Boyne and Kenny show class at Mount Temple Midland League

The Midland League is now well under way with six of the 16 rounds complete and already Lakeside Wheelers members have made a big impact.

Round 4 was hosted by Shannonside CC in Mount Temple and was the first race for John Boyne since his return from Australia but he was obviously keeping in shape and the jet lag didn’t affect him too much.

John was the clear winner of the B category race and crossed the line in great style. He was followed closely by Ian Kenny, who finished in 3rd, continuing a run of form that would soon prove too good for the rest of the MiL riders. Mike McCafferky and Paul Cronin also had good performances in this round.

Round 5 hosted by Tullamore CC was staged on the Kilbeggan circuit and once again John Boyne took the honours in the B event for Lakeside Wheelers. This was another fine ride by John and a great boost for the club.

The A category race in Kilbeggan saw Neil McDermott claim the 3rd step of the podium with Lifetime club member, Aoife O’Brien, who was home for a quick visit, finishing 4th. Aoife is currently riding the Women’s Tour of Britain and is more than holding her own against some of the best female riders in the world.

Finally, for this MiL roundup, Round 6 was hosted by Longford CC and as referenced above, this was Ian Kenny’s night as he took his very first win. Ian rode excellently, coming home the clear winner of the B race completing a Lakeside Wheelers hat-trick in this race after John Boyne’s double in the previous two rounds.

However, Ian’s was not the only win for Lakeside Wheelers in Longford as Norman Blakeley claimed the top step in the C race which is just reward for him as Norman puts a lot of work in. Another hard worker, Ali Alsmawib got 3rd in this race with 4th going to PJ Carey.

Richie Lenehan took a fine 3rd in the A race finishing off a great night’s work for Lakeside Wheelers. Well done to all riders who represented the club so well, especially to those tasting success for the first time.

Thanks to all members who helped out with marshalling and driving duties during these opening rounds and hopefully the MiL will continue to enjoy some more dry weather throughout the summer.

Thanks also to Paul Murtagh for compiling these results. In open racing the Emyvale GP was staged on June 1st and Lakeside Wheelers was represented in this promotion by Stuart Cox. The C1/C2 categories were split with Stuart setting off with the C2’s who had a small handicap over the C1s.

Unusually, the handicappers got it fractionally wrong with the C2 group managing to stay clear of the chasers on this occasion and Stuart had a fine race finishing strongly with the bunch just outside the top 10.

Neil McDermott travelled to Cong, Mayo last Sunday to participate in the Brian O’Loughlin Memorial Race, where he finished 16th in the C2 event. Well done to the two lads who are regulars on the open racing scene for Lakeside Wheelers.

Sunday spins

The weekend spins are attracting big numbers of late, which is great to see, and especially with practically everyone turning out in club kit.

Last Sunday, both the A and B groups went in similar directions, but the Bs stopped in the comfortable surroundings of Tullynally Castle on their 90km route, while the As were a little less posh, opting for the petrol station in Edgeworthstown at the 70km mark into their 100km spin.

The A group had all the big hitters out fresh from their strong showing at the recent MiL evenings and this was reflected in the pace on the day. Both groups enjoyed dry weather despite a dodgy forecast which was a bonus.

Wednesday spins from the clubhouse at 6.30pm throughout the summer.

Get well soon

Best wishes and a speedy recovery to Mossie Keane and Ian Kenny, who are both nursing injuries at the moment. Hopefully we see you both back on the bike as soon as you are healthy.

Sprocket Rocket 2025

Don’t forget the 2025 Sprocket Rocket programme, which started on Monday, June 9, in Belvedere House and Gardens at 6.30pm. It runs for 10 Mondays, excluding the August bank holiday, till August 18.

Sprocket Rocket is open to all boys and girls aged 4-12 years and is a fun way to introduce kids to cycling in a safe environment.

Please note that bikes and helmets are not provided and are necessary and all parents must stay on site for the duration of the sessions.