BCC rider Laverty the ace of clubs

Being promoted this time by the Coleraine club, Bann Wheelers the Tuesday evening round was held on the Letterloan circuit starting at Kennedy quarry and finishing on the uphill drag over a mile from the start.

The race was divided into 4 groups with Ballymoney CC racing team riders Neville Patton, fresh from his win at Feeney last week, Ryan Patton, Martin Carroll, Ryan Fenton, Jack Owens, Jordan McCaw, Aaron Dickie, Steven McAllister, Jason Taggart and eventual winner Stuart Laverty in them.

Following the Ballymoney round of the series at Stranocum it was felt the club had not performed to the best of its ability and the race at Letterloan would be the turning point.

A careful plan was set in place and with Jason Taggart and Steven McAllister in the fast groups starting behind the rest of the sixty strong field it became clear early on that Taggart and McAllister were being heavily marked.

With a leg bursting drag to the finish on the 3rd of four laps the tall Ballymoney schoolboy stretched his legs and opened a gap from the rest of the field. It was countered by the other riders who reeled the schoolboy in and waited on the fast scratch riders coming to the front.

With a lot of jumping about in the final lap from the two rear groups, who by now had come together, attacks came thick and fast with Taggart and McAllister sitting on and countering them as they were being towed to the line.

Young Stuart was now getting lined up to launch a final drive for the line and as he sat with BCC road captain Neville Patton he was given the word to attack on the final drag before the finish.

The young man followed his instructions to the letter bursting clear and winning with seconds to spare punching the air in celebration on the line. Other BCC riders Aaron Dickie, Neville Patton and young, fast-improving Jordan McCaw making it into the top 12 and rounding off a very successful night for BCC Racing Team. As the now fragmented scratch group crossed the line the delighted whoops and cheers of McAllister and Taggart could be heard as they celebrated their young team mates success.

This result now puts the Ballymoney club only 16 points off first place currently being held by the strong and experienced Ballymena Road Club.

Final Results:

1st Stuart Laverty Ballymoney CC Racing Team, 2nd J Taylor Carn Wheelers, 3rd R Shaw BRC, 4th Aaron Dickie BCC RT, 5th Liam O’Connor BVCC, 6th M Kelly Carn Wheelers, 7th N Kernoghan BRC, 8th Q McFall BRC

9th Neville Patton BCC RT, 10th G Kelly Carn Wheelers

Brammier wins at the 104 mile Irish Road Race Championships

This weekend was the Irish National Road Race Championships in Clonmel in County Tipperary with Tour de France rider Nicholas Roche in the field as he adds his final touches to preparation for next week’s start of the tour.

This event was held over 9 laps of a seventeen kilometre circuit in the Suir Valley in what is known locally as “Kelly Country”. This is in reference to the homeland town of the iconic Irish cycling hero Sean Kelly nearby in Carrick on Suir. The great man himself was present and can be seen here with Ballymoney CC rider Steven McAllister who made his way down to ride this great national event for a second year.

The race was fast and furious from the start with rider after rider being dropped in the chase after chase that went up the road in pursuit of the coveted Irish champions jersey and the prestige associated with it.

Steven McAllister was 42nd overall out of 94 starters, two places better than his first ever ride in the event at Emyvale last year.

The race was won by last year’s winner Matt Brammier from Nicholas Roche and former Tour of the North winner Philip Lavery.

Brammier rides for the same team as Paris Roubaix winner and former holder of the Tour de France green jersey Tom Boonen. With the drags and climbs including what is locally known as Misery Hill nine times the field saw only 46 riders finish.

Irish National Road Race Championship Results

1st Matt Brammier Pharma Lotto.

2nd Nicholas Roche Ag2R

3rd Philip Lavery Node4

38th Chris Beattie

42nd Steven McAllister

Coming Events

This Wednesday the BCC weekly race starts at Dunaghy and is a Criterium, known as the “Black Lion” sign on is from 6.45 and the race will roll out at 7.30pm.