October Date For Lakeside Wheelers Cyclocross

07/09/2025

October Date For Lakeside Wheelers Cyclocross

Every year there is a debate about which month signifies the official end of summer. Is it August or September? But when the focus in cycling turns to cyclocross or CX as it is more commonly referred to, there is no debate needed, its officially autumn/winter.

Lakeside Wheelers has hosted a round of the Leinster CX league for the last three years and this year the club is stepping up again with preparations for the October 19th date already in motion. Belvedere House and Gardens will be the location for the fourth Lakeside Wheelers CX and this year we will be hosting the very first round of the 2025 league.

Over the last three years riders have regularly commented on the quality of the Belvedere circuit however this is not accidental as there has been a lot of work put into developing it and this is still ongoing. Some of the trails and obstacles like steps and woodland loops which were created by club volunteers have bedded in very well and are now part and parcel of the Belvedere circuit. The advantage of this work is that these trails are also suitable for the Sprocket Rocket programme which means that the developments are hugely beneficial to the club.

So, while preparations are still ongoing and there will be lots of work done between now and race day, put October 19th in your diary for the 2025 Lakeside Wheelers CX.

Couch To 50K

The annual Couch To 50K initiative commenced on Sunday, August 31st and will run for six weeks. This is a very social and leisurely way to get involved in cycling and maybe achieve a personal challenge of cycling 50 km by the end of the programme. The only equipment needed for these adults only sessions is a roadworthy bike and a helmet. The Lakeside Wheelers group leaders will take care of everything else which includes bringing participants on short spins to begin with and teaching group cycling skills. As the weeks go by watch your fitness levels and confidence improve in a very social and inclusive environment. For more details contact Gerry on 087 2557733 or log on to www.lakesidewheelers.ie

Racing News

Emyvale Cycling Club hosted the 2025 National Masters Championships a week ago and by all accounts the Monaghan club did a fabulous job. Lakeside Wheelers had four riders in the race with Stuart Cox in the M40’s, Brendan Kiernan participating in the M 50’s while Seamus Moran and PJ Carey took part in the M60’s event.

The conditions on the day were ideal with sunshine and only a slight breeze to contend with as the riders took on varying laps of the 25km circuit depending on age categories. While the lads did not manage to make the podium this year, they all gave a great account of themselves. Well done to Brendan who finished 4th in his age category and also to Stuart, Seamus and PJ.

Club Lifetime member, Caoimhe O’Brien had one of the best results of her career last Saturday in Baltimore, USA, when she finished 9th in the Maryland Classic. This a top level race on the women’s cycling calendar and to finish in the top ten against some of the best female riders in the world is a fantastic achievement for Caoimhe. It comes hot on the heels of her 2nd place finish in this year’s National Championhsips so she should be a certain starter for Ireland at the Rwanda World Championships later this month.

Unfortunately, Caoimhe’s younger sister Aoife has had mixed fortunes of late and is struggling to shake off an injury she picked up on the track in Dublin recently so best of luck to her for a speedy recovery. Best wishes also to Padraig Moran who is another member currently in the sick bay as he recovers from an injury he received while training in Spain.

Sportives

Last Sunday week was extremely windy and made for very challenging cycling conditions, but it didn’t deter several Lakeside Wheelers members from taking on the difficult Pat Colgan, Pedal The Peaks sportive. This event is organised by Tullamore Cycling Club and brings the riders over the Slieve Bloom Mountains. Well done to all members that travelled the short distance to Tullamore but put in a hard days cycling. Another group headed slightly west last Saturday and rode the Longford based Heartland Wheelers Tour. With the season drawing to a close these long distance leisure rides will be coming to an end soon.

50 Years On The Road

Lakeside Wheelers Mullingar is already looking forward to 2026 when it will celebrate a major milestone in the club’s history. Founded in 1976, the club will be celebrating its Golden anniversary next year and the committee has already swung into action to ensure the big 50 is celebrated in style. Several ideas were discussed at the September meeting with one or two already in motion.

Members have recently received an email advising of plans for a club spin to include an overnight stay and celebration dinner at a yet to be decided location. It is hoped that all members will respond positively to this initiative which will be a first for the club as it will cater for all groups to ride together and enjoy an evening of socialising after the spin. Please register your interest as requested in the email for this historic occasion which it is hoped will happen in late April, early May 2026.

Another idea in planning is to introduce a once-off commemorative jersey which will hopefully represent the club in a timeless fashion. There will be more updates in the coming weeks.

AGM

This year’s AGM will be held in the first week of November with a location and time to be decided. With the Golden Anniversary in mind, it is hoped to have a couple of jersey design ideas on display on the night so please stay tuned to club emails and texts for updates and please come along and support your club.