17 hours ago
Rory Townsend regains national champion jersey
RORY TOWNSEND WILL once again wear the National Champion jersey after the 29-year-old took the win in the Elite Men's race today, having previously been champion in 2022.
The rain that drenched the course for yesterday's Women and Junior Men's races abated but the air remained warm and heavy, making conditions tough for all riders in the race hosted by Navan Road Club and Yellow Furze Road Club.
Townsend takes home another Road National Championship 🏆
Read the full report👇 — Cycling Ireland (@CyclingIreland) June 29, 2025
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Local rider Sean Nolan made an early attack on his home roads but was shut down. The race saw attack after attack for the rest of the race, until a breakaway group of 10 riders got away. The group increased to 20 riders, and saw repeated attacks from Conn McDunphy and both Adam and Darren Rafferty.
The sharp climbs on every lap began taking victims, and the average pace of almost 50km/h was too much for many.
By the time the last lap came, a lead group of just four riders left the title to be decided by a sprint. Q36.5 rider Townsend got the jump on Jamie Meehan, and took the win ahead of Meehan in second and Patrick Casey in third.
Townsend said afterwards: '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.'
Along with taking silver in the overall, Meehan also took the U23 title. The AVC Aix Provence Dole rider took to the top step of the podium, ahead of Casey in second and Bahrain Victorious rider Seth Dunwoody in third.
Meehan said afterwards: 'I knew if I could have went one more time, one more move, that that'd be the move, but I just didn't have it. Disappointed to lose out to Townsend in the sprint but still delighted to take home the U23 title.'
