Report of the action
Annaclone GP Phoenix GP UWA Women's race
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First Weekend of the 2010
Road Racing Season Report of the action Annaclone GP Phoenix GP UWA Women's race |
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| Annaclone Grand
Prix Saturday 27 February 2010 Report courtesy of Aaron Wallace Banbridge CC Banbridge CC kicked off the Irish Cycling racing season in style on Saturday with the Travers Engineering Annaclone Grand Prix. Being the first race of the road season demand was always going to be high for the 120 places on offer across the two races. With a new rider category system, organisation for the first race of the season was always going to be a challenge. For 2010 there are four categories available for the riders, A1 - A4, depending on points accumulated at races. It is encouraged that A4 category riders do not compete against A1 category riders, therefore two races were held to cater for all. The "A" race was a handicapped affair catering for A1, 2 and 3's. This started off with about thirty A3 riders in the limit group who were given a head start over the eighteen A2 riders, who had a further handicap over the seven A1 riders. This race was over five laps of the 13 km undulating course and the seven man scratch group of A1 riders wasted no time in catching the A2's by the end of the first lap. The large A3 group rode well together to hold off the now combined group of A1's and 2's until the end of the penultimate 4th lap. On the final lap a group of riders, including pre race favourites, Ryan Connor (Usher IRC) and Thomas Martin (EuroCyles), along with Johnny Cole (Team Madigan), Damien McDonald (Dromara CC) and Nathan McLeer, moved clear of the bunch and stayed clear to contested the sprint. Thomas Martin (EuroCycles) from Lurgan, held off Ryan Connor (Usher IRC) in the sprint to claim the first victory of 2010. Liam Curran (Curran Racing) led the remainder of the main bunch home to complete the top six. Don Travers was the first of the local Banbridge CC riders home, in 11th place, obviously holding some form from competing in the recent Cyclo Cross National Champs, while Simon Curry followed close behind. Peter Lilley had the misfortune to suffer a puncture on the 3rd lap, while mountain bike downhill champ Gareth McKee made his debut on the road and rode strongly to finish after a long, cold day in the saddle. The "B" race started only a couple of minutes after the "A" race. The "B" race was a massed start, consisting only of A4 riders. Covering the same course and also having to complete 5 laps, meant the riders wouldn't be in for an easy day. With riders attempting to break clear on the first lap, it proved to be a hard fought race. Despite numerous attacks, the race came down to a mass bunch sprint. A blast from the past, Terry Mackin, from Banbridge CC, proved he still had some racing class despite a 15 year break from the sport and claimed a popular victory, much to the delight of the cheering supporters. Terry started his sprint early and quickly opened agap to take the win comfortably from James MacFerran of neighbouring club Dromara CC. John Smyth (Phoenix CC), Paul McMenamin (Omagh Wheelers), Colin Scullion (Ballymena RC) and William Larmour (Audi East Antrim) completed the top six. Banbridge CC riders William Mulligan, Daniel Purdy, Michael Curran, Matt Adair, Stephen O'Hagan and John Runciman all finished comfortably in the bunch. Many thanks to the riders, marshals, drivers, Cycling Ireland Commissaires for their efforts to ensure a safe race for all involved. The race organisers from Banbridge CC, would also like to thank the long standing sponsorship and support from Travers Engineering and The Hawthorn Inn for the use of its premises and the much welcomed hot soup after a cold day's racing. Results A Race 1. Thomas Martin (Eurocycles) 2. Ryan Connor (Usher) 3. Jonny Cole (Team Madigan) 4. Nathan McLeer (Curran Racing) 5. Damian McDonald (Dromara CC) 6. Liam Curran (Curran Racing) B Race 1. Terry Mackin (Banbridge) 2. James MacFerran (Dromara CC) 3. John Smyth (Phoenix CC) 4. Paul McMenamin (Omagh Wheelers) 5. Colin Scullion (Ballymena RC) 6. William Larmour (East Antrim Audi) 7. Gavin Magowan (Dromara CC) Photos by Jimmy Lavery here Photos by Darren Crawford here. To purchase photos from Darren email bigd@talktalk.net Photos by Bronagh Kirk here To get prints from Bronagh send an email to Bronagh here. Bronagh is happy to provide prints in various sizes with the proceeds going to Ards Cycling Club FROM NIGEL SUDLOW (Race Secretary, Dromara CC) In the B race there was James MacFerran, Gavin Magowan, Michael Pyper, Brian Steele, Ryan Mallon, and Chris Magowan and all did well. Michael and Brian were caught up in a crash near the end but both ok. Chris retired after 3 laps or so. In the A race Derek Hanna, Ronnie Smyth and Damien McDonald went off in the first group, with Darren Weir off in the second group and Davy McKnight off in the scratch group. When the bighitters caught up in the last lap or so and then attacked again Damien must have got away with them and did very well to stay to the line. All in all everyone rode pretty well in both races. FROM GAVIN Good run the day. The race was quick, 21.8 average and it went off very fast from the start, doing 18-19 mph up the hills and heading down into Katesbridge it was very fast. Michael and I were pushing on rightly. I got drawn out too early on the last lap. There was a pile up on the final corner on the last hill before the big sprint. Big result for Damien also for James in the B race getting a very good 2nd place only 1 second behind the winner. Very strong ride by Michael who was on the front all day and was unlucky not to finish in the top ten. He has had a big improvement from last year. Brian Steele got caught up in the crash on the sprint otherwise he would have been in the top few as well .......... Good day for DROMARA!!! FROM DAMIEN The A3 group was going pretty slow until the A1s caught us. A breakaway happened immediately and I jumped on. There were only 5 of us in that group and we managed to stay away. Big sprint finish. Stats from the B race as rode by Gavin http://connect.garmin.com/activity/25647332 Pictures from Nigel Sudlow and Brian McGrath http://cid-db75381ed435f412.skydrive.liv....e%202010?link=1 Photo by Bronagh Kirk (Ards CC)
 Photo by Bronagh Kirk (Ards CC)  Videos from Nigel A race finish http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kyc6EvIUHOg B race finish http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShzLaZCQtBg A race clips http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS5HM9Q_BTg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VJK0qY5b2c http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdYCD_I1KY8 B race clips http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kqZuw4xT9o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QVqHQidT8k http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If-3QLmUVTY |
 Photo by Bronagh Kirk (Ards CC)  Photo by Darren Crawford  Photo by Bronagh Kirk (Ards CC)  Photo by Bronagh Kirk (Ards CC)  Photo by Bronagh Kirk (Ards CC)  Photo by Bronagh Kirk (Ards CC)  Photo by Bronagh Kirk (Ards CC)  |
| Phoenix GP Sunday 28 February 2010 Report adapted from Cycling Ulster's Tommy Lamb's report The Phoenix GP saw 150 cyclists signing on for the three races on the Nutts Corner Circuit. In the A race the 1st category riders were unable to make up the 10 minute handicap and Bobby Kane (Ballymoney CC) emerged as victor from the 3rd category bunch outsprinting Paul Mulligan (Eurocycles) and Jason Henry (U/A). Donegal’s Sean Stewart (Four Masters), Gordon Scott (East Antrim) and Marty Henderson (Phoenix CC) completed the top six. In the B event former international Gary Wilson (East Antrim) showed his old craft and experience when he led home the bunch of almost sixty 4th category riders. Barry Russell from the Carn Wheelers club in Maghera was second edging out Andrew McGibbon (Apollo) and Stephen Beck (U/A). John Smyth of the promoting Phoenix CC was next over the line depriving George Boyd (Roe Valley) of fifth spot. Many thanks to all the marshalls who kept the race safe, commissaires Martin Lees and Maurice McAllister and to the inimitable Paul Devenney on his motorbike. Thanks also to the members of other clubs who helped out with the marshalling and Billy Smyth for the timekeeping Results Phoenix GP 'A' race - Nutts Corner 1. Bobby Kane (Ballymoney CC) 2. Paul Mulligan (Eurocycles) 3. Jason Henry (U/A) 4. Sean Stewart (Four Masters) 5. Gordon Scott (East Antrim – Audi) 6. Martin Henderson (Phoenix CC) 7. Ronnie Smyth (Dromara CC) 8. Danny Hylands (Team Madigan) 9. Mark McCullough (Ballymena-Scott Tiles) 10. Noel Boyce (North Down) Phoenix GP 'B' Race - Nutts Corner Results B Race 1. Gary Wilson (East Antrim – Audi) 2. Barry Russell (Carn Wheelers) 3. Andrew McGibbon (Apollo) 4. Stephen Beck (U/A) 5. John Smyth (Phoenix CC) 6. George Boyd (Roe Valley) 7. James MacFerran (Dromara CC) 8. William Larmour (East Antrim Audi) 9. Gary Kendall (Bann Wheelers) 10.Clifford Grant (Ballymena Scott Tiles) Phoenix GP video by Conor Graham here Photos by Marian Lamb (Cycling Ulster) here Photos by Bronagh Kirk here To get prints from Bronagh send an email to Bronagh here. Bronagh is happy to provide prints in various sizes with the proceeds going to Ards Cycling Club FROM NIGEL SUDLOW (Race Secretary, Dromara CC) In the A race today the A3s were let off first. This was the largest group and contained Ronnie Smyth and Damien McDonald. Five minutes later a small group of A2s containing Darren Weir were let away and finally with a 10 minute handicap the A1s containing Davy McKnight were off. The 5 and 10 minutes handicaps proved to be too much of a gap to bridge with the A3s staying out in front to the end with Bobby Kane ( Ballymoney cc) taking the sprint. Ronnie finished 7th. The B race stayed together most of the day with an odd rider getting off the front briefly but again it came to a bunch sprint with Gary Wilson (East Antrim) taking the win. There were three Dromara men in this race, Simon Welby, James MacFerran (7th) and Gary Gray who made his first appearance of the season. A race stats which contain a neutralised section 1hr 30 mins into the race as recorded by Damien McDonald http://connect.garmin.com/activity/25734895 Photo by Bronagh Kirk (Ards CC)  Photo by Bronagh Kirk (Ards CC)  |
 Photo by Bronagh Kirk (Ards CC)  Photo by Bronagh Kirk (Ards CC)  Photo by Bronagh Kirk (Ards CC)  Photo by Bronagh Kirk (Ards CC)  Videos from Nigel A race finish http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CalZlUH4NYg B race finish http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeKVGyINYBM |
