Orla Hendron capped another characteristically gutsy performance with third place woman in the Trader's Cup Women's race in Dundalk today.

The track specialist's main season goal may lie at the other end of the calendar on the velodrome in Manchester in September but the 2009 World Masters Points Champion never gives less than full value in any race she enters as she demonstrated in the first women's open road race of the year.

While a number of attacks and committed front running came to nought, Hendron had hoarded enough energy for the final kick for the line in which she was bested only by ace mountainbiker Mel Späth (Cycleways) and star Spanish newcomer Sara Ortiz (Black Rose).

Orwell's other representative in the event, Margaret Donnelly, produced her strongest road race performance at open race level to date, being in the thick of the action throughout on a challenging course mapped out by Karl Dolan and his crew from Cuchulainn Cycling Club.  

See the full race report from womenscycling.ie here:-

http://womenscycling.ie/melanie-spath-first-woman-in-dundalks-traders-cup/

Trader's Cup, Dundalk 

Women & A4 Vets 50+
1, Melanie Spath (Cycleways);
2nd – Sara Ortiz (Black Rose);
3rd – Paul Atkinson (Swords CC);
4th – Orla Hendron (DTC Orwell Wheelers);
5th – Geraldine Gill (Bohermeen CC);
6th – Amy Brice (Phoenix CC).