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Saturday last was the occasion of the fourth edition of the Orwell Randonée, truly one of the highlights of the Irish sportive calendar. Once again the sun shone on the select group of riders who’d made the cut, as they battled the wind and the tough course to reach the famous cake-laden foodstop. One rider battled harder than most, going so far as to claim the lanterne rouge for himself: Mr Tom Weymes shares his thoughts from the day below.

The May bank holiday weekend was a busy one on the racing scene for Orwell, with riders active in Ulster, Cork and the UK. But it was the Frank O’Rourke Memorial in Wexford that saw the best result for the club, with Jamie Busher sealing his upgrade to A3 with a 2nd place that was inches from an outright win.

The last evening of Spring was a pleasant one for round 4 of the Wheelworx Orwell Ladies Crit League, with some dramatic racing across both categories. Bray Wheeler’s Michelle Carter and Sandra Fitzgerald of Garda CC took victory on the line.

Orwell Wheelers are running a set of classes as a gentle introduction to group riding for women. Read more for details.

A group of 16 members of the Orwell leisure section, together with some friends and family, jetted off to Mallorca last week for what has become an annual outing and this year, as with last year, it coincided with and culminated in the International Cycletourist Tour of Mallorca.

Orwell’s Sandra Telford once again showed her sprinting prowess by winning the bunch gallop to take fine second place at the National League race in Bohermeen on Sunday, while Junior rider Rachel Kaye Mellor underlined her ability to mix it with the Seniors by taking seventh. Two A4s netted their first placings of the season – David Halpin finished 5th in the A4 race on Sunday, and Neil Whelan got an unplaced prize at Mondello on Tuesday.

It almost felt like summer – the sun shone strongly on Corkagh Park as 55 riders signed on for the fourth round of the Orwell League. A three man break featured strongly in each race, with Eric Downey winning from the move in SS/S, but in SL/L, Brian McNally came past them to take the win.

With our own club league well underway, our track cousins over at Sundrive are launching their league next Wednesday, 1st May.

Eric Downey opened his A1 account with a fantastic 4th place in Drogheda on Saturday, and Sandra Telford matched him with a ferocious 4th in the bunch sprint on Sunday.

Peter Gerrard continued his winning streak in the club league, taking the sprint to win the Scratch/Semi-Scratch race for the second week running, while David Maher showed his strength to take the win in the Limit/Semi-Limit race last night.

Martina Cronin and Muirna Walsh took the wins in round two of the Wheelworx Orwell Ladies’ Crit League in Sandyford on Tuesday night, while Sandra Fitzgerald did enough to retain the leader’s Jersey.

Tonight is the first crit of the Wheelworx Orwell Ladies’ League, and Sandra Fitzgerald holds the leader’s jersey after last week’s TT. Will she still be wearing it after tonight’s crit in Sandyford? And as the season progresses, there’s plenty more events for racing women…

The season opener sportive for the Orwell leisure section was most unseasonal. However despite the very high winds, cool temperatures and constant threat of rain a huge contingent of Orwell jerseys swelled the ranks of the KARE Tour de Foothills yesterday in Naas.

Two of Orwell’s finest have been picked to compete for Leinster in the Bedford 3 Day. Charlotte MacDonald and Rachel Kaye Mellor will race as part of a provincial six-woman team in the five stage race in May.

Stamullen’s annual weekend of cycling once again proved a happy hunting ground for Orwell riders, with the unstoppable Eric Downey finally earning his upgrade to A1.

Due to large numbers of people asking to join the Orwell League after the deadline for applications had passed, the League Committee have decided to grant an amnesty, and accept new applications for the next two weeks only.

Corkagh Park was the scene of round two of the Orwell League, on a damp and dull April evening. Ryan McCarthy and Peter Gerrard took home maximum points in two races that forced out all but the toughest riders, in a demanding and draining opening criterium.

Orwell members were in action across multiple disciplines in two countries this weekend, with the senior action focussed on Balbriggan, while the Youth Tour of Scotland was taking place abroad, and the National Duathlon Champs happening in Ashford.

With a stiff cold wind blowing in from the east, but the last of the evening sun still lighting the course, it was a night for records to be broken in Pine Forest, and Liam Rowsome stepped up to the challenge magnificently.

Anne Dalton was best of the Orwells at yesterday’s opening round of the Joe Daly’s Cycles Women’s National League. Dalton was second across the line, narrowly missing out to the Garda CC’s Sandra Fitzgerald.