Orwell's Sandra Telford once again showed her sprinting prowess by winning the bunch gallop to take fine second place at the National League race in Bohermeen on Sunday, while Junior rider Rachel Kaye Mellor underlined her ability to mix it with the Seniors by taking seventh. Two A4s netted their first placings of the season - David Halpin finished 5th in the A4 race on Sunday, and Neil Whelan got an unplaced prize at Mondello on Tuesday.

The women's race was won by former Orwell rider Anne Dalton. Riding for the new DID team, Dalton launched a strong attack on the final lap to solo to victory. The rest of the peloton were left to contest a bunch sprint on a tough uphill finish, with Telford launching her sprint early and opening up a gap on her rivals before kicking again to hold off the surge of Amy Brice, Fran Meehan and Caroline Ryan. U16 National Champion Rachel Kaye Mellor put in an impressive showing at the finish and moved up through the charging bunch to net seventh place.

The Women's National League continues to attract record turnouts and Sunday's field was not only big, but one of unprecedented talent. Among those lining up on the start line a quick tally included one current track world champion, two masters track world champions, one National Champion, four Irish representative riders, five National development squad riders, three Paralympic tandem pilots, seven Leinster representatives and one Munster representative.

Given the quality on show the pace of the race was fierce and the Orwell team was once again very active, sending riders up the road to establish breaks and bridge across to moves, following a plan established by team manager Eddie Lynch. Orla Hendron, Lucy Soden, Ciara Kinch, Isabel Cogan, Charlotte McDonald and Monica Marconi were all part of early moves to animate the race.

The most successful break of the day was established when Soden launched an attack with 20km to go. She was joined by Ciara Kinch, Amy Brice (DID Electrical), Martina Cronin (Iverk Carrick) and Janine McNally (North Down). When this break was eventually reeled back Dalton saw her opportunity and made her move. With a strong team behind her controlling the pace of the bunch and tired legs all round it was to be the decisive move of the day.

Meanwhile in the A4 race, Orwell’s David Halpin put in a fearless performance to get up in sprint finish contested by a massive bunch, getting himself fifth place. That earns Halpin his first points, and we'll be expecting more to follow! The A1/A2 race saw Orwell's Dan Whiting riding strongly to get into an early break, which was later caught when Conor Murphy (Eurocycles) dragged the bunch across to them.

On Tuesday night the www.bikeworks.ie league held their opening Mondello crit. Held in pleasant srping conditions, the race came together with about three laps to go. Neil Whelan finished well up at the close after a sometimes hairy race to grab first unplaced A4, his first result of the season.

Nonetheless, it was the Orwell women who truly shone this week, and we wish the best of luck to any taking part in the Bedford 3 Day this weekend, whatever jersey they're wearing!

Waller Cup (A1/2)

1 Cormac Clarke (Newry Wheelers)
2 Neill Delahaye (DID Dunboyne)
3 Craig Sweetman (Stamullen M Donnelly)
4 Eoin Morton (UCD CC)
5 Conor Murphy (Eurocycles)
6 Paul Kennedy (Swords)
7 Stephen O’Sullivan (DID Dunboyne)
8 Conor McCallister (Chainreaction)

Unplaced A2s

Steven Murray (Dungarvan)
Drew McKinley (Newry Wheelers)
Ciaran O’Conluain (UCD CC)
Geoff Sheelin (SDCC)
James Davenport (SDCC)
Shaun Rigley (SDCC)
Steven Enright (Garda CC)
Derek Cunningham (Bray Wheelers)
Sean McKenna (UCD CC)

A3 Race

1 Kieran Campbell (Drogheda Wheelers)
2 Tony Bougre (Galway Bay)
3 Michael Devins (Eire Og)
4 Graham Thomas (Lucan)
5 Sean McInerney (Galway Bay)
6 Michael Lennon (Lucan)

A4 Race

1 Luke Highland (Keenan CC)
2 David Farrell (Longford CC)
3 Anthony Harper (Wexford Wheelers)
4 Val Gargan (Cuchulainn CC)
5 David Halpin (Orwell Wheelers)
6 Thomas Duffy (Lucan CC)
7 Andrew McGuinness (Garda CC)
8 Andrew Waters (Garda CC)

McHugh Cup
Joe Daly Cycles' Women's Nat. League R3

1 Anne Dalton (DID Women’s Racing Team)
2 Sandra Telford (Orwell Wheelers)
3 Amy Brice (DID Women’s Racing Team)
4 Francine Meehan (Aquablue)
5 Caroline Ryan (Garda CC)
6 Sandra Fitzgerald (Garda CC)
7 Rachel Kaye Meller (Orwell Wheelers)
8 Emma Walsh (DCC)

Mondello

1 Aidan Crowley DID Dunboyne)
2 John Lynch Murphy Surveys)
3 Dave Reilly South Dublin cc)
4 Dave O Connor Park Wheelers)
5 Alan Burke Murphy Surveys)
6 Eugene Murtagh Lucan CC)

Unplaced A3s

1 Fergus Whelan (Adamstown CC)
2 Niall Sommers (South Dublin CC)

Unplaced A4s

1 Neil Whelan (Orwell Wheelers)
2 David Farrell (Longford CC)