TQ Two Day - NE

Ireland, October 5-6, 2002

2001 Results Stage List Preview Past winners

The Stages

Stage 1 - October 5: Sports Link Airport Rd, Santry Road Race, 64 km
Stage 2 - October 5: Time Trial, 2 km
Stage 3 - October 6: Sports Link, Airport Rd, Santry Road Race, 70 km

Preview

TQ Two Day all set to go

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

How their male counterparts must be green with envy that the ladies are staging a two-day three-stage event this weekend. Of course the support of TQ Papers makes life easy to run this event so late in the year, when the domestic scene has been done and dusted for nearly a month.

According to Susan O'Mara a former winner of this race, "a good turnout is expected, say in the region of 40 or 50 competitors. Naturally we are relying on home scene matching the number of visitors who have intimated travelling arrangements to the race that is now gaining credibility in Europe and further afield. Naturally the event held up with numbers last year, because, the season didn't start on time because of the Foot and Mouth Disease. All I need is good weather," said Susan.

Ester van Der Helm, last year's overall winner from Holland looks like repeating her success. She has a very balanced squad, which should see getting back-to-back wins. Germany's RG-Berlin Charlottenburg are listed as well as a number of English teams

The Irish team led by Louise Moriarty looks formidable on paper and the inclusion of Susan O'Mara will bring balance to the team. Initially Susan was not a member but the withdrawal of Tarja Owens because of other commitments is a blow to the organisers of the race, Dublin Wheelers who were hopeful of a local win. Tarja operates on the European circuit and her wealth of competition in the heartland of Europe would have been a significant bonus.

The event gets under way on Saturday morning with a 64 km road race, (8x8 km laps) starting at Sports Link Airport Rd, Santry at 11 o'clock.

Past winners

2001 Esther van der Helm (Netherlands)
2000 Julie Hooper (Women's Cycle Racing Association)
1999 Louise Jones (Rudy Project)
1998 Claire Moore (Irish Road Club) 
1997 Susan O'Mara (Dublin Wheelers)
1996 Angela Hunter (New Brighton)
1995 Helena Kinsella (Dublin Wheelers)
1994 Marie Purvis (Isle of Man)
1993 Claire Moore (Tipperary)
1992 Claire Moore (Tipperary)