Josh Callaly, Velo Performance, got his third win of the season at the 2026 Brendan & Kitty Campbell Memorial, after his recent win in the Moynalty GP, and his early season Rás Mumhan Stage 1b victory.
12 laps faced the riders on a very windy, humid day. The C3s (12 riders) set out followed by the C2s (18 riders) and finally the C1s (31 riders) with a 4-minute deficit to make up.
It was go from the start with Peter McLean, Bicycle Coffee Shop Velo Café Magasin, away from almost the flag drop! Both Callaly, Velo Performance, and Tadhg Killeen, Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospacial, who’d finished 9th and 3rd respectively in the 2026 Peter Bidwell memorial the previous night, went with him.
Building a gap
The trio worked well to build a gap and by lap 3 they were closing in on the front of the race with the main bunch approximately 45 seconds back. By lap 4 of 12 it was all together at the front, with the newly-arrived C1s upping the speed noticeably.
The peloton now at approximately 1 minute as the race headed through the sheltered wooded area at the backend of the circuit.
Winning break
The front of the race was fragmenting again around the half-way mark with the trio riding away having picked up a few C2s & C3s that could hold the pace.
Behind them, Pinergy Orwell Wheelers pair, Padraig Moran and Liam Crowley were trying to liven up the peloton still hovering at the minute.
It was a brutal race. i followed 2 guys right at the start and then tadhg joined us from the gun, and that was it for the rest of the race.
Josh Cally, Velo Performance
By lap 7, it was down to the winning break that now included Timothy O’Regan, Velo Revolution / Speed Queen.
That the gap hovered around the 45 – 55 second mark could be largely attributed to the ‘marking’ work done by Velo Revolution / Speed Queen and Velo Performance Racing Teammates at the head of the peloton. This made it difficult to get any real counterattack going.
The final
On the last lap just after the start/finish line, Callaly attacked up the drag out of town exposed to a strong crosswind getting 15 seconds pretty quickly. A brilliant ride to hold off his 3 breakaway companions.
After riding strong through the headwind, he had built up a big enough gap to celebrate crossing the line.
Peter McLean, Bicycle Coffee Shop Velo Café Magasin, took 2nd by a tyre width. Tadhg Killeen, Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospacial, finished on the same step of the podium as in last night’s Peter Bidwell Memorial, with Timothy O’Regan, Velo Revolution / Speed Queen, in 4th.
Liam Crowley, Pinergy Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club, got the better of Luke Smith, Moynalty Cycling Club, at the head of the second group.
Top 10
- Josh Callaly – Velo Performance Racing Team
- Peter McLean – Bicycle Coffee Shop Velo Café Magasin
- Tadhg Killeen – Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospacial
- Timothy O’Regan – Velo Revolution / Speed Queen
- Liam Crowley – Pinergy Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club
- Luke Smith – Moynalty Cycling Club
- Ciaran Maguire – Team Dan Morrissey Pissei Cycling
- Christopher Marshall – Velo Performance Racing Team
- Gareth O’Neill – Athlete Nutrition Coach Nordic Labs
- Mark Dowling – Velo Revolution / Speed Queen
