Claire Diffley Wins Three in a Row!

Orwell Wheeler's rider Claire Diffley made it three wins in a row with a strong run of performances across the Maxi Maguire, Collins Christle and Mondello races.

With just three weeks to go until Rás na mBan, Claire's run of form comes at an ideal time.

Race 1 – Maxi Maguire

The Maxi Maguire started with a smaller group, with the C3s setting off together. Over the three-lap race, we were caught by the C2s after about a lap and a quarter, which brought a big surge due to the small number of riders.

Myself and Rhiannon Dolan were left in the bunch with the C2s. A small group of C1s then came through, but nobody managed to get onto them. A larger bunch followed, with a good few riders managing to stay in the wheels. At that point, I think I was the only woman left in the group.

The racing was tough as the C1s were trying to catch Matthew. Everything was going well until a crash brought things to a halt. I was directly behind it but luckily avoided getting caught up, only having to unclip and move around the crash.

I rolled the final 4–5km but kept pushing in case any of the other women had managed to get into another group.

Race 2 – Collins Christle

There were seven women entered for the Collins Christle. I decided to go off with the C2s to see what the higher intensity earlier in the race would be like.

The race was very flowy and it felt brilliant riding in the bunch. My legs were strong, and the pace suited me. We caught the C3s first, bringing the other women onto the radar. Jenny and Rhiannon stayed with the bunch as we went through, so the race within the race was on.

With a bigger group on the road, the racing wasn't as intense as the previous day, but I found that positioning was much more important.

There was another crash, or incident, at the back of the group which distanced some riders, leaving just myself and Rhiannon playing cat and mouse. We watched each other for the rest of the race, both responding to attacks from the group and keeping an eye on any moves trying to get across to the break.

Rhiannon came across the final bridge ahead of me. As I saw the finish line, I sprinted up through the bunch and managed to get clear of her just before the line.

Race 3 – Mondello

It was a windy day for the Mondello race, and I went off with the C3s alongside two other women, both juniors, who certainly put in a big effort on the day.

I stayed pretty relaxed until the C2s caught us. Once they joined the bunch, I made sure I was well positioned and ready to follow any moves.

The C1s eventually came through, and there was a strong surge that split the group a little. Coming into the final 2–3 laps, the pace was high as the bunch chased down a break.

I finished safely in the main bunch, securing my third win in a row.

With three weeks to go until Rás na mBan, Claire's three consecutive victories provide a real boost as she prepares to take on the challenge. There will be a video interview next week as we build up towards the main event.