Kelly Murphy (Chapter 2) won the Elite Women’s Irish Time-Trial Championships in Collooney, Co. Sligo yesterday, finishing over one minute clear of last year’s winner Eileen Burns (Ballymena Road Club).
The course used for the time-trial was a 17.5-kilometre rolling loop which included a short climb at the 6-kilometre mark and the riders had to race two laps of the circuit.
Murphy bettered her silver medal from last year, by taking the title in a time of 47.17, finishing 1′ 13″ ahead of Burns. Eve McCrystal (Garda Cycling Club) was 22 seconds adrift of Burns, settling for bronze.
After the race a pleased Murphy said: “I came with a plan – it’s quite a fast course, it looks hilly from the profile, but after riding the course, I knew it would be fast and quite consistent so you can hold a steady power.”
The heat was significant – “The heat knackered all those plans, so it was just a case of getting your head down and going as far as you could. It was a really sweltering hot day today.”
RESULTS
1 Kelly Murphy (Chapter 2) 47:17
2 Eileen Burns (Ballymena Road Club) 48:30
3 Eve McCrystal (Garda Cycling Club) 48:52
4 Lauren Creamer (Brotherton Cycles) 50:50
5 Hilary Hughes (VC Ériu) 51:54
6 Jennifer Bates (Team Gerard-DHL) 53:35
7 Imogen Cotter (VC Ériu) 53:43
8 Jane Wilkinson (Bann Wheelers CC) 54:23
9 Lisa Lamont (MellowVelo Bicyle Cartel) 55:06
10 Laura Campbell (Ballymena Road Club) 55:49
11 Claire Ní Reachtagáin (North Tipperary Wheelers) 57:00
12 Orla Hendron (Scott Orwell Wheelers CC) 57:17
13 Jennifer Neenan (Sundrive Track Team) 58:19
14 Joanne Regan (Ballymena Road Club) 01:00:34
Lydia Gurley (Aerocoach) DNF
