Mia Griffin crowned women's elite national road race champion
MIA GRIFFIN HAS been crowned the women's elite national road race champion after a brilliant performance in Meath.
Riding with Roland, Griffin used her experience to edge out Cinisca's Caoimhe O'Brien and Dan Morrisey rider Marine Lenihan at the line.
The leading group of ten riders could not shake each other, despite several attacks from reigning National Champion Fiona Mangan and U23 rider Lucy Benezét Minns. Benezét Minns eventually got a break going into the last lap, with the gap reaching 17 seconds at it's widest point. The group of nine riders behind left it until just 2km from the end to catch the Lotto rider, setting up a bunch sprint to decide the title.
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'I've dreamed of winning a national championship for so long, it honestly just hasn't set in yet,' Griffin said after winning her first national championship.
'I know when Lucy [Benezét Minns] gets a good lead she can really suffer and push through, so I was determined to make sure we worked together in the group to catch her.'
The Elite race was also combined with the U23 race. Narrowly missing out on the overall podium, Emma Jeffers of Liv Alulu Jayco took the U23 title. She finished ahead of Das Hutchinson's Aoife O'Brien and Westport's Abi Conway.
The Junior Women's race took off a few minutes after the Elite and U23 race. Aliyah Rafferty took a big lead early on and managed to hold it for the duration. Dawson Racing's Greta Lawless and Dungarvan's Aoife O'Donovan battled to try and close the gap, but ultimately ended up second and third respectively. Rafferty, riding for Tofauti, added the road race National Championship to her Time-Trial National Championship won on Thursday evening.
The Junior Men's race took place earlier in the day as Conor Murphy, James Armstrong and Rory Condon made an early break. Murphy and Condon eventually managed to shake Armstrong, who was eventually caught by the two chasers Darragh Byrne and Matthew Walls.
Murphy managed to shake Condon, and ultimately rode solo to the win ahead of Condon in second. Walls and Byrne ended up in a sprint for third, with Byrne coming out on top.
The elite men's race follows tomorrow.
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