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A relatively calm night for the club’s 10 Mile Time Trial Championships meant many personal bests were set, but the fastest time on the night was Eric Downey, blasting home in 22’52”. Top of the women’s podium was Lucy Soden, also the fastest of the Limit group, knocking nearly 90 seconds off her previous time for a lightning fast 25’52”.

Dundrum Town Centre Orwell Wheelers are gearing up for the promotion of Ireland’s top annual criterium, the Stephen Roche Grand Prix on Wednesday 26th June at Meadowmount. Updated with prize list.

It’s been yet another busy week for Orwell members, from provincial champs to a World Cup, and everything in between! Anne Dalton’s bronze medal with Katie-George Dunlevy was the highlight of the week, while Liam Rowsome took silver on Wednesday in the Leinster TT, and John Twomey sprinted for bronze on Sunday, delivering his well-earned upgrade to A3.

Strong winds were a deciding factor in both races at Corkagh Park last night, and emerging victorious into the headwind were Valdis Andersons and Brian McArdle. For both riders, it was their second result of the season – Andersons’s being the R7 crit, and McArdle’s his recent stage win in Donegal.

The annual Joe Daly memorial cycle in aid of Simpson’s hospital will be taking place in a couple of weeks, on Sunday the 23rd. Details after the jump!

On Sunday the sun shone on the Orwell women, cheering them to results in Clare and Navan. Top of the list was Monica Marconi, taking a well-earned third place in the Rás Clár, while behind her Sandra Telford sprinted in for a fine fifth. And Naoise Sheridan battled through a hairy finish to take a fighting sixth in Navan’s U16 race.

Back in the middle of winter, some brave or crazy people from the It’s Not a Race Saturday group decided to target a three day cycling sportive in Kerry over the June weekend. This was The Kingdom Alliance Sportive (TKAS) organised by Tralee CC, comprising 160km or 80km each day, and passing through the highest mountain range in Ireland. Eleven Orwell members signed up for this ambitious undertaking, most of whom had never cycled a multi-day event previously.

Following another very successful running of the Orwell Randonnée in May, members of the organizing committee met with this year’s chosen charity recently to present the proceeds .

It’s been a week of glorious sunshine, and last night’s league race benefited, with all groups flying around the course at top speed. In the end, Limit were the group of the day, staying away until the close with strongman Seamus Nolan romping home for the win.

The June bank holiday saw Orwell riders in action both on the track and on the road, in racing and leisure, with two standout performances in Isabel Cogan’s excellent victory at the Boyne GP, and Brian McArdle’s superb stage win in the Rás Dhún na nGall. Plenty of other Orwell riders scooped prizes, most notably Orla Hendron who was second overall at the Duane Delaney GP.

The latest round of the club league took place on a bright and sunny evening, with all groups taking part in a single handicap race. The Limit groups hung on until the close, with Jules Cantwell taking a flying victory.

The weekend was another busy one, starting on Saturday with Rachel Glendon taking home a national medal, and former member Lydia Boylan taking the top of the podium in a regional champs in the UK! On Sunday, while our eyes were on the start of the An Post Rás, at least two Orwell Wheelers were busy elsewhere: Philippe Bourdarias took a fighting third spot in A3 Emyvale, while A4 Neil Whelan also scooped a brilliant third in Dungarvan!

Tomorrow sees the start of the An Post Rás 2013: eight days of suffering for amateur and pro riders alike, with the longest stage being 160 km, and the penultimate one winding through the Wicklow mountains. For the second year running Orwell will be entering a five-man team to compete for the county prizes, we profile them below!

Round 7 of the Orwell League was the first opportunity for those who had joined late to race, and league debutant Valdis Andersons took the Limit group by storm, sprinting to win on his debut! In the A race, Gavin Dodd showed his continuing good form to take first ahead of a fast closing Scratch group.

Orla Hendron has started organising track sessions to help Orwell women get acquainted with the different style of racing, and coaching for tactics. Isabel Cogan kindly took the time to give an account of last week’s session…

A few dates for your diary, the club would be grateful if you could take note and keep them free for the future!

Sunday’s A4 Dunsany GP once again provided an Orwell rider with a maiden win, as David Halpin followed in Eric’s Downey’s footsteps to surge up the finishing ramp and outsprint all other comers! Halpin took home some magnificent glassware, and a well-deserved upgrade to A3. Read on to hear about that win, and plenty of other results for the club over the weekend!

The entertainment for Tuesday’s Rás fundraiser has been unveiled! We’ve got a pair of main showpieces to give the lads not just one but two opportunities to impress you, and humiliate themselves.

Eric Downey has made it three in a row coming home first of the Scratch group, and tonight that also meant coming home first overall in the opening road race of the league.

The penultimate round of the Wheelworx Orwell Ladies Crit League was held at Corkagh Park last night. To spice up the action the races were run as Points races, with riders collecting points in a sprint every second lap. It was Bray Wheelers’ Michelle Carter and Orwell’s own Trish Buckley who amassed the most points in each race, and each climbed the division tables as a result – Buckley to silver, and Carter to take the lead.