Healion hurries home in Meadowmount
Stephen Roche Grand Prix (incorporating the Irish National Criterium Championships)
Meadowmount, Dundrum, Co. Dublin, 24th June
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With a renowned finishing kick and good form to boot, Paul Healion was always one of the favourites for the National Criterium Championships in Dundrum last night but the South Dublin CC rider impressed the large and enthusiastic crowd by the emphatic manner of his success.
Out front for all but two of the thirty laps of the sun drenched Meadowmount circuit in Ballinteer, Healion and Simon Williams held off a chasing group of three to settle the matter between themselves and in that situation there was only ever going to be one winner.
Healion admitted afterwards that he had been "psyched up" to do a ride in the Orwell Wheelers' Stephen Roche Grand Prix and the extent of his motivation was felt by the quality field as early as the second of thirty laps of the Meadowmount circuit.
Racing clear with Ulstermen Martin Irvine (Curran Racing) and Williams (Juiced Orchard), Healion quickly forged a useful gap which was never pared back despite a late, desperate attempt by Nicholas Roche.
The Protour star's bid to defend his 2008 success in his father's race ultimately fell short but not for the want of trying and the AG2R man will now switch his attention to the second leg of his national title quest in the road race championships in Dunboyne this weekend.
The 24-year-old perhaps eyed a national jersey as a bit of positive PR to send to his French bosses ahead of Sunday evening's deliberations on Tour de France team selection but there was nothing he could do about the impressive sustained power of Healion and Williams who forged on after Irvine returned to the bunch early on.
Irvine had clipped a pedal at the hairpin just as the break was establishing a gap and, while he managed to stay upright, his momentum was badly compromised. Initially concerned about the loss of a third of the break's firepower Healion debated continuing the attack but he and Williams formed a well matched two-up and they decided to continue.
Their advantage never rose much above 20 seconds and hovered at 15 seconds for much of the event but a coordinated chase proved unworkable until Roche, who had been active early on with Brian Ahern (Orwell Wheelers DTC) and Philip Lavery (Winning Solutions) among others, burst free with the irrepressible Irvine and Buggle in the late stages.
Buggle was policing Roche and Irvine on behalf of Healion and his presence in the counter helped the leaders to hold a ten second gap at the bell. Up front Healion opened up enough of a gap in the charge out of the final hairpin to allow him the luxury of a raised arms freewheel in the final metres to crown a night when he and Williams also carved up the primes between them.
Williams was a satisfied silver medal winner while Irvine, ruing the momentary lapse in concentration early in the race, demonstrated his power to take bronze ahead of Buggle and Roche.
The Bunch was led in a few seconds later by Daniel Clifford (Killorglin Credit Union CC) ahead of Ciaran Cassidy (Engraveit.ie) and Mike Reddin (Dublin Wheelers).
Afterwards Healion admitted that the Criterium Championships had been a target for some time. "I've been psyched up about this race for a while," the 31-year-old said. "It's on a circuit that I know well having ridden here many times before.
"I was a little concerned when Martin touched his pedal and dropped back but we decided to press on and it paid off. Simon rode on the front on the main straight and I rode on the back straight and it worked well. He's a young rider with a good future."
Results
1. Paul Healion (SDCC)
2. Simon Williams (Juiced Orchard)
3. Martin Irvine (Curran Racing)
4. Aaron Buggle (SDCC)
5. Nicholas Roche (AG2R)
6. Daniel Clifford (Killorglin Credit Union CC)
7. Ciaran Cassidy (Engraveit.ie)
8. Michael Reddin (Dublin Wheelers)
1st Orwell Wheeler – Brian Ahern
Team Prize: South Dublin CC
Youth Races
UNDER 16
1. Daniel Boyd (Navan Road Club)
2. Daragh Zaidan (Staggs Lucan CRC)
3. Mary Costello (Alliance Environmental)
UNDER 14
1. Craig Arrigan (Orwell Wheelers DTC)
2. Aidan Wall (Navan Road Club)
3. Ciaran Campbell (Navan Road Club)
UNDER 12
1. Ryan Orr (Old Bleach CC)
2. Kayleigh Gibbons (Staggs Lucan CRC)
3. Rachael Kaye-Mellor (Orwell Wheelers DTC)
BEGINNERS' RACE
1. Dervla Ivory (Bray Wheelers)
2. Feargal Sower (Orwell Wheelers DTC)
3. Aine Keogh (Orwell Wheelers DTC)
