Orwell Wheelers CC

43 riders, 7 days, endless sunshine, and more pastel de nata than we’re willing to admit.

Coastal breezes in Olhos D’Agua and rolling climbs in Monchique.

A moving wave of Orwell jerseys.

Legs tired, spirits high, and wonderful memories made.

A cracking week on tour with Paradise Cycling and the Orwell spirit brought the magic.

Cycling paradise found 🇵🇹

Sunday 18th May saw the IVCA Age Championships take place at Johnstown Bridge, where 102 riders lined out in difficult wet and windy conditions on a flat 35km circuit.

The club was strongly represented across all age categories, with several riders producing excellent performances despite the relentless rain.

In the Men’s 40 category, Cesar Lopes rode strongly to finish in 4th place, narrowly missing out on a podium finish. Diarmuid Collins secured an excellent bronze medal in the 50s category with a fine 3rd place result, although he was left frustrated afterwards at having messed up his sprint finish and missing the chance to go even higher on the podium.

The 60s category saw solid rides from Shaun Kelly, who finished 5th, and Dave Murnane, who claimed 7th place after a determined effort in challenging conditions.

In the 70s race, Terry Ferris continued his strong season with an impressive 2nd place finish, while Barry Redmond also put in a strong ride on the demanding circuit.

The championships rounded off an excellent weekend for the club following Saturday 17th May’s IVCA Kilcock 10 Mile Time Trial, where Shaun Kelly took victory in a superb time of 21:19, averaging an impressive 45.2km/h.

Club riders once again featured prominently in the results, with Cesar Lopes taking 3rd place, John Kehoe 4th, Ken O’Neill 6th, Harry Rochford 7th and Dick O’Brien 8th.

Congratulations to all riders on a fantastic weekend of racing and strong club representation across both events.

What a beautiful day again in the Algarivan sunshine. We visited the beautiful scenic, natural and atmospheric hillside towns of Alte, Benafim, Paderne, and Boliqueime. As ever this was all made possible by the brilliant team

🏁 Doreys Green Sheds Women’s Open Road Race 🏁
An aggressive and exciting race from start to finish with both the A and B groups shaping the outcome on the road. After early attacks split the race, a strong trio of riders emerged to battle it out on the final climb.
🥇 Holly McCaffrey – 1st Overall / 1st A
🥈 Kim Zitzmann – 2nd Overall / 2nd A
🥉 Gillian McMahon – 3rd Overall / 1st B
Holly and Kim bridged across to the remaining B riders before breaking clear again alongside Gillian, with the three sprinting uphill for a dramatic finish.
A special mention to Claire Diffley and Jennifer Caverly after their earlier racing incident. Wishing Claire a smooth recovery 💛
👏 Strong rides all around from the chasing group with Amy Wall and Carmel Moran leading home the remaining A riders, while Pam Grogan took 2nd in the Bs.

Doreys Green Sheds Open Women’s Road Race Report

The women’s open road race at Doreys Green Sheds delivered an aggressive race with a dramatic finale. Both the A and B groups played a major role in how the race unfolded.

The B group rolled out first with a two and a half minute handicap over the A riders and immediately began working together to maximise their advantage. Behind them, the A group settled into a strong rhythm, with riders rotating smoothly on the front for the opening 10 kilometres.

As the pace increased, Holly McCaffrey, Claire Diffley and Jennifer Caverly began driving the race at the front of the A group. Their acceleration split the race apart, creating what became an accidental but decisive breakaway as the rest of the riders struggled to hold the wheel.

Shortly after the move formed, Claire Diffley was unfortunately involved in a racing incident with some gravel on the road. Jennifer Caverly stayed behind following the crash, and both riders were forced to abandon the race. Thankfully, Claire is now okay and recovering well.

At the front, 5 of the A riders worked to catch the Bs until Holly McCaffrey and Kim Zitzmann broke free. Kim and Holly bridged across the remaining B riders and broke away again, this time with Gillian McMahon from the B group.

In the closing kilometres, Holly, Kim and Gillian sprinted up the hill for the finish, with Holly securing the win overall and in the As, Kim in second overall and in the As and Gillian in third overall and first in the Bs.

Behind the leaders, the remainder of the race came together in a mixed group of A and B riders, setting up a fast finish for the remaining placings.

Amy Wall sprinted to 4th overall and 3rd A rider, with Carmel Moran taking 5th overall and 4th A. Pam Grogan finished 6th overall and 2nd B, while Fiona Guihen crossed the line in 7th overall and 5th A. Vanessa Fenton, Marie Diggin, Kerrie Fox and Heather Jameson all finished strongly in the mixed chasing group.

Full Results:
Holly McCaffrey -1st Overall / 1st A
Kim Zitzmann -2nd Overall / 2nd A
Gillian McMahon -3rd Overall / 1st B
Amy Wall -4th Overall / 3rd A
Carmel Moran -5th Overall / 4th A
Pam Grogan -6th Overall / 2nd B
Fiona Guihen -7th Overall / 5th A
Vanessa Fenton -8th Overall / 3rd B
Marie Diggin -9th Overall / 4th B
Kerrie Fox -10th Overall / 5th B
Heather Jameson -11th Overall / 6th B
Susie Mitchell -6th A
Sofie Loscher -7th A

Table

https://diarmuid.github.io/womenscyclingleague/

Women's Cycling Ireland
Orwell Womens League 2026
Joe Daly Cycles

Orwell Wheelers Team Announced for 2026

Orwell Wheelers have announced a strong five-rider line-up for Rás Tailteann 2026, (May 20th - 24th) with the squad arriving at the start line as one of the most cohesive and well-drilled teams in the country.

The team of Evan Keane, Luke Keaney, Sean O’Kane, Padraig Moran, and Joe-Nathan Matar will each line up for their second Rás, combining valuable experience with a season built on collective ex*****on, clearly defined roles, and a strong team-first approach.

Please see link 🔗 in bio for full report! Best of luck lads 💪🏻

Orwell Wheelers Team Announced for Rás Tailteann 2026

Pinergy Orwell Wheelers have announced a strong five-rider line-up for Rás Tailteann 2026, (May 20th - 24th) with the squad arriving at the start line as one of the most cohesive and well-drilled teams in the country.

Have a read : https://www.orwellwheelers.com/post/orwell-rás-team-2026

Four years ago a group of Orwell members cycled to Leinster Gliding Club airfield at Gowran Grange in Kildare to experience the thrill of gliding….✈️✈️✈️

This experience was recreated this bank holiday Monday!!!

Thanks to Tom Weymes and Jillian Higgins, the group received a warm welcome from chief flying instructor Cecily Begley, along with her team of assistant instructors and ground crew.

Each participant took to the skies in the club’s two-seat training gliders, launched by aerotow to 2,000 feet (not alone do not worry - OWCC does safety seriously !!! An instructor was seated behind them)

The experience of silent, engine-free flight is incredible….

Perhaps cyclists really do have the makings of excellent soaring pilots!

I am so jealous not to have been a part of this !!! ✈️✈️✈️🚵‍♀️🚵‍♀️🚵‍♀️

Orwell Wheelers Deliver Strong Weekend of Results in Moyvally TT and Meath Road Races
It was another highly successful weekend for Orwell Wheelers, with the club delivering standout performances across both time trial and road racing disciplines in Moyvally and Meath.
Racing got underway on Saturday with the Vets 10-mile TT in Moyvally, which attracted a competitive field of 35 riders. Orwell riders were prominent throughout the results, led by an exceptional performance from Brian McNally, who took a commanding victory. McNally stopped the clock in an impressive 21:36, averaging 44.5 km/h over the course in a dominant display.
Backing up the win, Orwell secured another podium place with a strong 2nd place finish, reinforcing the club’s depth in the discipline. There were further top performances from Cesar Lopes (4th), John Kehoe (5th), and Harry Rochford (7th), all contributing to a very strong team showing. In the Road Bike category, Ian Devlin also impressed, taking 3rd place.
It was also great to see Fergal Quinn return to time trial action after a two-year absence, marking a welcome comeback to competition.
The success continued into Sunday’s road races in Meath, where Orwell riders again featured prominently across the groups. William Browne produced an excellent ride to take victory in the Orange group, showcasing strength and race craft to secure the win.
In the White group, Neal Hudson delivered another victory for the club, taking the top step of the podium. He was supported by strong club representation throughout the field, including Harry Rochford (5th) and Jonathan O’Brien (9th). In the Orange group, Garrett Greene (6th) and Matthew Broadstock (8th) also put in solid rides to round out a strong overall team performance.
It marks a weekend of consistent success for Orwell Wheelers across multiple disciplines, highlighting both individual excellence and depth within the squad.
Congratulations to all riders who represented the club and contributed to a fantastic set of results