Breandan Flannaghan wins at Ras Mhaigh Eo

events.

With U16 schoolboy Breandan Flannaghan winning the 1st stage at Ras Mayo on Saturday and only due to crashes he would have secured the victory on the Sunday overall.

Team mate Andrew Allen from Omagh was 7th on the Saturday’s stage.

This was the start of another weekend of unprecedented success for the strong Ballymoney team,

Aaron Swan and Steven McAllister getting 7th and 10th in the top Tour of Ards race, 66 miles around the Ards peninsula, covered at 27.2mph average.

Swan was in the 3rd place group along with the eventual winner and runner up in the 8 day An Pos Ras Roger Aiken.

This was a great day for the BCC Antrim Ras team in their preparation for the 8 day stage race in May.

Team riders Craig McAuley was 2nd, Swan 7th, McAllister 10th, Ryan Bankhead 1st A2 rider and Chris McKeown safe in the fast finishing main bunch.

Danny Boy Races at Feeny

In an event that saw Ballymoney Cycling Club hard man Neville Patton win this race in 2013 the Ballymoney Club travel to the foot of the Sperrins in search of more success.

This year Ballymoney had their woman riders, Claire McAoy and Janine Gordon in the starting field, with Claire getting an excellent 6th place just outside the prizes.

Both girls are getting the hang of the racing and with another 5 or 6 to join them BCC have a strong contingent in all areas of the sport.

In the A4 race fast finisher Aaron Dickie was joined by Marshall Craig and Dalriada schoolboy George Peden, George having a puncture after 8 miles, but the other two lads were challenging at the finish.

In the A3 race junior rider Robbie Doherty took 6th place despite illness and will be out of action for at least a couple of weeks.

This race was won by Nicholas Roche team rider Marc Heaney from Team Asea rider Conor McCann and another Roche rider Cameron McIntyre winner of the Lakeland 3 day in 2015 was 3rd.

Robbie was pipped for 5th in the bunch sprint a few seconds behind the breakaway 3 riders.

Masters Racing at Feeny

In what has become a very popular category the over 50’s Masters racing, Ballymoney Cycling Club Biesty’s Centra have been getting involved in this area as well,

This category was established to encourage our older racers to take part in races against their own age range and it has encouraged others who have been out of the sport to return and to enjoy what is a good days racing, with no quarter asked or indeed no quarter given.

Winner of the Master’s 30 mile race was Benny O’Kane of the Square wheels club and Ballymoney rider Pete MacCionaoith in his first ever open race getting 8th and A Boyle was 12th.

Community Development Funding

Ballymoney Cycling Club have to date never looked for funding other than from their small budget of funds from members in club race entry fees and membership.

The ever growing need to help the development of our youth and senior riders to progress in getting the much needed coaching and training in the best races and events possible.

This has meant that the Ballymoney Club will be asking the local and outlying community to assist this programme with small donations in sponsored cycles, quizzes, car boot sales and some private help.

The idea is to give our Ballymoney community a sense of involvement in seeing their young and established riders in the best competitions and promoting the top events, bringing the countries best riders to the area.

To find out more information about Ballymoney Cycling Club go to thier website: www.ballymoneycyclingclub.com or their Facebook site.