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Markievicz Cup
Collooney, Co., Sligo, April 5, 2003
By Tommy Campbell
In a surprise development, two of Ireland’s leading professional cyclists clashed in the Markievicz Cup in Collooney, Co. Sligo yesterday afternoon. Mark Scanlon back from France on a break opted to contest the event and David O’Loughlin who advised me during last week after his success in England that he would be going to Balbriggan over the weekend.
"The clash was too important to me and I decided to stay to see how I would measure up against Mark who has enjoyed the benefits of the professional peloton," said David.
He was certainly putting his recent successes on the line, five including the Archer in England last weekend. Mark to date has been in superb form helping his team Agr to greater success and putting them in line for a place in the starting line-up of the 100th edition of the Tour de France come July.
According to a spokesman for the club, Eire Og, "it was a pure fluke that both were on hand to participate in the Markievicz." Initially the race was a massed start, but the presence of the two professionals, it was handicapped to more or less give everybody a sporting chance. Mark and David started off last but were quickly into their stride and by half way of the 60-mile race they had the deficit reduced.
With ten miles remaining, they cut loose from the pack. They matched each other as the miles counted down, pedal for pedal, and just when it seemed that the spectators were going to be treated to an almighty sprint, on the edge of Collooney, Mark’s chain slipped with three hundred yards to go. Thus handing the advantage to David who made no mistake in notching his fifth success of the season in six starts. Yesterday, whilst it was obvious that both cyclists were in superb form, the doubts will remain, if Mark could have pushed him David all the way?
Results, 60 miles
1 David O’Loughlin (Ofoto Lombardia); 2 M. Scanlon (Ag2r) 3 P. Mulligan (Cranogue) 4 B. Behan (Cycleways/Lee Strand CC) 5 S. Grey (Harp CC) 6 A. Dean (Total Cycle.com)
