Anthony Crosby and Aiden Delaney go 1 – 2 in Traders Cup

Sunday last saw the annual Traders Cup run off in atrocious conditions, with the riders taking a battering from the wind, rind and cold. Despite this well over 100 hearty souls braved the conditions and pinned on their numbers for one of the first races of the season.

Cuchulainn CC were straight into the think of the action when in the supporting A4 race the club took an impressive first and second with Anthony Crosby and Aidan Delaney respectively. The pair were part of a group of 8 riders that broke away from the main field on the Ardee road, riding straight into the strong wind. The group worked well together and stayed away until the finish line with Crosby taking the sprint ahead of Delaney and Stephen O’Glesby of Clondalkin CC in third place.

In the main event the race was run on a handicap basis with 3 groups going off, lead by the A3s. The A1s quickly set about catching the A2s and 3s, having done so before Dunleer, however a group of A3 riders had pulled clear. On the link road across to Ardee the main bunch split into 3 and eventually the first of these 3 bunches swept up the breakaway A3 riders. On the run in towards the finish Daragh Zidan of Adamstown CC broke away to take a solo victory. Daragh was a very good junior, representing Ireland a number of times and is now concentrating on international track racing. Next home was Eoin Mortan of UCD followed by Ken Tobin of Bikeworx in 3rd.

In the women’s event it was another dominating display for Eve McCrystal, whom repeated the script of last year when she proved too strong for everyone else and rode away to take a solo win.

Cuchulainn Cycling Club would like to thank all those involved in the organising and especially to the 60 plus marshals who stood out in the rain ensuring a safe event. St. Joseph’s GAA Club in Dromiskin was a welcome sight after the race for the riders to get a hot soup and sandwich.