THE top men came through to fill the leading positions at the end of a hard first race of the new cycling season, the Cycleways Cup, at Navan yesterday with Michael McNena of the Galway club, Thermo King, the winner.

Near the end of the 70 miles McNena went on and won by nine seconds from Eddie O'Donoghue with David McCann and Micheal Fitzgerald next. McNena recently finished the Tour of Malaysia and on Tuesday leaves with the Irish team for the Tour of Egypt.

With six miles to go O'Donoghue, who had earlier pressed on, was caught by McCann, McNena and Fitzgerald. Then inside the last mile through Johnstown McNena forged ahead and held on with O'Donoghue outsprinting McCann and Fitzgerald.