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Wet and windy conditions made today’s Time-Trial National Championships a tough test for all riders. Kelly Murphy took another Senior National Championship in the Women’s category. The Paris 2024 Olympian came home in a time of 33:06.59, 13.89 seconds ahead of second placed Paralympic pilot Linda Kelly in second, and Olympic Team Pursuit teammate Mia Griffin in third. Kelly said afterwards, “It feels really good, I’ve won a few now but every time it gets more and more tense, so it feels better every single time. 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.”

RedBull – BORA – Hansgrohe rider Ryan Mullen took the win the Elite Men’s category, finishing the 25km course in 29:22.16. George Peden took second, 6.27 seconds back, with EF Education EasyPost’s Darren Rafferty taking third, 14.45 seconds off first place. Mullen said afterwards, “Obviously I come here every year really motivated to try and 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.”

Speaking about the road race coming this Saturday, he said, “Again I’m very motivated, it’s my neck of the woods, my whole family is from there. Lovely big fan club there, so really motivated.”

Para World Champion Katie-George Dunlevy and pilot Alice Sharpe took the win in the tandem category, in 32:22.17. Para pairing Damien Vereker and Mitchell McLaughlin took second, 1:42.49 back, with Chloe McCombe and Hazel Smith taking third, 1:44.5 back.

The Men’s U23 race saw Adam Rafferty, riding for Hagens Berman Jayco, take the win with a time of 29:32.71. He finished 22.76 seconds ahead of Team Bahrain Victorious Development Team rider Seth Dunwoody in second, and Lidl Trek Future Racing’s Liam O’Brien, 26.60 seconds off the top spot.

Conor Murphy retained his Junior Men’s National Championship, with the Team Caldwell Cycles rider coming in at 29:34.91. Lucan’s Matthew Walls took second, 1:15.92 back, with Villeneuve Cycliste rider David Gaffney taking third, 1:18.35 off top.

The third Rafferty sibling riding today, Aliyah Rafferty riding with Tofauti Everyone Active took the win in the Junior Women’s category. She finished the course in 38:02.11, 2:29.31 ahead of second placed Sophie English from Bohermeen CC. TC Racing’s Ffion Dolan took third, 2:42.27 back from the winner.

Paralympian Richael Timothy took the win in the C-Class, with a time of 44:15.57. National Para Squad Development rider Cormac O’Callaghan took second, 1:17.8 back, with another Para Squad Development Rider Heather Jameson 4:02.24 back in third.

Declan Slevin took the win in the Handbikes category, finishing the 25km course in 42:55.74. Steven McGowan took second, 1:27.48 off top, with Mark Rohan taking third.

Full results are available HERE.

All eyes now turn to the Road Race National Championships, hosted by Navan RC and Yellow Furze Road Club on Saturday and Sunday.