The support of Dublin City Council played a central role in bringing elite and community cycling together in the heart of the capital at the weekend, as Grand Canal Dock hosted the Cycling Ireland Criterium National Championships alongside the wider Cycle Fest celebration.
The event transformed Dublin Docklands into a high-speed city-centre race circuit as national champions were crowned in front of large crowds during Bike Week 2026. Lord Mayor of Dublin Ray McAdam officially started proceedings, highlighting the city’s growing embrace of active travel, major sporting events and public participation initiatives.
The 981-metre circuit around Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Hanover Quay and the surrounding Docklands streets provided a technical and demanding test for riders across all categories.
In the elite men’s race, Rapha rider James Jenkins claimed his first National Championship title after an aggressive performance throughout the race, holding off former champion John Buller and Tadhg Killeen in the closing laps.
Speaking afterwards, Jenkins praised the opportunity to race on closed roads in the capital city.
“How often do you get to race on the streets of Dublin?” he said after the victory.
The women’s race saw first-year junior rider Emer Heverin take an impressive sprint victory ahead of defending champion Aine Doherty and Paralympian Linda Kelly after heavy rain added further complexity to the already technical circuit.
Beyond the elite competition, the broader Cycle Fest programme reflected Dublin City Council’s continued emphasis on participation and inclusive cycling initiatives. The day featured family cycles, youth racing, balance bike events and a busy event village designed to encourage wider community engagement with cycling.
Among the highlights was a crowd-pleasing Brompton race won by Sean Lundy in the men’s category and Olympic silver medallist Annalise Murphy in the women’s event, while children and families also had the chance to experience the city-centre circuit in non-competitive events.
Youth and masters racing also featured prominently throughout the day, showcasing the breadth of domestic cycling talent across multiple age categories.
The event was hosted by UCD Cycling Club and Dublin Bay Cycling Club in partnership with the Leinster Promotion Group, with support from Dublin City Council and Cycling Ireland commercial partners, including Kinetica, McKvr and Spin 11.
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Image Credit: Cycling Ireland and Sportsfile
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