the best domestic rider and team of 2009

gimps

it will be interesting to see the feed back on this thread

my opinion is rider= martyn irvine
the team is a tough one between curran racing, cycleways , eurocycles and dan morrissey.

Chips Lovell

Tend to agree with you about Irvine. His team were also very strong and I'd give them the vote.

RobFowl

Paul Healion for his crit title, Ras Stage and multiple other domestic wins

Curran Racing were strong all right, Usher were ever present althoug without any outstanding results. Dan Morrisey did wel too.

gimps

usher did ok but had too many problems eg. not racing as a team curran did well alrite i think kinneally, sully and co at cycleways did well as did eurocyles

Quigs Snr

Irvine, Healion, Bennett were defo the standout domestic riders. I think Healion deserves it though.

This is not a sympathy vote, although that loss stings us all and will do for many years to come.

Yes he won the Crit title in some style. He did great work on the track. We all remember the RAS stage win too, but those of us who were up close and personal with the race will remember Healion for his fighting spirit as much as the win. I remember him being in several crashes including one on stage one if I am not mistaken. I saw him go out the back of the bunch on more than one occasion during the race and back to the doctors car (RobFowl might be able to confirm this), and yet he still found a way to win when a lesser rider would have given up. Brilliant.

Clubwise, all of the above mentioned were great. Cycleways were hugely impressive in RAS Mumhann if anyone remembers them riding at the front, a blue train on the queen stage to protect Kenneally's lead.

gimps

yeah on the road to valentia it was savage as was eurocycles/curran in the suir valley. even david mccann, griffin said there team work was CLASS. yeah healion was super this year i can remember a number of times him goin back for food for his team mates on the road to castlebar.