cycle race – Neil Hodges

On Patrick’s Day the Tom Sheehan Memorial A3 and Junior Race was run over five laps of a 20KM circuit near Carrick on Suir. It is a classic race that has been won by some illustrious riders, including the current top man, Sam Bennett. To get there from Allihies is a 550KM round trip, so we left on Saturday and stayed in Blarney with some friends. Neil deliberately missed a race on Saturday as he wasn’t feeling his best on Friday, deciding instead to save himself for the Tom Sheehan event. This turned out to be a wise choice as he subsequently went on to win the Tom Sheehan race in fine style. A break went away on lap one and it got a two minute lead before anybody seemed to feel the need to chase. The break was eventually caught though and on the start of the last lap Neil and four other riders broke away.

On the last corner coming into the steep uphill finish, Neil powered on and came home with a good few bike lengths for First place. Neil needed fifth place in the race to move up to an A2 race license. Neil now has 19 points from his two races this year. His next race will be with the A1 and A2 riders so it will be longer and faster. A great start to the season.

The first four in the winning break were

Neil Hodges Killarney CC
Alex Sparrow Bandon CC
Bernard Sweeney Killorglin CC
Conor Coleman Panduit Carrick Wheelers

The chase starts to get the leading break

Some reworked photos of the race

Neil now has 19 points from his two races this year. His next race will be with the A1 and A2 riders so it will be longer and faster. A great start to the season.

Tom Sheehan Memorial A3 and Junior Race

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West Cork had a good showing at the traditional end of season Charleville 2 day stage race.
The main A2/A3 race took place over two days and three stages. On Saturday there was an 80km road race where Neil was 24 seconds behind the winner, but importantly at the same time as nearly every other rider. On Sunday morning the 6KM time trial was run and Neil was in the top twenty times.

Watch a short video here….

Charleville two Day Stage race 2018

Neil, Jeremy Canty and Tom Shanahan at the end of the race.

Stage three was a tough climbers circuit of 90KM and Neil went hard on the climbs and ended up in a three man break. They had a 38 second lead at the end and importantly the third place rider Tom Shanahan from Limerick was two seconds slower than Neil which meant that Neil was the winner on General Classification by only one second.

Bad Weather, break is set up, photo Sean Rowe

Second place but GC won, photo Sean Rowe

The rider who won the stage was Jeremy Canty from Bantry riding for Bandon Cycling Club.

Joan and Dan Curtin, Tom O’Connor, Neil, Richie Hodges, Cian Leahy and Conor?

In the A4 race Den Bat O’Sullivan was in the winning team for the race, De Ronde Cycling club from Cork city.

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