First Weekend of the 2008 Road Racing Season
Report of the action

Annaclone GP                      Phoenix GP

Annaclone Grand Prix
1 March 2008
 
Dromara Cycling Club started their road race season on Saturday when eighty riders braved the cold  for the Banbridge CC promoted Annaclone Grand Prix. The race was run on a handicap basis with two groups separated by four and a half minutes. Dromara were represented by our first ever cat 1 racer David McKnight, who was joined by fellow club riders Darren Weir, Ronnie Smyth, Nigel Sudlow and new recruit Mark McKnight. The fifty strong group set a high pace from the off and, with the event as a selection race for S2/3's for Downpatrick, everyone was out to get noticed.
While the experienced  were estimating  the scratch group pulling back a minute a lap on the twisty course,  Ryan Connor, Ards, Kirk Sloan and local rider Roger Aiken set a blistering pace and these three had pulled back over 2 minutes in the first lap.

As the race progressed the trio of Connor, Sloan and Aiken, continued to eat into the time difference until by the third lap they had overtaken the  group. Maryland's Paul Vaughan, along with Glen Kinning (Castlereagh CC), Kieran McKenna (East Antrim Audi) and Dromara's Davy McKnight split from the remains of scratch but never quite managed to bridge the gap to the three leaders
At this point Aiken forged ahead increasing his lead. Clann Eireann's Thomas Martin went with him but had the misfortune to puncture, this ruined his chance of getting in to the top positions. Liam Curran(Curran Racing) saw his chance and broke away to chase Aiken.

Connor and Sloan rode hard to cut down the deficit opened up by Aiken but on the line Aiken rode home a clear winner with Connor hot on his wheel. Liam Curran took fourth and then it was down to a hotly contested bunch sprint in which North Down's Stuart Henry just beat Juiced Orchard's Peter Williams The final placings were taken by Allister Steele and Dromara's Darren Weir. Ronnie Smyth finished in the top twenty, with Cat1 David Mcknight having a tough debut with the big guns, but achieved a great 6th home out of the cat1 and cat2 riders. Nigel Sudlow had a tough race but finished in a smaller group, with Mark McKnight retiring after a puncture in the opening high speed lap.

Results
1. Roger Aiken (Banbridge CC)@1.43.07
2. Ryan Connor (Team Pezula)st
3. Kirk Sloan (Ards CC)@ 27 Seconds
4. Liam Curran (Curran Racing)@ 35 Seconds
5. Stuart Henry (North Down) @ 57 Seconds
6. Peter Williams (Juiced Orchard) st
7. Darren Weir (Dromara CC) st
8. Allister Steele (Science in Sport) st
9. Jonny Beers (East Antrim Audi)
10. Gordon Scott (East Antrim Audi)


Some video footage
Video 1
Video 2
courtesy of Zak Hanna
Ronnie


Ronnie


Davy


Darren


Phoenix GP
2 March 2008
 
It was a day of eights for the three Dromara riders, David McNight, Darren Weir and Nigel Sudlow who braved the cold and wind of the Phoenix GP at the open Dundrod circuit. Over eighty riders signed on for the two events organised by Phoenix CC. The 'A' event saw only twenty riders. This race was set off first followed some four minutes later by the 'B' event. The 'A' event quickly turned into a 'three horse event' with Ryan Connor and Adam Armstrong, putting on the pressure. Northern's Frazer Duncan, keen to make a come-back went with them as did Northern's Paul Kane and Lewis Ferguson. Roger Aiken (Banbridge CC) and Conor McAllister (Ballymena) were also in the initial break. However, by the second lap Armstrong, Connor and Duncan had opened up a gap on the others and continued to increase that over the remaining laps. In the final drag to the finish it was Armstrong who seized the day, romping home a clear winner over Connor and Duncan. David McKnight rode a strong race and finished a creditable 8th.

The B event was a more exciting race with several riders jockeying for position and trying to make the break. Darren Weir (Dromara CC) and Thomas Martin (Clann Eireann/Linen Green) at one point were chasing down the remains of the A riders. John Madden (Bann Wheelers) showed his strength by riding strongly at the front. With the event as one of the selection races for the Junior team for the Tour of the North the Juniors were out to impress. And there is nothing more impressive than a win. Maryland's Peter Wilson took his chance in the final kilometre and rode home an impressive victor.

Madden took second place while Stephen Hutchinson (East Tyrone) and Alan Graham (Old Bleach) picked up third and fourth. 
For the S2/S3 team for the Downpatrick Armagh event, Darren Weir has shown good form in both weekend events as has Thomas Martin. However with two more events on next weekend, the final team is still undecided. Darren will be working hard so that he can be selected to ride in the Cycling Ulster team for the Downpatrick to Armagh Classic on Sunday 16th March, to match the achievement of  David McKnight last year.

Results
Phoenix GP 'A' race - Nutts Corner
1. Adam Armstrong (Team Pezula ) 1-59-04
2. Ryan Connor (Team Pezula) @ 39 secs
3. Frazer Duncan (Northern Dave Kane) @ 53 secs
4. Allister Steele (Science in Sport) @ 9 min 50 secs
5. Conor McAllister (Ballymena) ST
6. Kirk Sloan (Ards CC) ST
7. Lewis Ferguson (Northern Dave Kane)
8. David McKnight (Dromara CC)
9. Kevin Lynch (Newry Wheelers)
10. Allister Fiddes (Juiced Orchard)

Phoenix GP 'B' Race - Nutts Corner
1. Peter Wilson (Maryland Wheelers) 1-43-04
2. John Madden (Bann Valley) @ 9 secs
3. Stephen Hutchinson (East Tyrone)
4. Alan Graham (Old Bleach) @ 38 secs
5. Bryce Irvine (U/A) ST
6. Gordon Scott (East Antrim) ST
7. Stuart Henry (North Down)
8. Darren Weir (Dromara CC)
9. Shaun Ogle (Northern Dave Kane)
10. Davy McCall (Maryland Wheelers)


Darren


Davy


Darren


Darren

Photos courtesy of  Marian Lamb and Darren Crawford


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