First prize of season for UCD

UCD put the finishing touches on their Easter weekend racing preparation with Anto and Gus racing on Saturday. Anto was off his bike all week with exams and didnt feel his best in the handicapped race where the scratch group never caught the A4 riders. Gus was one of the most aggressive and strongest riders in the race and was the first across to the A3 group but couldn't solo to the leaders. It was his best ride to date with the club.


At the same time Gavin and Ciaran were out doing some TT practice with Gav looking incredibly comfortable on his TT bike. He will be in contention in Gorey with the progress he has made so far. Ciaran will be using Gavs clip on bars and will be more aiming at road stages. Sadly the hopes of a UCD team prize are out the window with only 2 fit riders now riding the event with Niall injured.


The Munster lads will be resting up this week with 4 serious days of cycling from Friday- Monday. This will be the toughest test in some years for the UCD club and it will be great to see us represented at the very highest level of stage racing before our reemergence in the RAS this year. Anto will be one of our strongest hopes in the race and Fiachra and Gus are using it as prep for the tough 8days of racing in May. It will be an epic weekend and will really show how each riders preparation has gone so far this season.

On Sunday, UCD had 3 riders in the A1+2 race of 120km and Gav in the A3 race. Above you can see the preparations starting for the race ahead.

Sadly once again the A3 race ended in a horrible crash and Gav came down but no damage was done. He was riding strong throughout and climbing in first place on the seriously hilly course. He should feel confident about his chances for the upcoming Des Hanlon where if we could get our captain Eoin "mountain goat" out for the A4 race we would be in with a chance in both races.

In the top race Gus was positioned well in the pack but got caught out on the second ascent and was quoted afterwards as saying"today just wasn't my day". Fiachra was incredibly strong throughout and at times i was thinking to myself this man is not human, he is a piece of Iron.

After 1000m climbing in the race and coming into the final descent he was in a beautiful position for a prize but when the road tightened he got on a bad wheel and Ciaran went up through a tight gap then descended on the wheel of a rather large man and came 4th A2 overall which was a good result and his first of the season despite a few close placings.

Fiachra came home comfortably in the bunch. He will surely figure in the races ahead and is fast becoming one of the strongest A2 riders in the pack.

Roll on Easter weekend where the Gorey and Munster lads will be taking pics and snaps for next weeks blog.