onto Villerstown. Again the split came outside Aglish, we were now three groups on the road, with eight up the road then one lone rider followed by two others who had sat up and agreed to just roll home. A spin of 72kms with an average speed of 19.5kph. Safe cycling and see ye all next week