THE Irish National Women's race was brought to a halt last weekend to allow the men's race pass - because the female competition was slower.

The men's elite national race and the women's national race both took place in Wexford on Sunday.

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Race director Derek Webb says that the men's was the faster race and that is why they were let pass - as per Cycling Ireland rules.

He told the Irish Independent: "It’s the rules of Cycling Ireland and it’s always the way it’s done, the slowest race is pulled over.

"You can’t ask the faster race, who are there to race, to slow down. You don’t do that."

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Webb, who admitted it was "unfortunate", also says that the women's race was well below the average speed that was expected of them after they were given a 17km head start.

Webb explained that the women's race were given a 17km head start and were expected to be finished when it was decided they would be pulled in.

He added: "As Race Director, I have a responsibility to the riders but I’m not responsible for the riders, for their actions.

"And they (the women) were just racing too slow and the average speed was well below what was expected of them."

But Cycling Ireland have told the Irish Independent that they are taking this issue "very seriously" and are looking into it.

Winner of the women's race Lydia Boylan said the route was a big factor in the incident.

She said: “Unfortunately I think it was always going to be a likely scenario, on the circuit that they chose for the race.

"Having such a big men's bunch and conversely such a small women's bunch, I think they probably over-estimated the speed of the women’s group and thought that it wouldn’t catch.”

She added: “At the point in the race where we were stopped, I think everyone had resigned themselves to the last climb being the decider of the race. In my eyes I don’t think it affected the outcome too much.”