O'Loughlin dominates

CYCLING: David O'Loughlin (Totalcycling.com - Litespeed) rode to a dominant victory in yesterday's National Road Race Championship in Sligo, racing to the line 47 seconds clear.

The Mayo rider had formed part of a 14-man breakaway group before the half-way point, then got into a four-man move with three and a half laps remaining before he made his move for glory with about five miles to go.

Silver and bronze went to David McCann (Giant Asia) and VC La Pomme's Nicolas Roche, the son of the 1987 Tour de France-winner Stephen Roche. Philip Deignan, the other rider in that four-man break, was next home while his VC La Pomme team-mate Paídí O'Brien took fifth. Navigators professional Ciarán Power missed the crucial break and was sixth.

Yesterday's championship was the final event before the Olympic selection committee's decision.

Power, O'Loughlin, McCann, Deignan and the absent 2002 and 2003 national champion Mark Scanlon (Ag2R) had been in the running for two places in the Athens road race.

While no official announcement has yet been made by Cycling Ireland, it is understood that Scanlon will get one place, as expected.

The second goes to Power, who finished behind the other contenders yesterday but who got the nod once the various points had been added up under Cycling Ireland's selection criteria.

O'Loughlin and McCann will be the two reserves. Yesterday's decision will be officially confirmed on Wednesday, subject to ratification.

Speaking before that decision, O'Loughlin said he was delighted with his win.

"I've been doing some racing in Belgium lately and got some good results. I knew I was going well going into today's race and thought as long as I kept cool, I could do a strong ride."

The women's road race championship went to Julie O'Hagan (All Systems Dublin Wheelers), who lives in Luton but has Irish grandparents. She took out an Irish racing licence several weeks ago with the aim of winning gold, and that certainly paid off yesterday.

O'Hagan, a former tri-athlete, attacked the main field with a lap and a half remaining and time trialled to the finish.

Colette Swift (Old Portlians CC) took silver for the second year in succession, while Roisin Kennedy just edged out her Usher IRC team-mate Clare O'Reilly for bronze.

"I am delighted with this win. This has been my big goal for the year and I have worked hard towards it", she said.

NATIONAL ROAD RACE CHAMPIONSHIP (Sligo): MEN: 1, David O'Loughlin (Totalcycling.com) 104 miles in 4 hours 12 minutes; 2, D McCann (Giant Asia) at 47 secs; 3, N Roche (VC La Pomme) same time; 4, P Deignan (VC La Pomme) at 1 min 20 secs; 5, P O'Brien (VC La Pomme) at 3 mins 49 secs; 6, C Power (Navigators) at 4 mins 51 secs; 7, T Evans (Totalcycling.com) at 6 mins 46 secs; 8, R Aiken (Banbridge CC) at 7 mins 7 secs; 9, T Cassidy (VC La Pomme) at 8 mins 27 secs; 10, M Cassidy (Cycleways Lee Strand) at 9 mins 54 secs. Other placings: 11, P Finegan (Cycleways Lee Strand); 12, B Moore (Stamullen M. Donnelly); 13, G Swinand (Usher IRC); 14, A Roche (Team Maestro); 15, D Lynch (Kanturk Credit Union); 16, S Gallagher (Flanders); 17, S Lacey (Earl of Desmond); 18, C Sweetman (Stamullen M Donnelly); 19, D Peelo (Usher IRC); 20, A Deane (Totalcycling.com) Team: Totalcycling.com (O'Loughlin, Evans, Deane).

WOMEN: 1, Julie O'Hagan (All Systems Dublin Wheelers); 2, C Swift (Old Portlians CC); 3, R Kennedy (Usher IRC); 4, C Moore (Usher IRC); 5, A McFarland (Omagh Wheelers); 6, T Brown (Northern CC); 7, A Paul (East Tyrone); 8, Joanie Burns (Orwell - Dundrum SC); 9, S Dervan (St Finbarrs); 10, S Jacob (Usher IRC); 11, K Bothwell (Orwell - Dundrum SC); 12, L Moriarty (Dublin Skip).