2022 Cycling Ireland Road Rankings and Season Review
It was yet another exciting Irish road racing season across both the Senior and Junior men and women’s grades.
And as Cycling Ireland unveil a new on-site interactive Road Rankings feature, we’re taking a look back at an action-packed season.
With both the men and women’s National Championships Road Races the showpiece of the domestic season, a successful National Road Series saw many of Ireland’s top road cyclists do battle around the country.
Here’s our review of the domestic road season:
MEN’S SEASON REVIEW
The senior men’s season saw Daire Feeley finish top of the pile in the A1 Rankings with 260 points.
The All human/VeloRevolution Racing Team rider finished 20 points ahead of his nearest challenger in Moynalty Cycling Club’s Luke Smith.
Feeley said:
"It's an honour to be on top of the rider rankings again for another year. This is my third year in a row to be in this position. Along with the Rás Tailteann, topping the rider rankings was a goal of mine for the season. To make it sweeter, most of my ranking points came from wins (15 in total)."
"I will have my work cut out to achieve this again next year. Having a rider ranking in place every year provides a good incentive for riders like myself to train hard and race hard from the beginning to the end of the season."
An enthralling Road National Series saw Matthew Teggart win the opening three rounds before a strong finish in the final round helped him secure the top ranking in the series.
In the Junior ranks, Panduit Carrick Wheelers rider Patrick O’Loughlin finished top ranked in both the Cycling Ireland Rankings and the Road National Series.
You can see the full rankings here.
WOMEN’S SEASON REVIEW
In the senior women’s season, Torelli-Assure-Cayman Islands-Scimitar rider Aoife O’Brien finished on top of the W1 rankings, and was also the highest placed Junior rider.
O'Brien said:
"I'm very happy to finish my final year as a junior first in the W1 Rankings. As a junior, it was a goal of mine to stay consistent throughout the year and I think claiming the top step on the rankings means I've succeeded in this goal."
"The Road National Series was great as it gave a new race focus on every couple of weeks and I felt stronger after each round. It gives me motivation for next year as an U23 rider - that I can be competitive with the best riders in the country."
A fiercely competitive Road National Series saw Gabriel Glodenyte finish top of the rankings.
The UCD Cycling Club rider finished 14 points ahead of second-placed Ella Doherty while Eve McCrystal finished in third place.
In the Junior ranks, Emma Smith took home the Road National Series as she finished 20 points clear of O’Brien.
You can view the full rankings here.
WOMEN’S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2022 National Championships were held in Kanturk, Co. Cork with a well-designed circuit providing entertaining racing.
And Alice Sharpe was crowned National Champion in an exciting finish to the Women’s Road Race in June.
The IBCT rider took her second national title, with Mia Griffin and Fiona Mangan completing the podium.
In the Junior Road Race, Erin Creighton was crowned National Champion after defeating Aoife O’Brien and Shauna Finn in a three-up sprint.
MEN’S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
In the men’s, Rory Townsend proved the strongest in a challenging course as he was crowned National Champion.
The Wiv SunGod rider soloed to victory, finishing 26 seconds ahead of second-placed Cormac McGeough and 2 minutes and 25 seconds ahead of Ben Healy.
Oisin Ferrity took home the Junior National Title in a five-way sprint, the Island Wheelers rider finished in front of Niall McLaughlin and Patrick O’Loughlin.