Brian Lennon, who was effectively the team captain on the road during the 1997 season, was easily elected to the position of Club Captain, as he was seen as a leader both on and off road. David Lane, also an accomplished competitor, became the Club Secretary with Helen Kerrane – the reigning Ladies Intervarsity Road Race Champion – acting as Club Treasurer. Brendan Kilbride took over as Mountainbiking captain, and when Brian stepped down as Captain due to work commitments, Brendan’s enthusiasm and work effort saw him comfortably take control of the Club. Former Captains Noel McGlynn and Maoilíosa Ó Dubhthaigh made up the remainder of the committee. The following made up the FIC affiliated racing team: David Lane, Brendan Kilbride, Helen Kerrane, Louis Twomey, Alan Lane, Noel McGlynn, Kieran Keane, Dermot O’Dwyer, Paul Tansey and Maoilíosa Ó Dubhthaigh.
The year was best remembered for the resounding success of the moutainbiking section. For the first time, the Club had promoted a number of Federation of Irish Cyclists events. Strangely the Clubs first race promotion was over a hundred miles away from the Belfield campus in Cairns Hill in Sligo. Although perhaps most of the work was done by Brendan himself, a lot of praise is due to UCD rider Paul Tansey, who had local knowledge of the chosen course. Brendan also staged the inaugural Intervarsity Mountainbiking Championships, which were held in Ballinastoe Wood in Roundwood, Co. Wicklow. It was a resounding success with 39 competitors from 16 colleges competing. To cap a fine afternoons racing, a 9-strong U.C.D. team won the team award while Adam Kelly (Sports/Winner), and Lean Garland (Ladies/Runner –Up) added to their team success by emerging with individual medals. Seán Herlihy (D.I.T. Aungier Street) won the ELITE Category, while Mark Driver (D.I.T. Bolton Street) won the EXPERT race. Louis Moriarty (Trinity) won the Ladies event. The winning U.C.D. team in full was Paul Tansey (Team Captain), Adam Kelly, Oisín Boydell, Tilo Aureath, Philip Maher, Graham White, Declan McCormac, Noel McGlynn, and Shane Connolly. With the scores of the top 3 riders counting towards the team prize, Adam Kelly (50 points), Paul Tansey (35 points) and Oisín Boydell (33 points) amassed 118 points between them, just 3 ahead of second placed Trinity (115 points), and 7 in front of University of Limerick (111 points).
After a number of years of tireless lobbying behind the scenes with UCD Director of Sport, Dr. Tony O’Neill, Maoilíosa Ó Dubhthaigh, Club Vice-President and Senior Treasurer, finally succeeded in convincing the UCD Sports Development Trust to invest in the Club as a scholarship club. The first beneficiary of this coveted award was David McQuaid, son of former Federation of Irish Cycling President, Pat McQuaid. The former Emerald C.C. rider had been chosen on the basis of his exploits as a Junior rider, the highlights of which included a Junior Tour of Ireland stage win in 1996, and a bronze medal at the National Road Race Championships. The latter saw him gain Irish selection for the World Junior Championships, at San Sebastian. David also finished top Junior in the Dublin Bus 5-day stage race, and was runner-up in both the National Junior Hill Climb Championship, and the Mid-Eastern Region Time Trial Championships. He has successfully made the grade in his transition from Junior to Senior ranks. In his first season with U.C.D., David has impressed sufficiently to gain representation to three Irish teams. He became the first U.C.D. cyclist to ride an International Championship when he was selected for the European Under-23 Championship. He also competed at full Irish level in the Tour of Cotswolds, in England, but his best performance was saved for the Tour of Moray, in Scotland, in which David recorded his first success of the season. To add to his stage win the U.C.D. cyclist took second place overall in the general classification. David’s rise in the Irish racing scene has been steady and progressive and he has been promoted to the Sydney 2000 Olympic squad.
Alan Lane emerged victorious as the leading U.C.D. rider in the U.C.D./ Orwell Wheelers/ St. Tiernans/ Irish Road Club league. Alan completed the double by winning the Club’s Rider of the Year award, Paul Tansey picked up the Mountainbiking Award, while Brendan Kilbride became the inaugural winner of the U.C.D Graduate Cyclist of the Year trophy.Lean Garland was awarded the Ladies Achievement Award for her outstanding performance in the Mountainbiking Intervarsity.
The year was best remembered for the resounding success of the moutainbiking section. For the first time, the Club had promoted a number of Federation of Irish Cyclists events. Strangely the Clubs first race promotion was over a hundred miles away from the Belfield campus in Cairns Hill in Sligo. Although perhaps most of the work was done by Brendan himself, a lot of praise is due to UCD rider Paul Tansey, who had local knowledge of the chosen course. Brendan also staged the inaugural Intervarsity Mountainbiking Championships, which were held in Ballinastoe Wood in Roundwood, Co. Wicklow. It was a resounding success with 39 competitors from 16 colleges competing. To cap a fine afternoons racing, a 9-strong U.C.D. team won the team award while Adam Kelly (Sports/Winner), and Lean Garland (Ladies/Runner –Up) added to their team success by emerging with individual medals. Seán Herlihy (D.I.T. Aungier Street) won the ELITE Category, while Mark Driver (D.I.T. Bolton Street) won the EXPERT race. Louis Moriarty (Trinity) won the Ladies event. The winning U.C.D. team in full was Paul Tansey (Team Captain), Adam Kelly, Oisín Boydell, Tilo Aureath, Philip Maher, Graham White, Declan McCormac, Noel McGlynn, and Shane Connolly. With the scores of the top 3 riders counting towards the team prize, Adam Kelly (50 points), Paul Tansey (35 points) and Oisín Boydell (33 points) amassed 118 points between them, just 3 ahead of second placed Trinity (115 points), and 7 in front of University of Limerick (111 points).
After a number of years of tireless lobbying behind the scenes with UCD Director of Sport, Dr. Tony O’Neill, Maoilíosa Ó Dubhthaigh, Club Vice-President and Senior Treasurer, finally succeeded in convincing the UCD Sports Development Trust to invest in the Club as a scholarship club. The first beneficiary of this coveted award was David McQuaid, son of former Federation of Irish Cycling President, Pat McQuaid. The former Emerald C.C. rider had been chosen on the basis of his exploits as a Junior rider, the highlights of which included a Junior Tour of Ireland stage win in 1996, and a bronze medal at the National Road Race Championships. The latter saw him gain Irish selection for the World Junior Championships, at San Sebastian. David also finished top Junior in the Dublin Bus 5-day stage race, and was runner-up in both the National Junior Hill Climb Championship, and the Mid-Eastern Region Time Trial Championships. He has successfully made the grade in his transition from Junior to Senior ranks. In his first season with U.C.D., David has impressed sufficiently to gain representation to three Irish teams. He became the first U.C.D. cyclist to ride an International Championship when he was selected for the European Under-23 Championship. He also competed at full Irish level in the Tour of Cotswolds, in England, but his best performance was saved for the Tour of Moray, in Scotland, in which David recorded his first success of the season. To add to his stage win the U.C.D. cyclist took second place overall in the general classification. David’s rise in the Irish racing scene has been steady and progressive and he has been promoted to the Sydney 2000 Olympic squad.
Alan Lane emerged victorious as the leading U.C.D. rider in the U.C.D./ Orwell Wheelers/ St. Tiernans/ Irish Road Club league. Alan completed the double by winning the Club’s Rider of the Year award, Paul Tansey picked up the Mountainbiking Award, while Brendan Kilbride became the inaugural winner of the U.C.D Graduate Cyclist of the Year trophy.Lean Garland was awarded the Ladies Achievement Award for her outstanding performance in the Mountainbiking Intervarsity.
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