Sean Lynch R.I.P.

It is with great sadness that Drogheda Wheelers Cycling Club announce the untimely death of its member, Sean Lynch following a tragic accident. The club would like to take this opportunity to thank all the medical staff who cared for Sean following the accident and expresses its gratitude to Wexford Wheelers Cycling Club for its support during this difficult time. Drogheda Wheelers would like to extend its sincere sympathies to the Lynch Family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.  

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

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Dunsany GP Postponed

Due to unforeseen circumstances here in Drogheda Wheelers, the Dunsany GP scheduled for this Saturday, May 11th, is postponed. It is the hope of the club that we will be able to reschedule and run the event at a later date but we feel we have made the correct decision in light of recent events. 

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Rás na nÓg 2019 (Sponsored by ŠKODA Ireland)

The dust has just about settled on Rás na nÓg for 2019! What an action packed weekend it was with 15 finishes across Rás na nÓg, The Peter Bidwell Memorial and The Coombes Connor Memorial. 
Firstly, a huge thank you to all 170 competitors in Rás na nÓg and an even bigger congratulations on your results and performances over the weekend and for conquering ‘The Hill’ for 2019! Also thanks to everyone who supported our two senior races which are of huge importance to our club. Saturday evening, we remembered Peter Bidwell who is our dearly missed former chairman and also one of the founding figures of Rás na nÓg. It is with great pride and poignancy that we see so many take enjoyment from the race that he worked so tirelessly to establish, along with our long serving chairman Gerard Campbell, back in 2007. 
Yesterday, on Sunday, we remembered two instrumental figures in the establishment of our club and without whom, we wouldn’t have such a strong organisation to bring to you this weekend of racing! 
I want to thank all the parents, guardians and managers for their support at Rás na nÓg. No competitor, regardless of age or talent, could have completed the weekend without you. You’re the people who brought them to the hill and also the people who insured that our race regulations were followed and upheld and we all, both the organisation team and the competitors, owe you a huge amount of gratitude. 
We were very lucky to have the support and backing of An Garda Síochána and St John’s Ambulance for the weekend who both are of the upmost importance in keeping the riders of Rás na nÓg and all our events safe. 
We had a fantastic amenity in Bellewstown Racecourse and we are very thankful for being granted permission, for the fifth year now, to use the premises. It allows families and teams to park up on Saturday morning and see two great stages of racing without having to move to different locations so we are very lucky to have it. Thank you to all the riders who used this facility in the correct manner over the two days and made use of the provided bins, litter and waste was minimal and that’s really important so to keep it for future events. 
To all the commissaires over the weekend, along with judges, time-keepers, camera operators, the results team and all other officials – thank you, we were blessed to have such a nice and competent team around us. 
Now, the biggest thanks of all, to the army of volunteers from both our own and outside clubs. Every single person who assisted in the weekend was acting on a voluntary basis, they were giving up their time to support all the competitors in our events. It is only getting harder to obtain help yet we are very lucky to have a great group of people who turn up at every event. Sign on crews, marshals, car parking operator, refreshments providers, CPO, broom wagon, moto marshals, drivers, neutral service, results, website operator, those who sorted prizes, put out branding, took the branding back in, prepared before hand and cleaned afterwards, to absolutely anyone who assisted in the weekend in any way – we all owe you a great deal of gratitude. The event simply could not run without these people and I hope that everyone recognises the great deal of work that was undertaken by these people. Our events can only be as good as our volunteers and those willing to help so for us to be able to run the amount of events that we did in the three days just shows how lucky we are to have such a great team in the club.
Races can also not run without sponsorship and a major appreciation goes from everyone in the club and surely every competitor to Škoda Ireland for their third consecutive year acting as our title sponsor. They allow us to bring the race to a level that we wish for and without their generosity, we simply could not continue this event. Also a huge thanks to all the club sponsors, particularly our title sponsor Jon’s Civil Engineering along with SCME and Dimplex. To all our team car sponsors, thank you very much also! Rás na nÓg is lucky to receive backing from Cycling Ireland’s stage race grant program and thanks to all the team at Cycling Ireland for giving us this oppurtunity, likewise to all at Cycling Leinster for the help and support. 
To anyone who I’ve forgotten, thank you, to anyone who will I forget in the future, thank you. Without the support of everyone who I’ve mentioned this race could not go ahead and I recognise the help and roles played by so many in this weekend! Thank you to absolutely everyone. 
Lastly, on a personal note, there’s one man who I have to give my full appreciation to. That’s my Dad, he has ran and directed this race since it’s establishment back in 2007 and I was very lucky to be handed the role and honour this year. There’s no point saying that I done it all, because I didn’t and I couldn’t without him. Plenty of arguments were had about different issues, lots of debating about results, prizes and regulations but at the core of it all was the best interest for the race. I done my best to run and direct this edition of Rás na nÓg well but I couldn’t have even started if it wasn’t for the never-evening and unconditional support from him. Thank you Dad. 
So lastly, well done and congratulations to everyone on their results and participation in Rás na nÓg 2019 and in our other two senior events. A special mention to Katie Murphy of Sliabh Luachra CC for her bravery and spirit during the race which earned her the Klaus Peter combativity award and to our six fantastic champions – Oisín May (Scott Orwell Wheelers), Aliyah Rafferty (Island Wheelers), Quillan Donnelly (O’Leary Stone Kanturk), Shauna Finn (Newcastle West CC), Darren Rafferty (Island Wheelers) and Caoimhe May (Scott Orwell Wheelers). The whole team at Rás na nÓg are very proud of everyone who took part and wish you all the best of luck for the remainder of the season! 
Again, thank you to everyone who helped and supported our events over the weekend. I look forward to welcoming you all back to ‘The Hill’ in 2020! 

Gearóid Campbell, Race Director.

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Rás na nÓg 2019 Results

Boys Under 12

Girls Under 12

Boys Under 14

Girls Under 14

Boys Under 16

Girls Under 16

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Rás na nÓg 2019 Update

The race manual for next weekend’s Rás na nÓg is now available. Click here to view or download.

Click here for the start lists for all Rás na nÓg stages.

As well as Rás na nÓg, we are also hosting 2 Senior Races. The first is on Saturday Evening which remembers Peter Bidwell, the clubs former Chairman and dearly missed founding figure of Rás na nÓg.Sunday is the Coombes Connor Memorial Races, which remembers two important figures into the formation of our club! 

Saturday 13th April – Peter Bidwell Memorial Start Time: 5:30PMHandicap Race – 8 x laps of the donore circuit (52km) Sign on from 3.30pm in Drogheda Retail Park. Donore Road, Droghed (1 minute from M1 Exit 9) 

Sunday 14th April – Coombes Connor Memorial Races Sign on from 10am at Bellewstown Racecourse 
Race departs racecourse for neutralised 5k section to circuit A1/A2 race departs at 12.20 (9 x Laps – 126km)A3 race departs at 12.23 (7 x Laps – 98km)A4 race departs at 12.26 (5 x Laps – 70km)

For more details contact 0862739808/0868192205.

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Boyne GP 2019 Results

A1 Race 

1st. Luke Smith (Bioracer DHL) 
2nd. Fintan Ryan (Kingspan)
3rd. Sean McKenna (Pactimo Dan Morrissey)
4th. Harry Sweeney (Evo Pro Racing) 
5th. Green Swinard (Pactimo Dan Morrissey) 
6th. Daragh Feeley (Evo Pro Racing) 
7th. Cormac McGough (Evo Pro Racing) 
8th. Sean Feeney (South Dublin) 

A2 Race 

1st. Darren Davitt (Slipstream) 
2nd. Ciaran Hallihan (Dunboyne)
3rd. Niall Whelan (Laois)
4th. Paul Woods (Carlow)
5th. John James McInerney (Armagh) 
6th. Brian McNally (Scott Orwell)
7th. Shane Quinn (Longford) 
8th. Jamie Busher (Scott Orwell) 
9th. David Casserly (Longford)
10th. Anthony Mulholland (Scott Orwell)

A3/Jun Race 

1st. Cathal Clarke (Armagh-Down) 
2nd. Shane Murphy (Dublin Wheelers) 
3rd. Sean Heaslip Owens (DUCC) 
4th. Eoin Ferriter (Drogheda Wheelers)
5th. Michael J McCotty (Lucan CRC)
6th. Mark Kiernan (Kilcullen)
7th. John Priest (Lucan CRC)
8th. Colm Bracken (Kilcullen)
9th. Brian Cullen (Dublin Wheelers) 
10th. Michael Greene (Phoenix CC) 
1st UN/P Jun. Conor Murphy Rogers (Scott Orwell) 
1st UN/P Woman. Sophie Loscher (Sundrive Track Team) 

A4 Race 

1st. Donal Byrne (Unattached)
2nd. Aaron Henry (Usher IRC) 
3rd. Pat Downing (Naas)
4th. Laurence McCabe (Newry)
5th. Shane Coll (Drogheda Wheelers) 
6th. Daniel Lockly (Clontarf)
7th. Tom Keane (Ardee) 
8th. Francis McGee (Ratoath) 

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Boyne GP Update

Riders please note that the sign on venue for next weekend’s Boyne GP is now Stackallen Pitch ‘n’ Putt/ Tennis club (and not Ryan’s Pub as previously stated below). The club is situated on the N51 (about half way round the race circuit). Parking will also be available at the club.

The start / finish area and circuit all remain the same and presentation will still be back at Ryan’s pub.

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Rás na nÓg 2019 (Sponsored by Škoda Ireland)

Drogheda Wheelers Cycling Club are proud to announce that Rás na nÓg 2019 will take place on April 13 th and 14 th . This will be the 12th edition of Ireland’s premier youth stage race event which was established in 2007 by late Chairman Peter Bidwell and long serving secretary Gerard Campbell.
For the fifth year now, the race will be based at Bellewstown Racecourse which is a fantastic amenity, allowing parents and supporters to see the participants every few minutes without them having to travel to different locations. Again, there will be three stages – made up of a Crit on Saturday Morning, a road-race on Saturday Afternoon and a final road stage on Sunday Morning.
Škoda Ireland have very fortunately backed our event for the third consecutive year, allowing us to develop the youth cyclists of Ireland and encourage them to reach their full potential. A great deal of gratitude is owed to them for their commitment to our race and the entire sport in general, and we thank them for their very generous support. A huge thanks also to Cycling Ireland for funding through their stage race grant aid program as well as all the club sponsors, supporters and volunteers.
Since 2007, Rás na nÓg has grown into Ireland’s largest and most popular stage race event for Irish youths, attracting competitors from every corner of the country – North, East, South and West. Participants and winners have gone on to become renowned international cyclists, world tour riders, European and World medallists. Although there must be winners (and losers!), Rás na nÓg aims to develop every youth cyclist and allow them the opportunity to challenge themselves during the weekend. New Race Director, Gearóid Campbell said at the launch of Rás na nÓg 2019, “It’s not about the winners, or the losers, Rás na nÓg focuses on keeping our youths interested in the sport and making sure they progress to junior and senior with the same interest that they have now!”. Along with the tremendous task of running a 3-stage youth event, the tremendous team at Drogheda Wheelers offer a full set of senior events also, on Saturday evening with the ‘Peter Bidwell Memorial’ which remembers the sorely missed founding figure of the race and again on Sunday afternoon with the ‘Coombes Connor Memorial’, remembering two important figures in the formation of the club.
Speaking ahead of this year’s event, Gearóid said that he “can’t wait to welcome everyone to the hill in Bellewstown for the 2019 edition” and to keep a close eye on updates and information about the race which will be rolling out in the next few weeks”.
Raymond Leddy from chief sponsor, Škoda Ireland, added “We are delighted to be involved for the third consecutive year with this event and welcome all the young cyclists to the North East for what promises to be an excellent weekend of racing”.
While former winner, Mark Downey, a recent world track medallist spoke with the Rás na nÓg team last week and said that “This race is what it’s all about – inspiring kids at this age for the future” and that he still holds it to be one of his biggest successes at youth level.
Eddie Dunbar from Team Sky who won several stages at RNÓ echoed Downey’s remarks, noting “this race brings not only a competitive atmosphere but also a social aspect, allowing people from all over the country get together for an entertaining weekends racing!”.
All information required (including entry forms and routes) can be found on droghedawheelers.ie, @RASNANOG on Twitter, Drogheda Wheelers Facebook Page or from Race Director, Gearóid Campbell on +353862739808 or by email at gearoidcampbell1@gmail.com.
We look forward to seeing you at Rás na nÓg (Sponsored by Škoda Ireland) for 2019, April 13th and 14th in Bellewstown Racecourse.

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Boyne GP 2019

The Boyne GP will take place on Sunday, 24th March. Deta6 are as follows:

Sign on from 9.00am in Ryan’s Pub Gormanlough (6kms from Slane on the R163 Kells Road)

Race Programme
10.30 – A2 race 7 x laps (84km)
10.33 – A4 race 5 x laps (60km)
12.45 – A1 race 8 x laps (96km)
12.48 – A3/Jun race 6 x laps (72km)

For further information contact Gerard on 086-8192205/gercampbell1@hotmail.com.

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Rás na nÓg 2019

Rás na nÓg 2019 will take place this year on April 13th & 14th from our home at Bellewstown Race Course.

The event comprises three stages:

  • Saturday Stage 1 : Bellewstown Short Crit Circuit.
  • Saturday Stage 2 : Bellewstown Circuit.
  • Sunday Stage 3 : Cooperhill / Crufty / R150 Circuit.

For route maps click here

Entry forms can be downloaded by clicking on the link below.

https://droghedawheelers.ie/rasnanog/RasNanOg2019EntryForm.pdf

Further details will appear here when available.

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