All-Ireland Gold for Mayo Cyclist

Mark Quigley, Western Lakes CC, has landed his second All-Ireland gold after a seven year gap when he won the A3 National road race championships finishing on the Windy gap just outside Castlebar. Mark won it the hard way by attacking with 40km to go, along with four others. In turn he dropped his companions with repeated attacks on the heavy and hilly roads of north Mayo. With 3km to go and the climb of the Windy Gap the only remaining sting in a race that saw heavy rain fall and severe gusts, Mark dropped his one remaining companion Derek Joyce (Galway Bay Cycling Club ) with a gradual acceleration. At this stage he didn’t realise that team-mate Barry Holian had attacked the main bunch of riders and was on a solo pursuit to get to the front. The effort was enough to make it a great day for the South Mayo club and its sponsors with Mark winning alone and Barry taking second 26 seconds later, thus securing the first ever one two for the club at National championship level.