Championship medal for Ballymoney CC’s Mervyn Linton

Mervyn won the Bronze medal from Sean McIntyre and John Madden in the Ulster 50 mile time trial championships on the Woodgreen drag strip between Ballymena and Antrim.

Linton who is showing that he is the TT specialist has had rotten luck recently missing out in a top 15 place at the Irish National Championships in Omagh, when he faced Tour of Spain, Giro and Cycling’s elite classic riders battling for the National jersey.

Mervyn had a nightmare with mechanical problems and had to settle for 24th best in the country. Sunday saw the Ballymoney top outfit put out their top TT team with Linton supported by Stuart Laverty, Steven McAllister, and Uel Cunningham. Cunningham was the runner up to Madden at the recent Dunloy 25mile TT. The day started off well for the Garvagh lad as he caught his minute men in front of him and it was very clear the lad was in full song and a medal was in his grasp, all depended now on its colour. But with silk walled racing tyres used by these socialists are pumped to over 140psi, it looked like his hopes had gone when approaching the Seven Towers roundabout, a puncture! But this is what is meant by being the top racing outfit around, not only in the races but in back up support. BCC support crew of Ryan Patton and Maurice McAllister had Linton back running again losing seconds rather than minutes getting him on the road again. It was a great day for the Biesty’s out fit missing out on a gold team mate for the 3rd year running by BRC. Linton, McAllister, Cunningham and Laverty all had personal best times for the record books.

LAVERTY WINS ON THE TULLAGHANS TOP

Stuart Laverty’s cycling career has turned a corner as he is becoming a force to be reckoned with, winning recently the Dervock and Dunloy Classic road races. Now he has added the Long Mountain annual Classic Road race to his fast growing cycling CV.

The quality field lined up with recent Ras rider from Bangor and winner of Ulster and Irish open races, Joe McCrory from Carn Wheelers recently promoted to A1, Aaron Swan from the Nicholas Roche PT, Aaron was in recent road traffic accident on his way to racing in Belgium. He rode this tough classic with nerve damage in his arm, Ballymena stalwart and talent to burn rider Ryan Bankhead was in the mix as well, these guests were alongside our own talent pool of riders, only back from riding over 106 miles at the Irish National Road Championships on Sunday at Omagh was Steven McAllister, top motox rider Jordan McCaw, and the BCC Tour of Omagh team, Ryan Wallace, Aaron Dickie and Marshall Craig, guest rider from Causeway will be Gareth Peden. BCC Team captain Jason Taggart as usual encouraged on by Club President Hugh McConaghie. Taggart as usual his jovial self was complaining at the start the race was too short, four laps he laughed, I need eight to get warmed up.

This as usual gets the youth riders ready for action and Jason’s encouragement and tall tales keep them motivated. There results show this on the road as they also were savouring the hills of North Antrim.

Four laps of the tough circuit that encompasses speed and strength saw the scratch group, cut through the field a select group of Hamillton, North Down CC, McCrory Carn Wheelers and our own lightweight talent Stuart Laverty.

With the last lap underway, BCC member and local bike shop owner Bryan McKinney was predicting a Bangor win by Hamilton, but he under estimated his Biesty’s team Mate Laverty who unleashed a savage sprint relegating the two A1’s into second and third places

BCC TRI TEAM

BCC Biesty Tri woman rider Claire McAvoy was the fastest female at the Dunloy 25TT on Thursday evening, along with husband David, team mates Uel Cunningham who was runner up and Marshall Craig also in fine form.

Coming Races

This Wednesdaythere is a new event. There is an invitation to an other club member to join a BCC rider in racing the 2UP circuit TT at Dervock. Those without a partner can race on their own. The start is at the Pinkerton school at 7.30pm, sign on from 6.45pm.

All the details are on the Ballymoney FaceBook page.