26-06-2025
Murphy and Mullen the big winners at TT National Championships
KELLY MURPHY and Ryan Mullen were the big winners amid wet and windy conditions at today's Time-Trial National Championships in Westmeath.
Paris Olympian Murphy claimed another Senior National Championship in the Women's category.
She finished with a time of 33:06.59, 13.89 seconds ahead of second-placed Paralympic pilot Linda Kelly, while Olympic Team Pursuit teammate Mia Griffin was third.
'Feels really good,' said Kelly afterwards. 'I've won a few now, but every time it gets more and more tense, so it feels better every single time.
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'These races are tough for anyone, so I do actually prefer it when it's a tough day, it separates people out a bit. It was really, really tough out on the road. I thought that roundabout was never going to come.'
Meanwhile, Mullen prevailed in the Elite Men's category
The Hansgrohe rider finished the 25km course in 29:22.16.
He was 6.27 seconds ahead of second-place George Peden.
EF Education EasyPost's Darren Rafferty was third, 14.45 seconds adrift of Mullen.
'Obviously, come here every year really motivated to try and win,' Mullen said following his win.
'But every year, it's getting harder and harder to win. It's always a big relief to come and pull this off — everyone thinks the World Tour guys come in and lap it up, but there's a lot of stiff competition and you have to really work for it.
'I had a feeling it was going to be pretty windy, and I didn't plan for the rain, but here we are, in the middle of Ireland, nothing new there. It was challenging, had to be cautious at the roundabout.'
Mullen will next compete in the Road Race National Championships, hosted by Navan RC and Yellow Furze Road Club, on Saturday and Sunday.
'Again, I'm very motivated, it's my neck of the woods, my whole family is from there,' he added. 'Lovely big fan club there, so really motivated.'
You can view the event's results in full here.
