National pride as Kilkenny cyclist Mia Griffin powers to Irish title

Mia Griffin has been crowned national cycling champion, but had to work for the jersey at the women’s elite road race in Meath on Saturday.

Run with the under-23 race, Griffin used all of her sprinting experience to reel in leader Luct Benezét Minns and then hold off Caoimhe O’Brien and Marine Lenehan to take the win.

“I’ve dreamed of winning a National Championship for so long, it honestly just hasn’t set in yet,” a delighted Griffin said after the race.

“I know when Lucy gets a good lead she can really suffer and push through, so I was determined to make sure we worked together in the group to catch her.”

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Victory caps what has been a memorable year for the Glenmore native. In the last 12 months she has rejoined the Roland World Tour team, become the first Irish winner of the Rás na mBan in 12 years and represented Ireland on the track at the Paris Olympics.

In what was a cagey start Saturday’s race saw no major attacks initially, until the small peloton split around a 25.3km loop, leaving 10 riders at the front.

Making the split were Paralympic and world champion tandem pilot Linda Kelly (Spin the Bean Power by Coffee), Olympian Griffin, Benezét Minns, O’Brien, Jeffers, Aoife O’Brien (DAS-Hutchinson), Abi Conway (Westport Covey Wheelers), (Lotto Ladies), Fiona Mangan (Winspace Orange Seal), and Caoimhe O’Brien (Cynicsa). Dan-Morrissey teammates Aine Doherty and Lenehan also made it into the front group.

As the riders tackled the fourth and final lap, attacks flew at the front of the group. Mangan, Benezét Minns, and O’Brien each made attempts to break away but were quickly reeled in. Benezét Minns kept the pressure on and eventually managed to pull clear, opening up a 12-second gap on the chase group with 9km to go.

But the chase was in full swing, with the gap shrinking from 12 seconds at 5 km to just six seconds with 2km to go until the lone rider was caught, leading to a sprint finish. Griffin, no stranger to sprint finishes, used her experience to edge out Cinisca’s Caoimhe O’Brien and Dan Morrisey rider Marine Lenihan at the line.

Results, Elite and under 23 women: 1 Mia Griffin (Roland) 3 hours 11’06, 2 C O’Brien (Cynicsa Cycling), 3 M Lenehan (Dan Morrissey Pissei Cycling Team), 4 E Jeffers (Liv Alula Jayco), 5 A O’Brien (DAS – Hutchinson), 6 F Mangan (Winspace Orange Seal), 7 A Conway (Westport Covey Wheelers Cycling Club), 8 L Kelly (Spin The Bean Power By Coffee) all same time, 9 A Doherty (Dan Morrissey Pissei Cycling Team) at 5 secs, 10 L Benezet Minns (Lotto Ladies) at 12 sec.