If it’s St. Patrick’s Day in Carrick-on-Suir then there must be a cycling race on! Carrick is synonymous with cycling throughout Ireland largely through the achievements of Sean Kelly, but before he was born there was cycle racing in the town on St. Patrick’s Day, starting back in 1955 when Carrick Wheelers promoted the Kiely Cup. Things have changed over the intervening years, the club is now called Dan Morrissey Carrick Wheelers and the cup is now the Carrick Cabs Cup, but the tradition lives on, and hopefully will continue for many years to come.This year’s race is on the usual circuit of Carrick – Glenbower – Kilheffernan – Kilsheelan – Carrick, and three laps gives the riders 100 kilometres of testing racing at this early stage of the season. It is a great circuit for spectators as there are many back roads that can be used to cross over and back, and get to see the cyclists at different points of the circuit, and with the tough uphill finish there is sure to be some great racing. There will be two separate races, with the senior first and second category riders in the main event, while the senior threes, veterans, juniors and ladies in the support event. Both races will start and finish at the top of the hill on Sir John’s Road for safety reasons, and sign on will be at the Carrick Swans clubhouse at Parkside from 10.00am, with racing starting at 12.00 noon.That’s the details sorted out, but picking a winner for each race is the difficult part. Defending champion Kierán Power has retired but former winner Brian Kenneally will be on to watch as it’s a circuit that he always rides well on. However promoting club Carrick Wheelers will be all out to keep the Carrick Cabs Cup at home, and Hugh Mulhearne could well be the one to do it. Fresh from two week’s top class training in the sun in the Canaries, Hugh came back to race in the cold sleet and snow showers in Broadford , Co Limerick on Sunday last, and showed all the benefits of his training trip when he outsprinted Irish international Micheál Concannon for a great win. John O’Brien is another clubman who is sure to be in contention, and the club’s supervets as they are known, Martin O’Loughlin and Rory Wyley will also be in the shake-up whichever race they contest. Martin will probably opt for the support race as he is the defending champion, but there is also a rider moving up from the junior ranks in the club who will be riding his first race as a senior in his home town, and that’s a certain Sam Bennett.Anyone who follows the cycling reports in this paper will be very familiar with Sam’s magnificent exploits in the junior ranks, capped with winning the European Championship on the track in Poland last September, and now he moves into the senior ranks for 2009. He has of course already won senior events that he was allowed compete by invitation, but now as a fully fledged senior licence holder he has his first race in Carrick and would surely love to win in his home town. He will face tough opposition with the top riders from all over the country travelling to Carrick for this historic race, but hopefully Sam, Hugh or some of the Carrick Wheelers stars will keep the Carrick Cabs Cup at home this year.So why not come along on St. Patrick’s Day and watch some exciting racing and get to see European Champion Sam Bennett taking on Ireland’s top senior riders. With the race due to finish about 2.30pm, you can catch the parade afterwards. See you there!!
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