Irish men and women claim podium finishes in Belgian races

Irish male and female riders have been the fore in Belgium, with two just denied victory on the ultra competitive kermesse circuit, which is packed with racing through the summer.

Irish riders competing with European teams were in action alongside some Irish club riders – male and female – who have made the trip for some Belgian action.

Aoife O’Brien (20), riding for Cyclingteam Belco-Van Eyck, was a close 2nd to Dina Scavone, a 22-year-old Belgian with the Carbonbike Giordana by Gen Z team, in a 90km Deinze kermesse yesterday.

O’Brien, who has represented Ireland on road and track, got herself into a potentially race-winning position after just over two hours of racing at 46km per hour. However, Scavone had too much for the Irish rider and managed to take the victory.

Margarita Misyurina, a 21-year-old Uzbek riding for Tashkent City Women, rounded out the podium, while O’Brien’s older sister – Caoimhe (DAS-Hutchinson-Brother-UK) was 4th in the 80-rider sprint to the finish line.

Fellow Irish rider Darcey Harkness, a cyclocross international competing in VC Glendale colours in Belgium, also finished in the bunch and place 38th, in the same time as the winner.

In action in the men’s races in Belgium, Adam Kelly of Project 1 – a 24-year-old who represented Ireland at Flèche du Sud (2.2) two years ago – has also taken a 2nd place.

Kelly was in action, also yesterday, in 115.6km Westrozebeke kermesse, finishing in the seven-man breakaway. He was pipped in the sprint for victory by Belgian 21-year-old Milan Kuypers (Basso Team Flanders), with Maxim Delrue (Basso Team Flanders) 3rd.

The seven-man group sprinting for victory finished some 11 seconds up on two chasers, with the large main bunch at 17 seconds.

Irish riders Jack Conroy (Bray Wheelers), Joe-Nathan Matar (Orwell Wheelers) and Curtis Neill (Lyon Sprint Evolution) were all in the bunch. They finished 29th, 40th and 49th respectively.