Another victory for Ballymoney Cycling Club

On Saturday at the Cicli Sport GP outside Moneymore BCC under 16 schoolboy Stuart Laverty in his first ever road race finished 7th in a top field of Irish schoolboys. The race was won by the Irish schoolboy champion Aaron Swan BCCRT/TSC.

BCC schoolboy and winner of three events this year Ryan Orr had a typical cycling off day with mechanical troubles with gears and cables.

This race was run on the same course as the senior riders. Steven McAllister who finished in the bunch in the senior race and BCC Racing Team rider Phil Smith got caught up in a crash late in the race and was very badly cut up and bruised. BCC send him our best wishes and a speedy recovery as he is one of the racing team’s most consistent representatives at the Open events.

The success that Stuart, Ryan and Chris enjoyed in their first races comes as a result of dedication and a love for the sport of cycling.

The lads have used the training facilities all winter at Dalriada gym and although the frost and bitter cold was going on outside these young schoolboys were laying the foundations for a good summer’s racing.

Chris won the Youth race at Belfast on Sunday, which consisted of a short cross country run followed by a two lap off-road cycle around single track forest sections and open grass parkland followed by another cross country run. Chris had a short lead after the first run and led out of transition on the bike leg of the race. He gained some additional time during the cycle on his competitors and led to the finish through the final run section.

His was the second event in the 2011/12 off-road Duathlon series with Chris improving from his second place finish in the previous round at Castleward. Chris and his Dad thanked Ballymoney CC for their coaching and enthusiasm on behalf of Chris and all of the youth cyclists in the club. It really does make a difference! Chris’s cycling improvement since joining Ballymoney CC was noticeable and contributed to the win. The senior race today, which consisted mostly of triathletes and some racing and off road cyclists, was won convincingly by Roger Aiken of Banbridge Cycling Club.

Chris, Aaron, Ryan and Stuart hope to take part at the Youth Road race at the Aghagallon Cup next Sunday.

Carn Classic Road Races

The Carn Classic road races on Sunday saw BCC Racing Team back on the road for a second day running albeit this time with no youth riders in action.

In the A4 race over 35 miles at Tobermore, Martin Carroll and Interclub League winner Gareth McBride set of in a field of around 60 riders.

In what is becoming a norm for these races the finish was decided by a sprint and Clifford Blayney from North Down was the bravest on the line.

In the 42 mile A race Jason Taggart and Steven McAllister lined up to on a warm delightful day in mid Ulster. This race was handicapped with the A1/A2 riders like McAllister and local Ballymoney rider Jason Henry off on the “Scratch” bunch 3 minutes behind the A3 riders.

Despite attempts to break away these races on these flat courses make it hard to split the field and again this race was decided by a sprint finish with the victory going to Omagh’s Stevie McKenna.

Coming Events

This Sunday BCC member and martial arts expert Marshall Craig is organising a get together for anyone interested in Leisure cycling, going out for a run with friends and family. There is no speed involved and even talk of stopping for an Ice Cream was mentioned. Everyone who owns a bike is invited to join it. The group left on Sunday past from the “Grease Pit” at 10.30am and will be doing this for the summer months each week. This is a case of come along and “Bring your Bike” Other BCC members are asked to come along and help out.

Tuesday 4th April (Wednesday) is the first BCC race of the 2012 season and it is a new venue for the “LungBuster” 5 mile time trial, starting on the Portrush/Ballybogey Road. First rider will be off at 6.45pm. Entry is £3 to all Cycling Ireland licence holders.