In the baking hot weather that any European country would be happy to have in Spring, Martin O’Loughlin recorded Carrick Wheelers first senior win of the 2011 cycling season with an impressive victory in The Coombes Connor Memorial Road Race last weekend! This national event promoted by Drogheda Wheelers in Ireland’s smallest county attracted the top cyclists from around the country including a strong entry of Dublin’s best, but it was the veteran Carrickbeg man who came out on top at the end of the 100km event.
As the race unfolded a group of four riders, including O’Loughlin, had forged clear and established a lead over the main field of 100 strong riders. In the final kilometres, with this leading group’s advantage diminishing, the Carrick Wheelers rider attacked his break-away companions in an attempt to solo to victory. In the final kilometre, O’Loughlin’s break-away companions were swallowed up by the fast moving main field as the Waterford man dug deep to muster up every last bit of energy to gallop uphill to the finish line first and claim the win!
This impressive win becomes even more outstanding when the quality of the field is examined, 2008 An Post Rás Winner and current professional Stephen Gallagher and Mark Dowling of Team Dectek to name just a couple who also entered the event!
O’Loughlin’s first win of the 2011 is truly deserving of great praise when one stops to consider that this time last year he was left wheel chair bound after and horrific crash in a race in Limerick left him with too many injuries to mention.
However, that was not the O’Loughlin family’s first win of the day as earlier Martin’s son Michael claimed victory in the Rás na nÓg 2 Day 3 Stage Race. As the race title suggest, this youth event attracted again the best under-age talent from around the country with one quote in regard to the event reading “120 young riders from 38 different clubs and 25 different counties”! Michael placed in the top 3 in all three Under 14 stages, winning Stage 2, to claim to overall victory and the title of U14 Rás na nÓg Winner 2011.
2011 Coombes Connor Memorial Results:
1 Martin O’Loughlin Carrick Wheelers CC
2 Brian Ahern Orwell Whleelers
3 Paul Dolan Usher IRC
4 Aidan Crowley Unattached
5 Gary Gorman Stamullen
6 Brendan Whelan Lucan CRC
Iverk Tommy Sheehan Memorial
On Sunday 17th April 2011 the annual Tommy Sheehan Memorial Cycle Race promoted by Carrick Wheelers and sponsored by local company Iverk takes place in Carrick-on-Suir. The club will be promoting races for both underage and senior riders, with a generous €1,000 prize fund. Sign-On for the event is at the St. Molleran’s GAA Club, Coolnamuck, Carrickbeg, Carrick – on – Suir, with the underage racing starting at 12noon and the senior events starting at 1 o’clock.
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