Irish National Time Trial Championships - CNCastlebar, Ireland, August 18, 2001McCann blitzes in CastlebarBy Tommy Campbell, Irish Independent/Evening Herald/Sunday Independent An overcast sky in Castlebar, Co. Mayo was the setting for the national time trial championships yesterday morning. Certainly the promoting club, Mayo Wheelers had done their homework as the courses for the championship were indeed sporting to say the least. Also another plus was the support of the Mayo County Council who got behind the event with sponsorship, which aided and abetted the smooth organisation behind them. Once the name of David McCann appeared on the entry list, it was who was going to be second. David is part of a professional outfit, CCC-Matt in Poland, and it was evident on the start line that he was carrying no extra weight. From the off he set a brisk pace with speeds getting up to 60 km/h on the fast part of the course. When he turned inland on the triangular course he dropped off the pace but when he crossed the finishing line he had averaged a speed of 44.8 km/h for the test. "Conditions were ideal and lack of traffic was a blessing in disguise. You had what wind there was coming at you from different angles which balanced out at the finish," said David and being told that he had the title in the bag. The 28 year-old Belfast pro has now titles to show off this year. Back in June he was the winner of the road race championship, which was held, virtually in his backyard. Paul Kane was awarded the silver but he was three minutes plus off McCann, with Paul Healion in third place. Paul was the millennium winner, which in itself is unique. He also got the team prize along with David Peelo and Colm Bracken. The ladies prize went to Susan O'Meara who this season is beginning to show her best form. Susan in the past has won many titles but this was sweet because it has been a long time coming this season. Jim Cassidy a police escort motorcyclist with the Garda Siochana came up trumps in the veteran section. Jim has often done escort duty for the cyclists and when he went to receive his award from John Ferguson of the Mayo Wheelers he got a rousing reception. Last week he was support act in the Stena Line Junior Tour for the Irish team, but John O'Shea reaped the benefits when he won the junior title. A name familiar to all cycling fans all over the world is Stephen Roche, but maybe his son Nicholas has started out on the trail. He was placed second and admitted to me that he intends getting selected on the Irish Junior team for the worlds in Portugal. He is in Ireland for the next couple of weeks, hoping to impress the selectors. One feels now, that he has accomplished this and will return to his home in Nice. The town of Castlebar has come on in leaps and bounds in the last number of years. It was evident yesterday that they see sport and the entourage that follows it as good for business. Vying with the cyclists this weekend were the fishermen. Both sets of competitors looking for catches.
Elite Men - 40 km1 David McCann (CCC Mat) 55.28 2 Paul Kane (Northern Dave Kane) 3.13 3 Paul Healion (Classic Walls-Usher IRC) 3.25 4 Jonathan Dempsey (Northern Dave Kane) 4.28 5 Edward O'Donoghue (Cidona Carrick) 4.43 6 R. Hamilton (Maryland Wheelers) 4.55 Team: Usher IRC (Healion, Colm Bracken, Dave Peelo) Junior Men - 30 km1 J. O'Shea (Carrick Cidona) 49.40 2 N. Roche (Orwell Weelers) 0.30 3 M. Conncannon (Killorglin CreditUnion) 1.08 Women - 30 km1 S. O'Mara (Team Extran) 57.30 2 D. Booth (Dave Kane Cycles) 0.38 3 S. Rafferty (Phoenix CC) 0.40 Veterans - 30 km1 J. Cassidy (Motorway Garda CC) 50.30 2 J. Cole (Phoenix CC) 1.32 3 R. Maxwell (Orchard Wheelers CC) 1.45 Thanks also to cycling4all.com |