It seems like there's no off-season in Irish cycling, only the 'cross season! New club kit rep Michael Hanley takes us through his DCCX Punchestown experience below!

The TTT round of the league went down to the wire this year, with only six seconds separating the top two teams after the handicaps were applied, while the hill climb championships were even tighter, Fionn Sheridan winning by less than a second from Brian McArdle.

After last week's prologue, the bunches got into some fast and furious crit racing this week, with separate nights for the Limit and Scratch groups. John Blennerhassett emerged triumphant from the winning break on Wednesday, while Valdis Andersons once again displayed his dominance on Thursday.

Breda Horan gives us an account of the second round of the Dublin City Cyclocross Race in Kilruddery, Bray. Once again a women's only race was held and Orwell was represented by Naoise and Breda.

In a sign that CX is really taking off within the club, we have not one, not two, but three individual reports from the three races that took place last Sunday on Glencullen's greens. Breda Horan, Michael Hanley and Eric Downey all take us through their days: two of them scored 9th, and one a DNF - find out which below!

A contingent of ten Orwell Wheelers competed in the third round of the Fixx Cyclocross Series on Sunday. Valdis Andersons talks us through his second cyclocross race since getting the bug, and Mike Hanley returns with his regular CX feature!

The Easter holidays must've provided plenty of opportunities for resting or training, as the prize winners for the women this week included two teachers and student Naoise Sheridan! From Rás an Laois to the first round of the Women's Crit League, we've got it all below!

Before the heavyweights of the Marmotte share their war stories, here's a warm-up piece from Brian McArdle on his first taste of the Ring of Kerry experience.

Twenty six Orwells were out on the circuits last weekend, to the South for Míle Fáilte, to the West for Tour de Burren, to the North for Swords McNally CC sportive and to the East for L'Eroica Britannia. While we wait for a report on Dave Mc's epic 1,200k ramble through the countryside here are three reports by first time writer Breda Horan and first time particpants and writers Matt Williams and Marcus Esser.

While the race reports will be slow to come in from tired riders, one Orwell member recovered well enough from her weekend efforts to share with us the tale of the Étape Rás Mumhan - Ann Horan's account is below!

Reports from the sun-scorched Mount Leinster Challenge and Lap the Gaps below, as well as a slightly more Irish affair at the Etape Mourne! Thanks to Eamonn Eaton, Eileen Byrne, Sinead Kennedy and Dave Carroll for the always welcome contributions!

Updated: now with a Mount Leinster report from Billy Parker

With both the DCCX and Fixx series of Cyclocross races decided, the sport transitions into championship season. The Leinster title has been awarded to Robin Seymour. The Irish National Cyclocross Championships are taking place in Rostrevor on January the 10th. Nestled neatly between these championships is the Orwell Wheelers Cyclocross Championships.

As the more official leisure rides wind up for the year, it's fitting that our final report comes in from none other than Orwell's hard-working leisure rep himself, Stephen Ryan. He was blessed with fantastic weather, scenery and company for the Rebel Tour in the southwest, read on to see all the photo evidence alongside the account!

There's a touch of déjà vu about the results this weekend, with both Conor Murnane and Chris Mollaghan taking the only Orwell placings. That did wonders for their ranking points, with Murnane topping the Juniors for a day, and Mollaghan making his way into A3. The snow in Navan was the only thing on people's minds though, with five Orwell women making their débuts in the cold! Read on to see how they fared!

The Orwell women sent a team of eight women to compete in the inaugural Newcastle West 2 Day stage race two weeks ago - Mary Brady, Orla Hendron, Ann Horan, Breda Horan, Helen Horan, Monica Marconi, Siobhán O'Connor and Naoise Sheridan. Along with them was Stephen Rowan in a supporting role, and together the team got through a weekend of hard racing - check out Ann Horan's account below!

In the last few weeks we've had two rounds of the Joe Daly Cycles National League, and three rounds of the Orwell StickyBottle.com Crit League. Orwell have been active throughout - with placers including Mary Brady, Orla Hendron, Ann Horan, Breda Horan, Monica Marconi, Aishling O'Connor and Sandra Telford. Results and race reports below!