Another mid-season road race review!

Its been a while since our last road race report, and there has been lots of action out there, so lets catch up with the trials and tribulations of those plucky road men…  Thanks to David Dickson and Darren McCann for their reports.  Photos by The Belgian Project, Sharon McFarland and Alan Weir.

Mid Ulster GP – 23^rd April 2017

This race saw a big turnout from the ever growing Dromara A4 gang, with David Henderson, Gerard Doyle, Neil Armstrong, Kevin Walker, Stevie Stranney & Darren McCann all in the race.  (Must have been the rumours of free sweeties at the finish)  A tough rolling course saw some early drop outs, but excellent efforts from Neil, David and Darren saw them only narrowly missing out on points places.  Apparently the free sweeties were nice though.

Hugo Loughran GP – Friday 28^th April 2017

Several of the DCC A4 crew skipped work early and headed over for this Friday night race.  The A4 event was a two laps of the circuit, and after a slow pace the finish came down to a few last minute breaks for the line.  Riding strong, Darren McCann couldn’t resist lighting the afterburners a little too early and found himself on the front with 500 metres to go.  Sadly his jet legs ran out of fuel and he was unable to hold on for a finishing position, but a valuable lesson was learned.

Clogher Valley GP – 30th April 2017

Stephen Irvine made the long trip up to the Clogher Valley GP at the end of April. The east coast pocket rocket has been going from strength to strengh and had a great race getting in a few moves and taking two of the jerseys on offer including the sprint jersey and the KOH jersey in the A2/A3 race. He went on to take 6th at the finish line which was a fantastic result.

Do you have one in XS?

Groucho GP –  Saturday 6th May 2017

After last year’s cold and wet Groucho GP it was all change with the sun shining to provide perfect racing conditions, and an almost perfect day for the top Dromara racers.

Kevin Walker, Neil Armstrong, David Henderson, Brian Kellett and Darren McCann saddled up for the A4 race.  The race was punctuated with kamikaze attacks into headwinds that were doomed to failure on a fairly flat course. The stretching this caused  proved too much though for Brian & Kevin who called it quits and opted for a spot of sunbathing instead of tackling the final lap.  David was doing his usual tireless work at the front posing for the photographers, while Neil and Darren played the long game (i.e. hid in the bunch).  The race finished in a bunch sprint on the slight drag into Hamiltonsbawn, and once again the DCC contingent finished strongly, albeit just outside the points.

For the main A2/A3 race there was still the traditional uphill finish in Richhill to contest.  For anyone who hasn’t ridden it before, imagine a hill almost as steep as the Cornmill, except with a town at the top. A number of riders were very active in the race trying to form a break away. Finally a break formed with three, (yes 3!!) Dromara riders managing to get away, including the evergreen Gavin Magowan, forementioned Stephen Irvine and young whippersnapper Aaron Watson. It was looking odds on for a full podium finish for the club however a moment’s lapse of concentration and terrible luck saw Aaron come down in a clash of wheels not far from the finish (thankfully not seriously hurt).  That left Gavin and Stephen to make a move off the front of the breakaway and complete a fantastic 1-2, surely Dromara’s stand-out result of the season.

Remind me again why I do this?

Banbridge Crit – 12th May 2017

Banbridge held their annual crit around the centre of Banbridge, and after 10 days of unbroken sunshine and dry weather it was looking like perfect conditions for a great evening of racing. Unfortunately the weather broke just too soon, with increasingly heavy rain through the evening, making for tricky conditions for all races on the evening. With the main race lined out on the neutralised lap positioning was very important, and Nathan Mullen got off to a great start, only 3 or 4 places behind the eventual winner Roger Aiken. David Dickson and Aaron Watson rode strongly for most of the race, keeping in touch with the leaders until near the end, however the incredible pace set by the pro-level riders up front for 45 minutes plus 5 laps of the 1km circuit was just too much for them. Nathan Mullan had a superb race and ended up in 8th position, a fantastic achievement in a field of such quality riders.

Nathan enjoyed the Banbridge summer

Please make it stop!!

West Down GP – Saturday 20^th May 2017

The weather was looking good for Saturday at the West Down GP with a few showers possible later in the race.  David, Gerard and Darren put in a real team effort in the A4 race. Ballyroney proved to be a pivotal part of the course with the rise then sudden downhill into a chicane, it strung out the race. On the 3rd lap this proved pivotal as two riders attacked on the rise and strung out the peloton.  The DCC lads stayed with the leading bunch with Darren McCann sneaking in for an unconfirmed 6^th place, David Henderson right on his wheel and Gerard Doyle half a second back again.

The residents of Katesbridge were afraid…

In the A2/A3 race there was a strong group entered with Ronnie Smyth, David Dickson, Aaron Watson and Jack Ferguson. There were multiple attacks throughout the race but not much was allowed to get away.
David, Ronnie and Aaron had all tried to get away in a break but all unfortunately unsuccessful. The bunch had settled and most people assumed it would be a bunch sprint however with around a lap and a half to go Luke McMullan of Ballymena and another rider rode off the front and put in a fantastic effort to stay away and take the win. The bunch stayed together but there were a few splits on the descent of Rathfriland on the last lap. Ronnie and David finished in the bunch.

UCI Gran Fondo Qualification – Tour of Ayrshire

Away from the usual racing scene, Johny Ward has been training hard all winter in preparation for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships which takes place in August in Albi, France. To qualify for the race there are a number of qualifying races that are used to select the best riders for the World Championship event based on qualifying times. Johnny made the trip across to Scotland for the Tour of Ayrshire on the 30th April where he had a fantastic gran fondo to finish 12th out of 130 in his age group and 25th Overall.

I’m from Dromara you know…

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Well done to all of the riders proudly competing and succeeding in Dromara CC colours both locally and further afield.  Keep up the great work!!

Finally, remember DCC’s very own road race meeting is on Saturday the 3rd of June at Bishopscourt race circuit, with racing for juniors, ladies, masters, hand cycles and A2-A4 mens categories. Dromara members with a limited competition (LC) licence can compete in this event, so if you haven’t tried open racing but would like to give it a go, this is your chance.  If you aren’t interested in knocking your pan in for over an hour, but would like to help out, please put your name down to volunteer.  More info here.