Latest news with #RoryTownsend
RTÉ News
a day ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Landmark win for Rory Townsend at Hamburg Classic
Irish road race champion Rory Townsend scooped the biggest victory of his career on Sunday, holding off some of the strongest sprinters in cycling to win the WorldTour ranked ADAC Cyclassics race in Hamburg. The 30-year-old sparked off a four-man breakaway inside the opening minutes of the 207km event, helping it to build a lead of more than four minutes. And while the main bunch rode hard to try to haul them back in the finale, Townsend and two of the other three riders still had ten seconds' lead with one kilometre to go. The chasers drew closer and closer but Townsend opened up his sprint early and was strong enough to hold off those behind, finishing metres ahead of top sprinters Arnaud De Lie (Lotto), Paul Magnier (Soudal QuickStep) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck). "It's crazy," the Q36.5 Pro Cycling rider said. "It's just pure disbelief, as you could see on my face when I crossed the line. I am still in shock. This is an incredibly proud moment. Winning a World Tour race, any race in my national colours is great." Townsend is a two time national championship winner and took the La Roue Tourangelle race in France in 2023. He is best known for his long-distance breakaway moves in many big events, including the world championships, and while these have often been recaptured by the peloton in the finale of those races, Sunday would be different. "I settled in for a day in the breakaway," he explained. "I focused on the intermediate sprints and the goal was to aim for the penultimate time up the climb and then stay with the [main] group as they caught us. But we kept going." He and the others in the breakaway pushed hard in the finale but with the peloton inching closer, things were looking tight. His team was urging him on over race radio, keeping him updated. "I knew the peloton was coming," he said. "I had time checks in my ear every other second and I could feel they were close. When I saw them come I felt a bit more confident than the two other guys I was with to have the jump on them, so I went early. "I have a good sprint usually, and actually after a long day like this, I am usually quite good with my sprint too. I kicked with 400 meters to go. I went as long as I could out of the saddle and then just got as aero as possible and tried to just hold on to the line." De Lie, Mangier, Philipsen and the other sprinters launched behind him but he had enough power to hold them off, stunning them and also himself. "You probably saw my face when I came across the line," he said. "It was just disbelief, really. An amazing feeling." The result is the first WorldTour victory in the history of his team, and is hugely important as Townsend is in a contract renewal year. Sunday's result is the latest good news for Irish cycling. Ben Healy won a stage, wore the yellow jersey and finished ninth overall in the Tour de France, Lara Gillespie placed third on a stage of the women's Tour, and young Irish rider Jamie Meehan secured a three and a half year WorldTour contract earlier this month. The Belfast rider was on a trial with the Cofidis team and stunned the squad by placing third on a stage of the Tour de l'Ain, his debut race in its colours.
Irish Times
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Rory Townsend, Mia Griffin best in aggressive Irish road race championships
Three years after he first won the title, Rory Townsend recouped past glories when he took the men's national road race championships in Yellow Furze in Meath on Sunday. The 29-year-old Q36.5 Pro Cycling professional was best in the sprint to the line, beating Jamie Meehan (AVC Aix Provence Dole). Patrick Casey (Israel Premier Tech Academy) and defending champion Darren Rafferty (EF Education-EasyPost) were close by, finishing three and six seconds back respectively. 'It sounds crazy but this just means so much,' Townsend said. 'It's the biggest thing for me. It means everything. A national championship is something you always want to win as a kid, and it makes you feel like a kid when you come back here.' The day was full of aggressive racing, with Conn McDunphy (Team Skyline), Rafferty and his brother Adam (Hagens Berman Jayco) among the most active. The leading quartet were clear heading on to the final lap, with Townsend using his greater experience and sprinting power to triumph. READ MORE Meehan, who finished second overall in the Rás Tailteann in May, took the under-23 title. 'I knew if I could have went one more time, one more move, that that'd be the move,' the AVC Aix Provence Dole rider said. 'But I just didn't have it. I'm disappointed to lose out to Townsend in the sprint but still delighted to take home the U23 title.' Saturday's elite and under 23 women's road race featured a very aggressive performance from Lucy Benezét Minns (Lotto Ladies). The talented 19 year old, who took a superb fourth in the world championship junior time trial two years ago, attacked on the final lap and opened a gap of 17 seconds. However she was reeled in with two kilometres to go, with Mia Griffin (Roland) beating Caoimhe O'Brien (Cynicsa Cycling), Marine Lenehan (Dan Morrissey Pissei Cycling Team) and five others to the line. 'I've dreamed of winning a national championship for so long, it honestly just hasn't set in yet,' Griffin said afterwards. 'I know when Lucy 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.' Emma Jeffers (Liv AlUla Jayco) took fourth and the under 23 award. Aliyah Rafferty (Tofauti Everyone Active Majaco) won the junior women's road race on Saturday, while Conor Murphy shrugged off mechanical issues to take the junior men's title on Sunday. National road race championships, Meath Elite and under 23 men: 1 Rory Townsend (Q36.5 Procycling), 2 J Meehan (AVC Aix Provence Dole) at 1 sec, 3 P Casey (Israel Premier Tech Academy) at 3, 4 D Rafferty (EF Education Easypost) at 6, 5 S Dunwoody (Bahrain Victorious Development Team) at 29, 6 F Crockett (VolkerWessels Cycling Team), 7 G O'Neill (Athlete Nutrition Coach HD), 8 O Doogan (Team Caldwell Cycles), 9 C McDunphy (Team Skyline), 10 L O'Brien (Lidl-Trek Future Racing) at 32 Under 23: 1, Meehan, 2, Casey, 3, Dunwoody Elite and under 23 women (Saturday): 1 Mia Griffin (Roland) 3 hours 11'06, 2 C O'Brien (Cynicsa Cycling), 3 M Lenehan (Dan Morrissey Pissei Cycling Team), 4 E Jeffers (Liv Alula Jayco), 5 A O'Brien (DAS – Hutchinson), 6 F Mangan (Winspace Orange Seal), 7 A Conway (Westport Covey Wheelers Cycling Club), 8 L Kelly (Spin The Bean Power By Coffee) all same time, 9 A Doherty (Dan Morrissey Pissei Cycling Team) at 5 secs, 10 L Benezet Minns (Lotto Ladies) at 12 secs Under 23: 1, Jeffers, 2, A. O'Brien, 3, Conway Junior women's road race (Saturday): 1 Aliyah Rafferty (Tofauti Everyone Active Majaco) 1 hour 36'04, 2 G Lawless (Dawson Racing) at 2'41, 3 A O'Donovan (Dungarvan CC), 4 E Tandy (Tofauti Everyone Active Majaco) at 6'56, 5 F Dolan (TC Racing) same Junior men's road race (Sunday): 1 Conor Murphy (Team Caldwell Cycles) 2 hours 44'42, 2 R Condon (Zappi Racing Team) at 1'22, 3 D Byrne (Asvillemur Cyclisme) at 2'06, 4 M Walls (Lucan Cycling Road Club), 5 J Armstrong (VC Glendale) at 2'42
RTÉ News
29-06-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Rory Townsend records road race win at National Championship
Rory Townsend crossed the line first in the men's elite road race at the National Championship in Meath to claim the title for the second time. The 29-year-old, who previously triumphed in 2022, edged out Jamie Meehan in second place and Patrick Casey in third. Townsend commented after his win: "It sounds crazy but this just means so much, it's the biggest thing for me, it means everything. "A National Championship is something you always want to win as a kid, and it makes you feel like a kid when you come back here. "It's the only race I come to with my family where they're my support crew, and they have to put up with me the morning of the race, so it's a big relief to pull it off."
Irish Independent
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘I honestly woke up and felt like I had drunk 10 pints'
Two weeks ago, Rory Townsend faced a fact that put his unorthodox journey into sharp focus. Ahead of the Tour of Flanders, it was pointed out to the former Irish national champion that he was the oldest debutant among the 175 participants in the iconic Belgian classic.
Irish Independent
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘I honestly woke up and felt like I had drunk 10 pints' – Rory Townsend making the most of late breaks in his career
Two weeks ago, Rory Townsend faced a fact that put his unorthodox journey into sharp focus. Ahead of the Tour of Flanders, it was pointed out to the former Irish national champion that he was the oldest debutant among the 175 participants in the iconic Belgian classic.
