O’Brien shines in Belgium

LAKESIDE WHEELERS CLUB NOTES

Lakeside Wheelers lifetime member Caoimhe O’Brien, now competing with the England-based DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK team, has had a remarkable week in Belgium, securing two consecutive wins.

Caoimhe and her younger sister Aoife (Belco-Van Eyck) are currently based in Belgium for the summer, racing with their respective teams. Both sisters have been highly competitive, consistently achieving top 10 finishes and podium spots in recent races. However, Caoimhe’s performance last week marked the best results of her career so far.

The current Irish U23 champion had been close to victory in her recent races but finally clinched it on Tuesday. She excelled in a 104km race near Antwerp, demonstrating her strength by outpacing her breakaway companions to take 1st place. This victory was especially impressive given the high level of international competition.

Then, on Thursday, Caoimhe continued her impressive form with a second win in a Grand Prix race near the Ardennes region. This 85km kermesse event, characterised by its spectator-friendly Belgian-style circuit, saw riders complete several laps of a 10km-15km circuit. Caoimhe once again emerged victorious from a breakaway of three riders and proved her prowess in the final sprint, winning by 10 seconds from the chasing peloton.

These victories come at a perfect time, as both Caoimhe and Aoife are selected to represent Ireland in the upcoming Rás na mBan, which runs from September 4th to 8th. With their current form, both sisters will enter the Kilkenny-based stage race with high hopes of securing stage wins. Best of luck to both Caoimhe and Aoife. For more information on the route, visit www.rasnamban.com.

Midland League

The popular locally-based summer league is nearing its conclusion, with only the final Time Trial Team (TTT) event remaining. Last Thursday, Esker CC hosted the last 40km road race of this year’s series on the Kilbeggan circuit.

The event proved to be a successful outing for many Lakeside Wheelers riders. Mick Walsh finished 4th in the B race, which should secure him the overall win in this category. The race concluded with a two-up sprint between David Lally and Paul Crowley, who managed to hold off the main bunch from a handicapped start, with David claiming the win.

The C race also featured a handicapped start and saw Mick Reynolds emerge victorious after a closely contested battle. The final event on August 22nd will take place in Horseleap and will be followed by a prize-giving ceremony and social gathering at Ryan’s pub.

Leinster Hill Climb Championships

The Leinster Hill Climb Championships were hosted this year by Cuchulainn CC on the 1.7km Jenkinstown Hill in County Louth. Lakeside Wheelers was represented in the A1 category by Padraig Moran, who finished 2nd in the event. This achievement adds another podium finish to Padraig’s impressive tally for the year. Congratulations to Padraig for his outstanding performance.

Sprocket Rocket

As the long summer evenings come to an end, the Sprocket Rocket programme is also concluding this week. This highly popular series for children up to 14 years old has been running for the past 10 weeks at Belvedere House and Gardens and has been a resounding success.

The programme, which teaches young cyclists the basics of cycling skills in a safe and enjoyable environment, was facilitated by club Secretary Eugene Duffy and his dedicated team of volunteers. Despite some adverse weather conditions, the team managed to complete every session, with the final night last Monday featuring the annual end-of-Sprockets party.

Photos from the entire Sprocket Rocket series will be included in next week’s notes. Lakeside Wheelers extends its gratitude to the staff and management of Belvedere House and Gardens for their support throughout the programme.

Her Outdoors Week

Her Outdoors Week, which took place from August 12 - 18, was a successful initiative run in conjunction with Sport Ireland, designed to celebrate and encourage more females to participate in outdoor physical activities.

Lakeside Wheelers contributed to this great cause through its Women on Wheels programme. This five-week series, supported by Westmeath Sports Partnership, saw over 25 women attend weekly sessions, progressing from short rides to completing a 30km circuit.

The programme provided a welcoming and supportive environment for women to experience cycling. Congratulations to all participants and organisers for making Her Outdoors Week a success.