Cycleways’ Melanie Spath took the win of the women & +50 A4 men race held today in Dundalk as part of the Traders Cup.

A field of sixteen including three men took the start in drizzly conditions. Once racing was underway the rain abated and the attacks begun but were chased down by the small bunch almost immediately each time. The group was still together at the end of the first 17.5km lap but Phoenix CC’s Amy Brice successfully managed to split the bunch on the on the hilliest part of the course the second time around. Eight women and one of two men were on the right side of the split leaving 5 riders behind. This lead group split again on the final lap when Melanie Spath, Amy Brice, Sandra Fitzgerald and Orla Hendon broke away. The remnants of the bunch reorganised and the four were caught just in time for a bunch sprint to decide the winner.

Today’s winner Melanie told womenscycling.ie she was delighted to see such strong group of girls turning up at today’s race.

“From the start I had decided to save my legs for the sprint, so I sat in and stayed patient for most of the race. Only in the last lap when Sara Ortiz attacked I bridged across, and Sandra Fitzgerald and Amy Brice joined us too but we got caught again shortly later.”

“It came down to a bunch sprint and with an unintentional lead-out from Paul Atkinson I managed to cross the line first. All this leg saving and being patient paid off!”

The race proved to be a good way to start the season and an opportunity to test the legs before the beginning of the women’s national and classic leagues. The bunch was relatively small but the quality was high however opinion was divided about the inclusion of men in what would otherwise have been a women-only race.

A shadow was cast on the race by the fall of Sandra Fitzgerald, 2011 National League winner, who came down in a crash about 300 meters from the finish as the bunch came to the final gallop. No news yet as to her condition or the extent of her injury but the best wishes of all of us at womenscycling.ie go out to her.

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

By Caroline Martinez