Five club members travelled down to Castlebar last night for round one of the Connacht League bicycle racing series; Damien McSharry, Ronan McNamara, Eamonn McAndrew, Brian Sexton and seasoned racer Colm Casey. The race was a handicapped event held over 40 miles and the field of fifty competitors was divided into four groups; the pace of the first two these groups (all club members except Colm started in the second group) was similar to the club advanced and intermediate sessions held on Thursday nights. After suffering a nasty crash early in the race Colm was forced to retire, meanwhile Damien McSharry and Brian Sexton lost contact with their group over the second half of the race. Both Eamonn McAndrew and Ronan McNamara stayed in the main group and finished strongly, with local Eire Og rider Basil Freeman taking sixth place in the finish.These races offer an opportunity for triathletes to get a taste of bicycle racing within reasonable travelling distance and are held throughout the year; anyone interested in giving one a go should contact club cycle officer Colm Casey at this Thursday’s national bike time trial event (held in place of Thursdays training this week).
