Donaghcloney circuit (map)
30 June 2011
Round 14 of Dromara Cycling Club's Thursday night league was a road race on the Donaghcloney circuit which was used by the club for the first time last year. From 6:30 pm the riders gathered up on the Drumlin Road while some of the marshals were brushing the corners. This round attracted a large number of riders, 47 in total including 19 guests from other clubs, mostly from Team Vision Racing and from West Down Wheelers. Race secretary Nigel allocated the riders into 5 groups. Group 1 set off with 5 riders, Group 2 left 4 minutes later with 4 riders, Group 3 left 3½ minutes behind Group 2 and they had 14 riders. The 10 man Group 4 set off 3½ minutes behind Group 3 and 3 minutes behind them went the final group, Group 5 who also had 14 riders and had just seen Group 1 go through 30 seconds before they set off so they knew they had quite a bit of catching to do.
All riders had to complete 6 laps of the circuit which ran up to Donaghcloney turning left before the garage, up a short hill before levelling off for the run into Gamblestown. Out of Gamblestown there was a tough climb before heading back down to the flat past the timekeepers who were standing near the end of the Dromore Road. There were 9 retirements from the race.
By the penultimate lap the faster groups, 3, 4 and 5 had merged and coming into the finish line was a bunch sprint of 16 riders who took the full width of the course. Darren Weir (TVR) took the narrow win ahead of Paul Wilkinson, Mark Alexander and Alister Walker, all from West Down Wheelers. Brian McGrath (TVR) was 5th with the first Dromara rider, Phil O'Neill crossing the line in 6th. Noel Doyle (WDW) was 7th with the strong Dromara trio of Ronnie Smyth, Chris Magowan and Rodney Stewart completing the top 10 in that order.
Well done to all riders and a big thanks to the timekeepers and marshals. Round 15 will be a 16 mile time trial from Hillsborough to Ballynahinch next Thursday (7 July 2011).
Timekeepers: John Clarke & Gillian Burns (TVR)
Timekeepers Assistants: Brendan & Bernie Monaghan
Marshals: Adrian Finnegan, Geoffrey Magowan, John Heaney, John McGuigan, Martin Marner, Massimo Manganaro, Phil Wilson, Roisin Boyle, Neil Fitzsimons, Ted McKibbin
Report and photos: Martin Grimley
