Kilbroney Park
hosted by Newry Wheelers
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Cyclo-Cross
Ulster Championships Kilbroney Park hosted by Newry Wheelers |
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| Saturday 6 December
2008 Kilbroney Park in Rostrevor was the venue for this year's Cyclo-Cross Ulster Championships organised by Newry Wheelers Cycling Club. As per the last few weeks the weather today was cold and frosty with the main car park still icy even at midday. The course was laid out towards the bottom of the park making full use of the land available to create an excellent cyclo-cross circuit. Racing began at 12 with the junior riders enjoying a short circuit across the frosty grass. The watching spectators having to keep moving and cheering to help keep out the cold. With the wintery weather the turn out was lower than expected for the main senior races and therefore the mountain bikers were started at the same time as the faster cyclo cross riders. The 8 lap main race started at 1 pm from the centre of the field before heading through the hedge and around the collection of fields hugging the outer perimeter. The ground held up well with only a few thick muddy patches to deal with. There were two obstacle points, the first was just through a hedge and up over a muddy rise which caught out many riders including Banbridge's Maurice Mayne. The second was at the bottom of a grassy bank which had to be negotiated on foot and proved difficult for all riders to get a grip with their winter boots. Once at the top riders then found it difficult to get clipped back into their pedals as the soles of their boots were full of mud. After this challenge, there was a section of tarmac which climbed up towards a small wood where riders enjoyed slipping through the trees and over the roots. The climb back up to the start/finish was along an energy sapping gravel path at the top of which the spectators stood shouting their encouragement. From start to finish this was Roger Aiken's day. The Banbridge CC rider dominated this event always keeping a good distance ahead of his closest rival Conor McConvey (McConvey Cycles). Full results will be posted once they are available. For the mountain bike race it was under 16 rider Matthew Adair (Banbridge CC) who won comfortably. Fellow club rider Paul Anderson was not on form and faded towards the end of the race to finish well down the field. Another top Banbridge rider, William Mulligan, was sidelined today with the cold but was among the spectators showing his support. Martin Grimley was the only representative from Dromara Cycling Club available for the race. His other club colleagues were a little the worse for wear after the club's Christmas dinner the night before. Martin had a great battle with Banbridge rider Jonathan Buller and just managed to come home ahead of Jonathan. The cold riders were very thankful of the tea, coffee, sandwiches and biscuits laid on for them in the sign on building after which race organiser Drew McKinley gave out the various prizes. Many thanks to Newry Wheelers for all their hard work in setting up and running this event. The next cyclo cross event will be at Lurgan Park for the Irish Cyclo Cross Championships. Results
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