Cycling: Cookstown’s Gray puts in solid performance on Errigal Youth Tour

CCT Under 16 rider Jake Gray was selected to represent the FBD Ireland Talent Team 2020.

This event attracts the best youth cyclists from the UK, Europe and beyond and the importance of this event should not be underestimated as the youth competing in this event are the lifeblood future of Irish cycling.

Jake had a great start to the Errigal Youth Tour sprinting to second place and four seconds down on the yellow jersey and managing to finish forty seconds clear of the bunch.

On stage two Jake finished second overall on the hill climb, taking one second back on the leader.

Stage three saw Jake finishing in fourth position overall which left him going into the final stage four seconds behind the leader, which he retained and finished second in the overall classification of 82 entries in the Under 16 category.

Jake also won the King of the Mountains Polka Dot Jersey.

Jake has also recently added the Ulster Youth Title to his name by winning the Under 16 Time Trial Championship and in the Road Race Championship he won the bunch sprint for third overall taking the bronze medal.

An impressive list of results by Jake demonstrating a promising future cycling career.

On the same weekend Andrew Reid, Alastair Steele and John McGlaughlin travelled to the Madigan Grand Prix A Race promoted by the Madigan Cycling Club in Carrickfergus.

Unfortunately 3 miles into the race Alastair got a puncture leaving only two CCT riders to battle on with the leaders.

Andrew and John were in the front group of approximately 20 riders which managed to break away on the first lap. John put in a great effort just missing out on a top ten placing, finishing twelfth overall and third in the A3 Category.

Andrew rode superbly considering the nature of the course and the fact that he is a junior riding in restricted gears. A great effort all round considering the atrocious weather conditions.

Sunday saw John McGlaughlin, Andrew Reid and Stephen Hutchinson representing CCT at the Billy Stewart Memorial Race promoted by Apollo Cycling Club in Lurgan.

Andrew Reid put in a superb effort to solo it over to a seven man break who had a 40 second advantage on the chasing group that had got away with two laps to go.

There had been several changing lead breaks during the race. Andrew decided to try his luck and his efforts were rewarded finishing 5th overall, a great result for our junior rider.

Stephen sprinted from the main bunch with approximately 600 metres to go being caught just before the line.

John got a top five in the bunch sprint leaving him with another solid result after two days hard racing.