Robin Seymour takes European cyclo-cross title in Belgium

Multiple national champion Robin Seymour showed he is continuing to excel at 51 years of age, winning the Masters 50 title at the European cyclo-cross championships in Namur in Belgium on Friday.

The Wicklow rider finished well clear of the rest of the field in the event for those aged 50-54, beating the Belgian Danny Sleeckx by one minute and seven seconds and Stéphane Passade Saint Aunis of France by one minute 13. Only four riders finished within two minutes of the Irishman.

Triple Olympian Seymour dominated the Irish cyclo-cross and mountain bike scene for decades. He clocked up 20 national MTB championships and 18 cyclocross titles between 1991 and 2014. Since then he was UCI MTB Masters world champion three times between 2016 and 2018.

The European cyclo-cross championships continue on Saturday and Sunday but will lack official Cycling Ireland team representation over the weekend.

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The governing body’s off-road commission opted not to send a squad to the race, with CI explaining its position in a recent statement in referring to ‘the need to demonstrate value for money and ensure investment is linked closely to medal winning opportunities, a qualifying process, Olympic or Paralympic success, or key development aims.’