Big turnout for Ballymoney club’sDalriada Kingdom Cycle Challenge

There were over 100 participants ready to face the 25km, 50km and the monster 100km challenge. Leaving Roseyards Church Hall at 10am the groups set off on their preplanned routes. The routes were designed by Chris Frew and Stuart Laverty.

This was a great opportunity for Ballymoney’s youth development team of Joan Trengove and Rhona Laverty who

work tirelessly to uncover some the current crop of local talent that feeds the BCC Biesty’s Centra Racing Team, young men like Arthur Taggart and Oliver Watt, both these young talented riders are Under 12, and are key to the teams plans for specialised training for the 2014 season.

Ballymoney Cycling Club want to thank the support they received from Causeway CC, Ballycastle CC, Bann Wheelers, Phoenix CC (Belfast), East Antrim CC, Dunloy CC, Bann Valley RC, Spires CC, Kings Moss and Michelin CC.

The weather was bright but very windy and not everyone was a cycling club member but a large number were just leisure and keep fit cyclists who took hold of the roads through north Antrim. Parts of the tricky descent on the Omerbane Rd, if you grabbed a chance on a clear day it is possible to see the Mountains of Mourne in County Down and on the descent of the Altarichard Rd to the left the hills of Donegal are there to enjoy.

As the riders drop out of the Antrim hills, it was onto the “The Park” and through the Dark Hedges and the following the Antrim coast back to the Kirk Road and a well deserved cup of tea and sandwiches provided by Arbutus Catering.

Thank you to everyone who help make these events a big success and a platform for the 2014 version that will be again on the Cycling Ireland Leisure calendar.

* Stuart Laverty wins the “Race of the Falling Leaves”.

With the season coming fast to a close it was the BCC Biesty’s Centra Racing Team and Northern Ireland champion junior rider Stuart Laverty won this tough 16.74km U shaped individual Time Trial. Again the schoolboys were in action. Arthur Taggart, now almost a veteran of two races and other 12 year old Oliver Watt, trying his hand at his first ever race. Also smiling as always was veteran and big-hearted charity fundraiser Tony Blaney, Tony raised over £3000 for cancer charity and gave the Biesty’s Centra name a lot of

exposure as they helped him on his 3 days at 100 miles worthy cause each day around Northern Ireland.

Also in the field was Chris Surgeneor, Chris is a progressing young triathlete at BCC and recently won the Belfast Junior Triathlon.

Other BCC Tri team competitor David McAvoy was 2nd along with Chris who was 4th at the Dungannon Triathlon 2013

Results from the TT - 1st Stuart Laverty 24.05 (BCC Biesty’s Centra Racing Team) 2nd Mervyn Linton 24.20 3rd Neville Patton 24.56 4th Uel Cunningham 25.30 5th Steven McAllister 26.23 6th Martin Carroll 26.32 7th Liam O’Connor (BVRC) 26.45 8th Chris Surgeneor (U16) 26.57.