Cycling Club to promote range of top events

BALLYMONEY Cycling Club is already making new and exciting plans for the 2010 season.

With the club’s membership growing every week and a wide ranging interest being shown by new members.

BCC are expanding their event programme to include Mountain Biking, Cyclo-cross, Triathlon and Cyclosportives.

The event known as Cyclosportive is Britain and Irelands’ newest and fastest growing discipline offering a big ride challenge to seasoned racers and fun and leisure cyclists alike.

They can be long, hard, and hilly and, all of a sudden they have become very popular.

What we’re talking about are UK challenge rides, Cyclosportives. Inspired by similar events on the Continent like the Gran Fondo in Italy and L’Etape du Tour in France, they have exploded in number over the last couple of years, leaving the road cycling scene shaken, stirred and begging for more.

The great news is that the scene is set to grow ever bigger as organisations like Cycling Ireland and British Cycling federation look for a piece of the action.

They cater for everyone

It’s not too hard to see why Sportives are so popular.

For starters, they can be as hard or as easy as the rider desires.

Some riders will be looking for an element of competition, perhaps by signing up with a bunch of mates for a burn up, or trying to be in the first or fastest group to finish.

Others, who might find road racing a little strenuous or elitist, can ride at a steadier pace and still enjoy the sensations of an organised club run type event.

So what is a Cyclosportive?

If this sounds a bit like an Audax ride, it’s not. Audax events are strictly non-competitive and apply a maximum speed limit (or minimum time, which amounts to the same thing). Participants aren’t given an individual finishing time; nor is there any mention of results beyond the fact of finishing within the time limits.

If there is one factor that distinguishes a true Cyclosportive from an Audax event, it’s the timing chip. This enables the organiser to publish results in considerable detail, and also means that an event can either be run with a start ‘ la Franaise’, that is to say at the rider’s discretion, or with a mass start.

The majority of UK and Ireland events are run with a staggered start, mainly in order to keep down the number of riders on a given stretch of road at any time.

Given the congested nature of roads, this is a sensible idea. That said, most Sportives are run on quiet roads in fairly remote areas with little motor traffic. Ballymoney CC have a list of Leisure/sportive events being held by Cycling Ulster on our website, see “Leisure Calendar 2010”

Ballymoney Cycling Club riders have already been using these types of events for their race preparation this year.

East Antrim Reliability Trial

On Sunday past Ballymoney CC riders Bobby Kane and Nigel Elder took part in this event organised by the East Antrim Club. Bobby rode with the 70 mile group averaging 22mph for the day and Nigel was off in the 50 mile group.

These groups included Ireland’s top cyclists and gave the Ballymoney CC lads a real confidence boost in their race preparation. Bobby Kane and Steven McAllister have both entered for races at the start of the Cycling Ireland Calendar.

With former Irish schoolboy and junior time trial champion Alastair Henry coming back to compete in races this year it will be interesting to follow Alastair’s programme develop.

The weekend club runs were on the road on Saturday and Sunday as usual, With the club now able to have two groups it is now encouraging leisure cyclists to come along and enjoy the social run held on both days.

New club kit at the Joey Dunlop Centre

This Tuesday night the club will be presenting and re ordering their new kit for 2010 at the Joey Dunlop Centre at 7.30pm.

All members are invited along with others interested to come along. A Fantastic Membership Package will be announced in the next couple of weeks. This will make joining Ballymoney Cycling Club very affordable and to the members a very valuable decision they will decided upon.

Due to the extensive work done by the club, Ballymoney CC will be among a few clubs in Ireland who will be able to offer this package, exclusive to its members.

Weekend club runs

Saturday 9.30am from Outdoor Life on Market Street, Group 1 will cycle for 4-5 hours and Group 2 will cycle 1.5 - 2 hours on Sunday the groups will leave from Ballymoney Rugby Club car park at 9.30am.

Everyone is invited to come along, for more details visit the clubs website and message board.

Go to www.ballymoneycyclingclub.com