Results and Reports for October 6 - 7, 2001

Ireland

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Dublin, October 6-7, 2001

Stage 1 - Ocober 6: Santry - Santry, 75 km

By Tommy Campbell, Irish Independent/Evening Herald/Sunday Independent

Conditions were far from ideal for the first stage of the TQ Ladies International Two-Day close to capital city of Ireland, Dublin, yesterday. It was obvious that the high and squally showers suited the Dutch ladies who head up the general classification leaderboard. In pole position is Esther van der Helm who held off the challenge of Judith Helmink both of Holland with best of the Irish representing the Ulster Cycling Federation, Mary Boyd in third place.

The lap circuit of 8 kilometres at the back of Dublin Airport had the field virtually intact for most of the eight laps because of the conditions. On the run in to the finish a group of 20 detached themselves from the main peloton and in a hectic bunch sprint it was Esther van der Helm who took over the race leader's jersey. Fortunately she has a good team, which should reinforce her will to come on top when the race finishes tomorrow.

Results

1 Esther van der Helm (Holland)     1.48.39
2 Judith Helmink (Holland)
3 Mary Boyd (Ulster Cycling Federation)
4 Ramona Henricks (Germany)
5 Julie Hill (Cycleways)
6 Cheryl Owens (Surrey)

Stage 2 - Ocober 6: Santry - Santry, 75 km

By Shane Stokes, Irishcycling.com

Irish rider Susan O'Mara displayed good form in advance of next week's world championships when she won the second stage of the TQ Paper ladies 2 day race this afternoon. O'Mara recorded a time of 3 minutes 20 seconds to beat Dutch rider Esther van der Helm by 3 seconds in the 2 km time trial, and would undoubtedly have enjoyed a greater margin of victory had she not been delayed by a car obstructing her on the course.

Indeed this delay probably cost her the yellow jersey. Van der Helm had profited from a five seconds bonus for winning the opening stage this morning and was quick enough to retain two seconds of that overall lead.

"It is pity not to take yellow, but that might prove to my advantage tomorrow," said O'Mara, who won the race in 1997. She also won the time trial on that occasion, and will no doubt hope that history will repeat itself vis-à-vis the final overall result.

The TQ Paper international race concludes tomorrow with a hilly 78 kilometre stage based around Stamullen and the Naul

Results

1 Susan O'Mara (Team Letchworth/Extran) 3.20
2 Esther van der Helm (Holland)         0.02.93
3 A. Dolan (Cycleways)                  0.05.13
4 G. McDarby (Leinster)                 0.05.42
5 C. Beard (West Thames)                0.08.69
6 V. Frith (Cottingham Coureurs RT)     0.08.94

General classification after stage 2

1 Esther van der Helm (Holland)
2 Susan O'Mara (Team Letchworth/Extran) 0.02
3 A. Dolan (Cycleways)                  0.08
4 G. McDarby (Leinster)
5 C. Beard (West Thames)                0.11
6 V. Frith (Cottingham Coureurs RT)

Stage 3 - Ocober 7: Road Race, 72 km

Report #1

By Shane Stokes, Irishcycling.com

Overnight leader Esther van der Helm today underlined her dominance of this year's TQ Paper ladies two day event when she won the final stage, a hilly 72 kilometre race over roads around Stamullen and the Naul. Van der Helm and her Netherlands team mates successfully fended off repeated attacks by closest challenger Susan O'Mara (Letchworth Extran), whose determined efforts on the day's climbs earned her the consolation of victory in the Queen of the Mountains title.

While O'Mara was unable to open up any distance between herself and van der Helm, the time bonuses at the finish did offer her one last chance to overhaul her two second deficit. But van der Helm's impressive finishing kick, which had netted her victory on the opening leg of the race, proved enough once again to ensure she crossed the line first, take the five second bonus on offer, and the final yellow and green jerseys.

Second on the stage went to Vanessa Frith (Cottingham Coureurs), with Van Der Helm's faithful team-mate Judith Helmink placing third. O'Mara was next home of the group, disappointed to lose out in the sprint but content that she did everything possible to try to repeat her 1997 victory in the race.

"It is great to win", said a smiling, mud-splattered van der Helm. "Susan (O'Mara) gave me a really hard time on the hills today but I kept dragging her back. I was worried beforehand as I had heard she is a good climber. I normally don't mind a bit of climbing but there are no real hills in Holland and today's were pretty steep."

"My team were of great help, especially Judith (Helmink). She is the perfect team-mate, she was really helpful and dragged everything back. In the end it worked out well, but Susan rode a very good race."

O'Mara was similarly complementary. "The yellow jersey was just too strong today", she said. "I felt good and attacked over all the climbs but she was probably the next strongest and was able to get up to me each time. We got a gap on the other riders on a few occasions, but she didn't work with me and it closed up again."

Still, O'Mara will be content with second overall, the Queen of the Mountains prize, and the knowledge that she is going to next week's world championships in good form. She also has the boost of seeing the TQ Paper two day - which she helps organize - thrive this year after foot-and-mouth concerns saw it moved from its April timeslot. "We might keep it at this time of the year from now on,'"she admits, "as it worked out very well. It was a good race, everyone seems to have enjoyed it and there was a big increase in the number of Irish girls racing."

Enthusiasm which was echoed by national ladies squad manager Pauline McKay. "I was very happy with the Irish girls, there was a lot of new faces in the race and they all did encouragingly well. I am also very happy with the Leinster team - Gillian McDarby was fourth in the time trial and fifth overall, and a number of other girls did better than expected. It is a good sign for women's cycling in Ireland."

Report #2

By Tommy Campbell, Irish Independent/Evening Herald/Sunday Independent

Unlike their Dutch counterparts who failed to dislodge Ireland on the playing fields at football in the World Cup soccer competition, cyclist Esther van der Helm showed maturity beyond her years when she won outright the TQ Ladies Two-Day International event held over the weekend in Dublin.

Esther opened the proceedings on Saturday with a fine stage win and in between had to accept Susan O'Mara taking the kudos in the individual time trial.

Yesterday it was back to the open roads around the village of Ballyboughal where the 20-year-old from Rotterdam laid the markers for another stage win.

The 72 kilometre stage was held over roads, which were far from smooth and not to the liking of the peloton. There was intense action during the final stage and Esther was well in command of all that was going around her as her main threats threw down the gauntlet to dislodge her from the top of the leader board.

Towards the end it came down to a select group who etched ahead of the main pack who suffered as the kilometres counted down towards the end of the race.

In the sprint to the line it was Helm who won looking around as her companions more or less had succumbed to the intelligent manoeuvres of the petite lady from Holland who had steadfastly refused to allow into the race leader's jersey.

"It is my biggest success to date since I left the junior ranks number of years ago. Hopefully I will come back and defend the title and also I would like to acknowledge the work of the organisers."

Speaking on behalf of the sponsors, TQ Paper, Baldoyle, "Yes I was pleased with the standard of the race which has been growing since we took the sponsorship over a number of years ago. If we are still in business next year and I don't doubt for a moment we'll be back with the sponsorship," said Terry Quinlan.

Results

1 Ester van der Helm (Holland)             2.09.29
2 Vanessa Frith (Cottingham Coureurs)
3 Judith Helmink (Holland)
4 Susan O'Mara (Team Letchworth Extran)
5 Leda Ray (West Thames)
6 Ramona Henrichs (Germany Radsport)
 
Final general classification
 
1 Ester van der Helm (Holland)             4.01.20
2 Susan O'Mara (Team Letchworth Extran)       0.08
3 Vanessa Frith (Cottingham Coureurs)         0.13
4 Angela Dolan (Cycleways)                    0.16
5 Gillian McDarby (Leinster)
6 Judith Helmink (Holland)                    0.17

Previous results from Ireland