A member of Seven Springs Cycling Club in Galway set a new Irish Men’s Masters record for a 10-mile time-trial yesterday. Eoin Whelan set an incredible time of 18 minutes 39 seconds for the test in Hull, which was an average speed of 52.1 kilometres per hour.

Whelan was fastest on the day in a field of 150 riders, finishing 12 seconds ahead of the second-placed finisher. He beat the existing Irish record of 19’17” which had been set by John Madden. The new record is set to be ratified by Cycling Ireland at their next board meeting.

The event was the Hull City Road Club Open 10 mile TT and it was on the same course where Bradley Wiggins tried to break the 10 mile world record two years ago which had been set by Alex Dowsett. Wiggins missed out on the record having set a time of 17’58”.

“I was over in Leeds with work on Friday and made the trip across to Hull on Saturday to do the TT,” Whelan explained. “I knew from reading about Wiggins’s attempt that it was a fast course and I could have a chance at breaking John Madden’s national Masters record of 19.17 which he set in 2014. My previous best for 10 mile was 20.14 but that was on a fairly undulating and course.”

The weather on Saturday was quite poor. It was raining all day and a strong wind was blowing. I didn’t think the record was going to be possible. But while I was warming up, the rain stopped and the wind died down a little and gave me a bit more confidence.”

“For the first five miles, I had the wind on my back and was pushing a 55 x 12 all the way. I knew the record was on when I sent through the turnaround point in 9 minutes. But the return leg was into a headwind with a few drags for good measure. I knew I had slowed down but kept pushing and crossed the line in 18.39.”

“I already hold the place to place record for Galway to Limerick which I set in 2014, so it’s nice to have a 2nd record to my name.”

16 COMMENTS

    • Yeah those courses are lightning fast. I know a person that popped over last year and took well over a minute off their normal times. By that reckoning I’d be around a 19….but 18 is some ride.

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