But first before  Anthony's report lets start with things Dromara.

Davy continues to show his form finishing 36th with Ronnie just 1 1/2 seconds back in 42nd place and Darren a further 6 seconds back in 70th place. This leaves the Lads / Hair Bears in 12 place overall an excellent result. T here were many at the top of the hill wishing they were riding but one thing was noticeable, Dromara CC may have only had the one 3 man team but they had without doubt the greatest level of support with most of the club present.

Charlotte Annett - not knowing what to make of it, and not on her own

Davy - fastest Dromara time

Darren

Ronnie Smyth - complete with battle scares

 

Mark Thwaites (Kinesis UK) took tonights opening stage in the 2007 P&O Irish Sea Tour of the North. The 1-mile Hillclimb prologue at Stormont, sponsored by BElfast City Council saw the full field of 128 riders face the starter, with the first riders flagged away by the deputy Lord mayor of Belfast.

 

Off No 133, Thwaites time of 2 minutes 16. 01 seconds was over a second faster than former British Champion Neil Swithenbank (West Pennine Road Club) who clocked 2.17.82 for the runner-up spot.

 

Local lad Martyn Irvine (Ards CC) was top of the leaderboard until the final minutes of the stage, but ended up 3rd with 2.18.84.

 

Kinesis rider Johnny McEvoy took 4th with 2.19.82 whilst defending Tour Champion and birthday boy (celebrating his 23rd) Ryan Connor (Ballymena Road Club - Scott Rooftiles) made do with 6th place, well poised to take on the challengers on `home turf` tomorrow when the 70 mile stage takes place in and around Ballymena.

 

1	Mark Thwaites	Team Kinesis UK			02:16.01
2	Neil Swithenbank	West Pennine RC			02:17.82
3	Martyn Irvine	Ards CC			02:18.84
4	Johnny McEvoy	Team Kinesis UK			02:19.82
5	Tim Edgar	Castlereagh CC - Mattest			02:20.14
6	Ryan Connor	Ballymena RC - Scott Rooftiles			02:20.36
7	John Hey	West Pennine RC			02:20.57
8	Daniel Shand	West Pennine RC			02:20.60
9	Sean Downey	Ulster Juniors			02:20.62
10	Glen Kinning	Castlereagh CC - Mattest			02:21.01

 

 

Full Stage results & overall classification attached in `Excel.`

 

 

Anthony Mitchell

Race Director

www.tourofthenorth.com

Position	Name	Club	Cat	Number	Time	Gap
1	Mark Thwaites	Team Kinesis UK	S	133	02:16.01
2	Neil Swithenbank	West Pennine RC	S	127	02:17.82	00:01.81
3	Martyn Irvine	Ards CC	S	47	02:18.84	00:02.83
4	Johnny McEvoy	Team Kinesis UK	Jun	134	02:19.82	00:03.81
5	Tim Edgar	Castlereagh CC - Mattest	S	136	02:20.14	00:04.13
6	Ryan Connor	Ballymena RC - Scott Rooftiles	S	9	02:20.36	00:04.35
7	John Hey	West Pennine RC	Vet	125	02:20.57	00:04.56
8	Daniel Shand	West Pennine RC	U23	126	02:20.60	00:04.59
9	Sean Downey	Ulster Juniors	Jun	119	02:20.62	00:04.61
10	Glen Kinning	Castlereagh CC - Mattest	S	135	02:21.01	00:05.00
11	Tom Murray	Team Kinesis UK	S	132	02:21.54	00:05.53
12	James Sampson	Team Kinesis UK	S	131	02:22.18	00:06.17
13	Pete Williams	Team Kinesis UK	S	130	02:24.25	00:08.24
14	Jimmy Wright	Team Madigan	S	13	02:24.53	00:08.52
15	Peter Hawkins	Usher - IRC "A"	S	50	02:24.66	00:08.65
16	Matthew Ward	Usher - IRC "A"	S	51	02:25.42	00:09.41
17	Matt Ellison	Lancashire RC	S	39	02:26.65	00:10.64
18	Neil Delahaye	Usher - IRC "A"	S	52	02:27.47	00:11.46
19	Paul Vaughan	Maryland Wheelers	S	97	02:28.14	00:12.13
20	Ray Brownfield	Curran Racing	S	33	02:28.26	00:12.25
21	Adam Armstrong	Northern CC - Dave Kane	U23	2	02:29.06	00:13.05
22	Sean Rock	Stamullen RC - M Donnelly	S	118	02:29.10	00:13.09
23	Peter McSorley	Apollo CT	U23	16	02:29.38	00:13.37
24	Alan Carey	Usher - IRC "B"	S	68	02:29.65	00:13.64
25	Nathan Jones	Orchard Wheelers	S	76	02:29.92	00:13.91
26	Fraser Duncan	Northern CC - Dave Kane	S	4	02:30.76	00:14.75
27	Simon Williams	Orchard Wheelers	U23	74	02:30.92	00:14.91
28	Scott Macrae	Pedalpower RT	S	22	02:30.98	00:14.97
29	Gary Scott	Orchard Wheelers	S	75	02:31.19	00:15.18
30	Keith Gallagher	Orchard Wheelers	S	71	02:32.42	00:16.41
31	Peter Hey	West Pennine RC	S	124	02:32.76	00:16.75
32	Adam Nettleton	West Pennine RC	S	129	02:33.52	00:17.51
33	Michael Murray	Clann Eireann - Linen Green	U23	25	02:33.59	00:17.58
34	Ronan McLaughlin	totalcycling.com	S	26	02:33.82	00:17.81
35	David Wilson	Northern CC - Dave Kane	U23	1	02:34.04	00:18.03
36	David McKnight	Dromara CC	S	41	02:34.25	00:18.24
37	Peter Wilson	Ulster Juniors	Jun	120	02:34.66	00:18.65
38	Craig Sweetman	Stamullen RC - M Donnelly	S	116	02:34.78	00:18.77
39	Gary Cranston	East Antrim - Audi "A"	S	88	02:35.19	00:19.18
40	Tony Boyle	Castlereagh CC - Mattest	Vet	137	02:35.32	00:19.31
41	Liam Nelson	Ballymena RC - Scott Rooftiles	S	5	02:35.75	00:19.74
42	Ronnie Smyth	Dromara CC	S	42	02:35.76	00:19.75
43	Alastair Steele	SiS.com	Vet	31	02:36.51	00:20.50
44	Conor Murphy	Usher - IRC "A"	S	53	02:37.00	00:20.99
45	Kieran Downey	Big Picture Developments	S	85	02:37.11	00:21.10
46	Sean Clark	Pedalpower RT	S	23	02:37.15	00:21.14
47	Craig Battersby	Lancashire RC	S	35	02:37.35	00:21.34
48	David Mulholland	Big Picture Developments	U23	82	02:37.88	00:21.87
49	Daire McCaughey	Big Picture Developments	S	84	02:38.21	00:22.20
50	Gordon Scott	East Antrim - Audi "A"	Vet	91	02:38.39	00:22.38
51	Greame McGarrity	Scotland Juniors	Jun	111	02:38.40	00:22.39
52	Conor Lavery	Apollo CT	S	18	02:39.03	00:23.02
53	Brian Taaffe	Dublin Wheelers - All Systems	S	99	02:39.10	00:23.09
54	Ben Morrow	East Antrim - Audi "A"	S	89	02:39.18	00:23.17
55	Lewis Oliphant	VC Ecosse - Montpellier	S	12	02:39.19	00:23.18
56	Silas Goldsworthy	VC Ecosse - Montpellier	U23	11	02:39.54	00:23.53
57	Thomas Martin	Ulster Juniors	Jun	121	02:39.99	00:23.98
58	Stephen Halpin	Stamullen RC - M Donnelly	S	117	02:40.16	00:24.15
59	Liam Curran	Curran Racing	Vet	34	02:40.21	00:24.20
60	Conor McAllister	Ballymena RC - Scott Rooftiles	U23	8	02:40.26	00:24.25
61	Paul Harte	Phoenix CC "A"	S	61	02:40.27	00:24.26
62	Robert Moore	Stamullen RC - M Donnelly	S	115	02:40.35	00:24.34
63	Ken Norgrove	Dublin Wheelers - All Systems	S	100	02:40.64	00:24.63
64	Willie Hamilton	Usher - IRC "A"	S	49	02:41.33	00:25.32
65	Jason Tonge	Lancashire RC	S	36	02:41.41	00:25.40
66	Paul Mulligan	Usher - IRC "B"	S	70	02:41.54	00:25.53
67	Derek Walker	East Kilbride RC	S	67	02:41.59	00:25.58
68	Blair Gibb	Scotland Juniors	Jun	110	02:42.28	00:26.27
69	Andy Gott	West Pennine RC	S	128	02:42.61	00:26.60
70	Darren Weir	Dromara CC	S	40	02:42.72	00:26.71
71	Tony Hare	Apollo CT	S	17	02:43.05	00:27.04
72	Leo McAllister	Ulster Juniors	Jun	123	02:43.09	00:27.08
73	Andrew Nicell	VC Ecosse - Montpellier	S	10	02:43.29	00:27.28
74	Mark Greer	Maryland Wheelers	S	94	02:43.48	00:27.47
75	John Bellamy	Lancashire RC	Vet	37	02:43.64	00:27.63
76	Shane Charlton	Scotland Juniors	Jun	108	02:44.00	00:27.99
77	Tommy Wilson	Ballymena RC - Scott Rooftiles	Vet	6	02:44.55	00:28.54
78	Frank O'Connor	Stamullen RC - M Donnelly	S	113	02:45.66	00:29.65
79	Greame Neagle	Pedalpower RT	Jun	20	02:45.82	00:29.81
80	Michael Mulcahy	Usher - IRC "B"	S	69	02:45.89	00:29.88
81	Gareth Crothers	Ards CC	S	44	02:47.08	00:31.07
82	Myles McCrory	Big Picture Developments	S	86	02:47.11	00:31.10
83	Callum Wilkinson	Pedalpower RT	U23	21	02:47.21	00:31.20
84	Barry Mullin	Phoenix CC "A"	S	63	02:47.38	00:31.37
85	Stephen Farr	Team Madigan	S	15	02:47.81	00:31.80
86	Warren Francis	Ards CC	S	43	02:47.89	00:31.88
87	Gavin Scullion	Unattached	S	59	02:48.01	00:32.00
88	Ciaran Farrell	Dublin Wheelers - All Systems	S	101	02:48.32	00:32.31
89	James McMaster	Northern CC - Dave Kane	S	58	02:48.49	00:32.48
90	Liam Dolan	Big Picture Developments	S	83	02:48.64	00:32.63
91	Nicholas McGrath	Phoenix CC "A"	S	64	02:48.67	00:32.66
92	Danny Drake	Lancashire RC	S	38	02:48.81	00:32.80
93	Stephen Hoey	Glasgow Ivy CC	Vet	80	02:49.00	00:32.99
94	Wes Murphy	Dublin Wheelers - All Systems	S	102	02:50.04	00:34.03
95	Allister Fiddes	Ulster Juniors	Jun	122	02:50.18	00:34.17
96	Kirk Sloan	Ards CC	S	45	02:50.53	00:34.52
97	Christopher Scott	Maryland Wheelers	S	96	02:51.17	00:35.16
98	Willie Laithwaite	Glasgow Ivy CC	S	81	02:51.39	00:35.38
98	Steve McEwen	Pedalpower RT	Vet	19	02:51.39	00:35.38
100	Martin McConville	Clann Eireann - Linen Green	S	24	02:52.09	00:36.08
101	Alan Quinn	Maryland Wheelers	Vet	95	02:52.51	00:36.50
102	Simon Mulvany	Stamullen RC - M Donnelly	S	114	02:52.52	00:36.51
103	Lennie Kirk	Slane Cycles	Vet	79	02:52.69	00:36.68
104	Kieran McKenna	East Antrim - Audi "A"	S	87	02:53.99	00:37.98
105	Jimmy Rutherford	SiS.com	Vet	32	02:55.06	00:39.05
106	Lee Patterson	Northern CC - Dave Kane	Vet	3	02:55.79	00:39.78
107	Heather Wilson	Maryland Wheelers	Lady	98	02:56.56	00:40.55
108	Simon Stockton	Team Madigan	S	14	02:56.58	00:40.57
109	Stuart McManus	Glasgow Wheelers	U23	28	02:57.52	00:41.51
110	Jim McConnell	East Antrim - Audi "B"	Vet	104	02:58.11	00:42.10
111	Richard Megahey	Maryland Wheelers	S	92	02:58.16	00:42.15
112	Hall Booth	Ballymena RC - Scott Rooftiles	S	7	02:58.91	00:42.90
113	Brendan Kirk	Ards CC	S	46	02:58.99	00:42.98
114	Brendan Graham	Castlereagh CC - Mattest	Vet	138	03:01.48	00:45.47
115	Michael Orr	Phoenix CC "A"	Vet	62	03:03.12	00:47.11
116	Jenny Fay	Rapha - Condor	Lady	55	03:03.20	00:47.19
117	David McMullan	East Antrim - Audi "B"	S	105	03:03.95	00:47.94
118	Julie O'Hagan	Rapha - Condor	Lady	54	03:03.98	00:47.97
119	Paul Faherty	Dublin Wheelers - All Systems	S	103	03:04.74	00:48.73
120	Martin Graham	Island Wheelers	S	57	03:04.80	00:48.79
120	Patrick Withers	Fintona CC	U23	56	03:04.80	00:48.79
122	John Cole	Phoenix CC "B"	Vet	78	03:05.59	00:49.58
123	Jamie Drever	Glasgow Wheelers	S	27	03:07.53	00:51.52
124	Mick Nulty	Stamullen RC - M Donnelly	Vet	112	03:11.26	00:55.25
125	Tommy Evans	Usher - IRC "A"	S	48	04:55.40	02:39.39
126	John Scott	Orchard Wheelers	S	73	05:36.72	03:20.71
Team Competition
Position	Team	Time
1	Team Kinesis UK	06:57.37
2	West Pennine RC	06:58.99
3	Castlereagh CC - Mattest	07:16.47
4	Usher - IRC "A"	07:17.55
5	Orchard Wheelers	07:32.03
6	Northern CC - Dave Kane	07:33.86
7	Ulster Juniors	07:35.27
8	Ballymena RC - Scott Rooftiles	07:36.37
9	Stamullen RC - M Donnelly	07:44.04
10	Lancashire RC	07:45.41
11	Apollo CT	07:51.46
12	Dromara CC	07:52.73
13	East Antrim - Audi "A"	07:52.76
14	Big Picture Developments	07:53.20
15	Ards CC	07:53.81
16	Pedalpower RT	07:53.95
17	Usher - IRC "B"	07:57.08
18	VC Ecosse - Montpellier	08:02.02
19	Maryland Wheelers	08:02.79
20	Scotland Juniors	08:04.68
21	Dublin Wheelers - All Systems	08:08.06
22	Team Madigan	08:08.92
23	Phoenix CC "A"	08:16.32