Sprocket Rocket and Midland League end in style

With the Midland League and Sprocket Rocket both coming to a conclusion in recent weeks, the 2025 cycling season is slowly drawing to a close. This weekend the club had four riders participating in the National Masters Championships in Emyvale, County Monaghan which is an event that also indicates that the autumn is approaching. There will be news from the National Masters in next week’s notes.

Midland League

The final rounds of the 2025 OE Bikes Midland League (MiL) proved to be very successful for Lakeside Wheelers with both Peter Rimmer and Ian Kenny taking victories in the last two races. Peter took a rare but well deserved victory in Kilbeggan in the penultimate round and just a week later, Ian Kenny took the spoils in the final race of this year’s league. This was Ian’s second victory in the MiL this year so, with a good winter’s training, great things are expected of Ian in 2026, no pressure.

The presentation of prizes took place last Thursday in Ryan’s pub in Horseleap and for the third successive year, Colin Clavin of Streamstown took the top placing in the A division. Colin’s decision to focus on Time Trialling this year paid off last Saturday as he won the Masters 40 TT in Monaghan so congrats to him. Stuart Cox was best placed Lakeside Wheelers rider in the A’s taking a fine 4th overall. In the B division Ian Kenny was best Lakeside Wheeler finishing in 5th while Seamus Moran made the podium in the C’s finishing 3rd overall followed very closely in 4th by Almahdi Alshawib.

Well done to all riders from the various clubs who took part in the MiL this year and also to the organisers and sponsors for making it another great event.

In other racing news, Lakeside Wheelers had more success in recent weeks with Richie Lenehan finishing a very creditable 3rd in the Collins Christie Memorial race promoted by Navan Road Club. The following week the racing was based near Belfast for the Bob Crilly Classic which was a family affair for the Morans with Seamus, Michael and Padraig lining out. This proved to be an excellent race for Padraig who produced one of the best rides of the season finishing in 6th place in the C1 race ahead of some top class riders. Michael, who is only a few weeks racing in open events also, did very well, coming home in 7th place in the C3 race.

Sprocket Rocket

The Sprocket Rocket programme concluded last Monday and for a second consecutive year it was a hugely successful summer for this fabulous initiative which teaches kids the basics of cycling. The volunteers who drive the Sprocket Rocket series deserve great kudos as it is a big commitment to give up every Monday evening for a couple of months over the summer. The final session had a nice party atmosphere with all the young Rockets treated to ice cream and a very stylish new Sprocket Rocket T-shirt.

Thanks to Daire Feeley (Burren CC) who is one of Ireland’s top cyclists on the domestic racing scene for coming along to present and sign the jerseys. Well done to all the kids who participated in this year’s Sprocket Rocket and to their parents for bring them out and helping the club mentors every evening.

There are several people who helped make the Sprocket Rocket programme such a success, Eugene Duffy, Steve Franzoni and Mark Horohoe from the club led and organised the large team of volunteers required to make it all happen.

Lakeside Wheelers is indebted and very thankful to the management and staff at Belvedere House and Gardens for facilitating the club to host this very exciting event. Thanks also to Westmeath Sports Partnership for the assistance it provided. We are already looking forward to 2026 and plans are being hatched to make it even better.