Anytime DUCC has locked horns with UCD, we have always been the underdogs. They had more and stronger riders. However, this time would be different. With three of our finest riders for the championship race, Bennett Thomson, Dermot Cooney and Mark Donnelly-Orr, we were in a position to put up a dauntless fight. In the challenge event, we have the pride of introducing one of our new riders, Paul Mannix to the peloton.
On the 11th October 2014, the All-Ireland Intervarsity Cycling Road Race Championships took place in Corkagh Park, Clondalkin, where a cycling specific track would determine the champion. The course consisted of a 1.3km circuit, which was pan flat except for a very slight drag coming over the finish line. Other than that it was a great track with perfect road quality, safe corners and sharp and sweeping turns.
The challenge race consisted of 30 minutes of racing and another three laps. Paul entered the challenge race as his first time racing, and only riding with us for a couple of weeks. We were all eager to see what this new and promising rider could do after him putting many of us to shame in the hills using a commuter bike.
This race can be summed into a few words, jaw dropping. Never have our jaws dropped at the sight of the effort of a single rider on the domestic scene. Mannix changed that precedent. Straight from the gun, he put in a savage attack into the peloton. At first, they didn’t perceive him as a threat. But after six or seven minutes of racing, people started to try and bridge to Mannix. After a few laps, they failed. Within five laps of the finish, he lapped the field, and all he had to do was sit in and wait, he had already won. However, this wasn’t enough for him. In the DUCC tradition of putting on a show, he moved to the front and continued to put on the hurt. He did all this in runners, and not cleats, which further had the spectators (riders waiting for the start of the championship race) standing in shock and awe.
The challenge race consisted of 30 minutes of racing and another three laps. Paul entered the challenge race as his first time racing, and only riding with us for a couple of weeks. We were all eager to see what this new and promising rider could do after him putting many of us to shame in the hills using a commuter bike.
This race can be summed into a few words, jaw dropping. Never have our jaws dropped at the sight of the effort of a single rider on the domestic scene. Mannix changed that precedent. Straight from the gun, he put in a savage attack into the peloton. At first, they didn’t perceive him as a threat. But after six or seven minutes of racing, people started to try and bridge to Mannix. After a few laps, they failed. Within five laps of the finish, he lapped the field, and all he had to do was sit in and wait, he had already won. However, this wasn’t enough for him. In the DUCC tradition of putting on a show, he moved to the front and continued to put on the hurt. He did all this in runners, and not cleats, which further had the spectators (riders waiting for the start of the championship race) standing in shock and awe.
The Championship event consisted of 45 minutes of racing and another 3 laps on top of that. The championship race comprised of A3, A2 and A1 riders, with UCD coming in overwhelming force of 7 riders. One of these riders being Séan McKenna; the top ranked A1 rider in Ireland. We had no doubt he was he man to beat, but we wouldn’t let that deter us. Racing was fast and aggressive from the gun, with McKenna breaking away early from the peloton to get a solid lead in hoping to lap the field, something DUCC did in the challenge event.
Donnelly-Orr was not satisfied sitting around waiting for McKenna to wear himself out, he had to do something. He and his large frame attacked and began the unrelenting pursuit for McKenna. He entered the all too familiar pain cave in his attempts to intercept McKenna. After a chase that lasted no more than a lap, Donnelly-Orr had him in his sights. The two began to work well together increasing the lead they had over the peloton trying to make a bridge to the breakaway as difficult as possible. Due to McKenna’s immense power, whenever Donnelly got onto his wheel, it didn’t provide much of a respite, he had to stay in the red to keep his wheel. As the remainder of our riders realised what was happening ahead, we then took the role of supressing any attacks from the peloton to give the breakaway the best possible chance of succeeding.
Donnelly-Orr was not satisfied sitting around waiting for McKenna to wear himself out, he had to do something. He and his large frame attacked and began the unrelenting pursuit for McKenna. He entered the all too familiar pain cave in his attempts to intercept McKenna. After a chase that lasted no more than a lap, Donnelly-Orr had him in his sights. The two began to work well together increasing the lead they had over the peloton trying to make a bridge to the breakaway as difficult as possible. Due to McKenna’s immense power, whenever Donnelly got onto his wheel, it didn’t provide much of a respite, he had to stay in the red to keep his wheel. As the remainder of our riders realised what was happening ahead, we then took the role of supressing any attacks from the peloton to give the breakaway the best possible chance of succeeding.
After staying away for about eight laps, he was having difficulty holding McKenna’s wheel, and eventually gave into the fact that he wouldn’t be able to hold off the peloton much longer. Two riders were attempting to bridge to the Donnelly-Orr and McKenna duo. Thomson and Cooney put down the pace to reabsorb the pursuers and subsequently our drifting breakaway rider.
The peloton’s pace eased off and Cooney attacked. Thomson and Donnelly-Orr attempted to stop any further riders from bridging, but one familiar face, Joe Breheny broke through the cracks. Cooney put on a ferocious pace and after a lap of this he was starting to red line, but managed to gap Breheny. He continued to power away and two new riders attacked from the peloton, a UCD and SDCC rider. The two worked well together to bridge to Cooney. Patrick Smith, our race photographer, shouted at Cooney announcing he had another 15 minutes until the 3 laps to go mark. “15 minutes?! How am I going to hold out that long?! I’m already on the limit!” thought Cooney. By the time they were on his wheel, he had eaten 5 seconds into McKenna’s lead. It was a sweet relief that there were two new riders joined the chase to McKenna. In no time, we shed another 2 seconds off his lead, and inside two or three laps, we were on his wheel and now a 4 man breakaway with the peloton half a lap away.
The peloton’s pace eased off and Cooney attacked. Thomson and Donnelly-Orr attempted to stop any further riders from bridging, but one familiar face, Joe Breheny broke through the cracks. Cooney put on a ferocious pace and after a lap of this he was starting to red line, but managed to gap Breheny. He continued to power away and two new riders attacked from the peloton, a UCD and SDCC rider. The two worked well together to bridge to Cooney. Patrick Smith, our race photographer, shouted at Cooney announcing he had another 15 minutes until the 3 laps to go mark. “15 minutes?! How am I going to hold out that long?! I’m already on the limit!” thought Cooney. By the time they were on his wheel, he had eaten 5 seconds into McKenna’s lead. It was a sweet relief that there were two new riders joined the chase to McKenna. In no time, we shed another 2 seconds off his lead, and inside two or three laps, we were on his wheel and now a 4 man breakaway with the peloton half a lap away.
The peloton could see everything that was happening on the exposed circuit. This wasn’t a good thing at all as riders attempted to attack from the peloton. With Cooney in what turned to be the winning break, Thomson and Donnelly-Orr chased down every attack the peloton attempted. Thomson soloed off the front and was followed by another rider, but soon sat up in order to preserve DUCCs chances of a medal. Once they were reabsorbed, the DUCC riders in the peloton stayed to the front riding a controlled pace to enlarge the already difficult gap. This left the peloton to fight for minor placings in the race.
Up in the breakaway, Cooney realised what the two UCD riders were doing. They were trying to wear him out, a difficult feat. Knowing this, he eased the pace in the final lap trying to get them to work, but to no avail. At 300m to go, Cooney launched his attack for the win, hoping to shake UCD off his wheel and prevent him from being boxed in. But what he feared happened. In the final corner, he went in at high speed to keep as much momentum as possible coming out of the corner, UCD cut on his inside, interfering with his line and they rode in for the win, with Cooney coming over the line with 4th.
With the winning break half a lap ahead, one rider went long to snatch 5th place, with the remains of the peloton sprinting for the remaining places. A UCD rider attempted to outsprint Donnelly-Orr for the line, leaving him with 7th place.
Our tactics throughout the race were near perfect with us riding aggressively and aided us in gaining an excellent result for this time of year. From the day, we won the challenge event, and 4th place in the Championship race, so in all a great close to a record breaking season, with riders claiming over 5 wins throughout.
Dermot Cooney & Mark Donnelly-Orr
(Photos courtesy of Patrick Smith & Ian Richardson)
Up in the breakaway, Cooney realised what the two UCD riders were doing. They were trying to wear him out, a difficult feat. Knowing this, he eased the pace in the final lap trying to get them to work, but to no avail. At 300m to go, Cooney launched his attack for the win, hoping to shake UCD off his wheel and prevent him from being boxed in. But what he feared happened. In the final corner, he went in at high speed to keep as much momentum as possible coming out of the corner, UCD cut on his inside, interfering with his line and they rode in for the win, with Cooney coming over the line with 4th.
With the winning break half a lap ahead, one rider went long to snatch 5th place, with the remains of the peloton sprinting for the remaining places. A UCD rider attempted to outsprint Donnelly-Orr for the line, leaving him with 7th place.
Our tactics throughout the race were near perfect with us riding aggressively and aided us in gaining an excellent result for this time of year. From the day, we won the challenge event, and 4th place in the Championship race, so in all a great close to a record breaking season, with riders claiming over 5 wins throughout.
Dermot Cooney & Mark Donnelly-Orr
(Photos courtesy of Patrick Smith & Ian Richardson)