Report of the action
Annaclone GP Phoenix GP Women's race
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First Weekend of the 2009
Road Racing Season Report of the action Annaclone GP Phoenix GP Women's race |
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| Annaclone Grand
Prix Saturday 28 February 2009 Report courtesy of Tommy Lamb, Cycling Ulster The 2009 road racing season opened in style on Saturday, with Ryan Connor (Usher IRC) took the win today in the Annaclone GP. With a field of over 100 the organisers ran two separate events. The first race, comprising almost 60 riders, was handicapped with Vets starting off first with a five minute advantage over the S1's and 2s. The vets rode strongly and it looked for a while as if they might hold the lead. A break emerged from this group comprising Ronnie Smyth (Dromara CC), Barry Monaghan (Newry Wheelers), Sam Craig (North Down CC) and Tony Boyle (Castlereagh CC). They worked well together and began to widen the gap. However another break had emerged from the scratch group compising David McCann (Phoenix CC), Martyn Irvine (Team Curran Racing), Ryan Connor (Usher IRC), Kirk Sloan (Ards CC) and Tony Brady (Rock Racing, a pro team from America). By the end of the first lap they had pulled a minute back on the limit group and had caught up with the main field by the end of the third lap. Local champion Roger Aiken seemed to miss the break. Going into the penultimate lap the first break had lost Ronnie Smyth but were still ahead by a short margin. Connor and Brady had lost the rest of their group but Liam Curran (Team Curran Racing) had jumped with them and this group were closing fast on the leaders. Coming to the line Connor was well out in front, winning easily. Tony Brady (Rock Racing) took second from Barry Monaghan (Newry Wheelers) and Liam Curran (Team Curran Racing). The B Race of Juniors and third Cats started ten minutes down on the firat race to cover the same distance of 5 laps of the 8.2 mile circuit. Throughout the race they stayed fairly well together with only a few riders getting dropped. Several breaks were attempted with Ballymena's Philip Bremner riding a lap on his own. However coming to the line it was down to a massive bunch sprint with Juniors Stuart Henry (North Down CC) and Ballymena's Philip Bremner almost glued together. It was down to a photo finish for these two with Bremner just taking the win by less than the width of a tyre. The fact that Henry punctured coming to the line did not help. For many it was a day of disappointment with some early punctures ending the day's racing. For others it was a great experience with North Pole's rising star Rory Devlin getting a taste of open racing and despite an early puncture he got back into the race to use it as training under the watchful eye of Willie John McLaughlin, who tells me he is already in secret training for the attack on Mamore in August. Newry Wheelers and Team Madigan also brought out their secret weapons in the shape of Nathan Morgan and Conor Quinn (Newry) and Matthew Hagan (Team Madigan). Missing from the starting line today was Adam Armstrong (Team Curran) and Peter Hawkins (Decock Capino). One wonders if they are saving thenselves for tomorrow and a crack at the Cycleways Cup, the event that Ryan Connor will have to tackle. Apart from Ronnie Smith, Dromara Cycling Club also had riders Darren Weir (who came 7th here last year), Davy McKnight and Mark McKnight, both of whom had raced at this event last year. Results A Race 1. Ryan Connor (Usher IRC)1.37.40 2. Tony Brady (Rock Racing)@16 3. Barry Monaghan (Newry Wheelers)@53 sec 4. Liam Curran (Team Curran Racing)st 5. Sam Craig (North Down CC)@1.08 6. Tony Boyle (Castlereagh CC)@1.58 B Race 1. Philip Bremner (Ballymena RC)1.44.04 2. Stuart Henry (North Down CC) st 3. Mark Sweeney (Omagh Wheelers)st 4. Graham Boyd (XMTB McConvey Cycles)st 5. Raymond O'Shaughnessy (U/A)st 6.Nathan Morgan (Newry Wheelers)st 7.Conor Quinn (Newry Wheelers)st 8.Matthew Hagan (Team Madigan)st |
Photos
courtesy of Marian Lamb (Cycling Ulster)
       More photos here
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| Phoenix GP Sunday 1 March 2009 Report adapted from Cycling Ulster's Tommy Lamb's report Large numbers turned out on Sunday for the Phoenix GP held on the Nutts Corner Circuit. There were three races on offer with both the A and B races reaching capacity fields. The third race saw twenty two women sign on in the first of the Women's league events organised by the new Ulster Women's Association. (see below). The riders rolled out from Crumlin United Football club to the start line. The race this year started at the place where Davy McCall (Maryland Wheelers) was tragically killed in a club race last August. Davy had enjoyed this event last year finishing 10th. Flowers were laid by Leon Litvack (Phoenix CC) and Phil Holland (Maryland Wheelers) and minute's silence was observed before the first group were called to the start line. The A Race was first off the mark with S2's, Juniors and Vets getting a short handicap ahead of the first cats. They had six laps of the 8.3 mile circuit ahead of them. This race came together within two laps. Attacks were fast and furious with team-mates Fraser Duncan and Adam Armstrong (Team Curran Racing), Gary Cranston (East Antrim Aud), Conor Murphy (Usher IRC) and Peter Hawkins (Decock Capino) never far from the front. This was Murphy's first event after a break following a knee operation. From the ride he put in today it appears he is back on form and fully fit. In the final dash for the line it was Hawkins who got the better of Armstrong to take his first win of the season for his new Belgian Club. Murphy took third position some 10 seconds down. Juniors Philip Bremner (Ballymena RC), Stuart Henry (North Down) and Marcus Christie (Usher IRC) were always in the thick of the action. Dromara CC rider Darren Weir rode strongly getting away in a break of seven riders for over 3 laps and finished as the first 2nd cat home. The B Race, comprising S3's, Women and the remainder of the Vets and Juniors, was a massed start event. The bunch stayed well together for much of the race. The five lap race saw a massive bunch sprint won by newcomer, Rory Devlin (North Pole CC) from Alan Graham (Old Bleach). The 21 year old Donegal man took the rest of the field by surprise with his final burst of speed. Mark Sweeney (Omagh Wheelers), Ronnie Smyth (Dromara CC) have shown early season form with Tony Boyle (Castlereagh CC) and Sweeney getting into the points for a second time this weekend. Dromara CC rider Ronnie Smyth enjoyed his first race as a vet. He had good support from Gary Gray, who raced to a great 8th place in his first ever open road race, Derek Hanna, who finished in the bunch, and Paul Smyth who unfortunatley punctured on the 3rd lap. Ann McFarland (East Tyrone), Heather Wilson (Maryland) and Kay Hack (Bann Wheelers) opted for this event as opposed to the women's event. Results Phoenix GP 'A' race - Nutts Corner 1. Peter Hawkins (Decock Capino) 1-58-57 2. Adam Armstrong (Team Curran Racing) St 3. Conor Murphy (Usher IRC) @ 10secs 4. Shaun Gray (Juiced orchard) @ 40 secs 5. Paul Mulligan (U/A) St 6. Gary Cranston (East Antrim) St Phoenix GP 'B' Race - Nutts Corner Results B Race 1. Rory Devlin (North Pole CC) 1-46-54 2. Alan Graham (Old Bleach) st 3. Ronnie Smyth (Dromara CC) st 4. Danny Hyland (East Antrim) st 5. Mark Sweeney (Omagh Wheelers) st 6. Tony Boyle (Castlereagh CC) st  |
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