Armagh City Cyclists are celebrating an unforgettable weekend after storming to a stunning double victory – and a new course record – at the Jeep Mondello24 endurance race in Mondello Park.
The club topped the podium in both the 4-person and 8-person team categories at the prestigious 24-hour cycling event, held on the Co Kildare motor racing circuit, delivering one of the most successful outings in its history.
The 8-person squad – which fielded six riders on the day – set the tone with a dominant display from the gun. Featuring Tommy McCague (Emyvale CC), Gary Lyons, Raymond Murray, Niall Daly, Dermot Kerr and Neil Mallon (CCW), the team took control of their race early and never let it go.
They led throughout the full 24 hours, eventually winning by a huge margin of 19 laps.
By the chequered flag they had completed 263 laps of the circuit – a total of 912.61km – equalling the current course record in the 8-person category.
If the 8-man race was a masterclass in control, the 4-man event was the exact opposite: a relentless, all-out battle from start to finish.
Lining out for Armagh City Cyclists were Kevin McKinney (Cup & Cone), Neil Rafferty, Colum Mackle and Caolan Daly, who faced fierce competition from Comeragh CC and Dunboyne CC.
Their race got off to a rocky start when an early puncture left them on the back foot and chasing hard. But showing real resilience and teamwork, the quartet dug in, gradually hauling themselves back into contention over the long night.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, they launched what proved to be the decisive move, opening a gap that they were able to turn into a vital one-lap advantage. From there, it became a test of nerve and endurance as they defended their lead to the line.
After 24 hours of racing, Armagh City Cyclists’ 4-man team took victory by just a single lap – but with it came a new course record: an astonishing 273 laps, or 943.84km.
The double triumph was very much a squad effort, with riders and support crews from both teams working closely together throughout the weekend. The 8-man team’s strength and presence in the paddock played a key role in helping the 4-man squad manage their race and push through the toughest hours of the night.
A spokesperson for the club hailed the achievement as a landmark moment.
“Double win. Course record. Unforgettable weekend,” they said. “It was a massive team effort across both squads. To come away with two wins and a new record at an event like Mondello24 is something very special for everyone involved with Armagh City Cyclists.”
With silverware secured and records rewritten, the performances at Mondello24 have firmly underlined Armagh City Cyclists’ growing stature on the Irish endurance cycling scene.
