Limerick cyclist Fiona Mangan wins National Championship

AFTER Fiona Mangan's victory in the Time Trial National Championship's on Thursday, the Limerick native made it two wins from two over the weekend when she won the National Championship in Athea Co. Limerick. 

Mangan finished the National Championship strongly to clench the win ahead of Grace Reynolds. 

The new Irish road race champion gradually closed the distance with Reynolds. Mangan defeated Reynolds in a race after the last curve to win the National Championship title. 

The Cynisca Cycling rider spoke with cycling Ireland and credited her extensive preparation for helping her to secure her second national title this week. 

"To be honest I’m still a bit overwhelmed I knew I had the legs going into it and I really did study the course. Like I was saying at the Time Trial, I came out here last week and did a good few runs of it. It just gives you that confidence then during the race. 

I've actually raced with some of the girls in Europe as well over the year, so you know their strengths, but with Nationals you never know what’s going to happen. I just tried to a attack a good bit at the start. Megan and Lara were also trying to attack, I thought we’d get away and then were brought back. It’s a case of trying to mind your energy but also still keep it hard and aggressive. 

Grace got away and in fairness she put in some ride. We got into a group and I was trying to roar at everyone to work together to catch her. Then when the gap started closing we started playing cat and mouse again. I just said I’d wait till the hill here because I knew after that you have a descent, so if I go hard as I can on the hill I’d be able to survive for the descent.

I tried on the first small lap and I couldn’t get away and then on the last one I just went as hard as I could up the hill.

It’s really special, I think Limerick for me, I always get good luck here. When I won the National Series stage race in Newcastle West a few years ago" said Mangan.