It seems like there's no off-season in Irish cycling, only the 'cross season! New club kit rep Michael Hanley takes us through his DCCX Punchestown experience below!

The 2015 Joe Daly Cycles National League opened in Blarney last Sunday, and Orwell took home a tremendous result - racing sophomore Ann Horan taking the bunch gallop for 2nd behind National Champion Fiona Meade. She takes us through the race below!

The weekend was a busy one despite the lack of a St Patrick's Day race, and a very successful one - with two top ten finishes and a magnificent 6th overall for Tom Blennerhassett in Rás Maigh Eo, and Philippe Bourdarias taking 4th on the final stage. In Slane, Orla Hendron stayed out of trouble in the women's race to take 4th, and Mark Mulcahy earned 5th in the A4s. Off-road, the club had two top ten finishes in Ticknock with Jamal Ahmed and Eric Downey.

The June bank holiday saw Orwell riders in action both on the track and on the road, in racing and leisure, with two standout performances in Isabel Cogan's excellent victory at the Boyne GP, and Brian McArdle's superb stage win in the Rás Dhún na nGall. Plenty of other Orwell riders scooped prizes, most notably Orla Hendron who was second overall at the Duane Delaney GP.

Aideen Keenan notched up her most dominant win yet, soloing to victory in Clonmel at the weekend, ahead of the bunch gallop, which was taken by a flying Rachael Kaye-Mellor. Keenan followed that up with a tight second in Corkagh Park, which was also the scene of Helen Horan's début win from the B group! And last Thursday Conor Murnane pipped Arek Pierozynski for an excellent win R18 of the league on Dorey's Forge. Some men also raced in the Suir Valley 3 Day.

The long anticipated road race round of the Orwell StickyBottle.com Women’s Crit League featured a powerful rainstorm last night, as Towers CC’s Lisa Darley-Ronan took the win from teammate Eimear O’Reilly in a race dominated by the B group.

Breda Horan gives us an account of the second round of the Dublin City Cyclocross Race in Kilruddery, Bray. Once again a women's only race was held and Orwell was represented by Naoise and Breda.

The last two rounds of the club league had a eerily familiar feel to them, with Brian McArdle taking a fine solo win at Mondello last week, and Dick O'Brien and Aideen Keenan demolishing their respective fields in the 10TT Championships last night. Conor Murnane was also crowned Junior 10TT Champion - the first time that title has been awarded in a quarter-century.

An early evening deluge cleared for a perfect night's testing, as Dick O'Brien sealed another club championship in the face of stiff competition from Brian McArdle. Aideen Keenan took top honours for the women, while Sean Murnane and Naoise Sheridan set records for their categories.

Update: now with photo link.

In a sign that CX is really taking off within the club, we have not one, not two, but three individual reports from the three races that took place last Sunday on Glencullen's greens. Breda Horan, Michael Hanley and Eric Downey all take us through their days: two of them scored 9th, and one a DNF - find out which below!

A contingent of ten Orwell Wheelers competed in the third round of the Fixx Cyclocross Series on Sunday. Valdis Andersons talks us through his second cyclocross race since getting the bug, and Mike Hanley returns with his regular CX feature!

It was a week for the testers, as the Club 10TT Champs clashed with the Nationals, with some outstanding results in both - Dick O'Brien dominating the former, and Claire McEntee setting a blistering time in the latter. Corkagh Park saw first a Horan haul, then an Orwell clean sweep, while three of the men completed the National Road Race Champs on Sunday.

After catching up with the women's incredible haul of medals, it's time to turn our attention to the feats of the (mostly) men, with Neal Hudson getting on the A2 podium in the Wexford 2 Day, then grabbing gold in the Leinster Hill Climb. Conor Murnane brought home bronze for the Junior cat in that event, while back in Wexford Stephen Barry put in a great hill climb to take 4th in the A4 event. There was also a haul of medals from the track league, thanks to Fionn Sheridan, Stephen McNally, David Swift, Uisneach Sheridan - and also Naoise Sheridan (who obviously doesn't belong in the men's category, but all the medals look well together).

The Easter holidays must've provided plenty of opportunities for resting or training, as the prize winners for the women this week included two teachers and student Naoise Sheridan! From Rás an Laois to the first round of the Women's Crit League, we've got it all below!

Róisin Kennedy once again topped the TT results for the StickyBottle.com Women’s Crit League, but when the dust settled, it was Sandra Fitzgerald who took the overall, while Eimear O’Reilly claimed the B title.

The weather could not have been more different, but Orwell riders brought home the bacon both days last weekend. In Summerhill, Tom Blennerhassett, David Halpin and Brian McNally lit it up on Dorey's Forge, while in Navan Ciara Kinch tore it up for second place, while Juniors Rachael Kaye-Mellor and Naoise Sheridan also took home prizes.

A gang of eight Orwell Wheelers took part in the Leinster Cyclocross Championships on Swords on Sunday.

One set of results which fell through the cracks, but absolutely deserves to be highlighted and showcased are the recent Orwell performances at the Leinster Track Champs. Before heading off to the Worlds, Orla Hendron achieved double silver, but was outdone by Naoise Sheridan who won both silver and gold! Sean Murnane also featured, taking home double bronze! Full details below!

Since our last update from the track, the prizes and medals have been pouring in. Uisneach, Naoise and Fionn Sheridan, Seán and Conor Murnane, alongside Andrew Ryan, David Swift, Daniel McElroy, Dick O'Brien and Eddie Lynch have all been spotted on the boards. Find out how they fared below!

With both the DCCX and Fixx series of Cyclocross races decided, the sport transitions into championship season. The Leinster title has been awarded to Robin Seymour. The Irish National Cyclocross Championships are taking place in Rostrevor on January the 10th. Nestled neatly between these championships is the Orwell Wheelers Cyclocross Championships.