CYCLING: Nigel takes the yellow jersey

Nigel got the hop on the bunch with 600 metres to go and took the final two corners brilliantly to take a well deserved win. Matt Blayney (North Down CC) took second, with Cormac Clarke from the promoting club, Newry Wheelers, taking third.

Almost ninety eager riders took off from Warrenpoint at 7pm on that first evening and, while a few riders tried to get away, the race mainly stayed together for the duration of the night. On the 1st category, Grinan Hill, a few splits happened on the climb but it all came back on the descent, before the final three laps around the town, where a bunch sprint was on the cards.

Fellow Bann Wheeler, Bobby Kane, also produced a great performance, coming in seventh on the day. Both riders kept up this high standard over the following two days of the race, which kicked off with a time trial on the morning of day two. At the end of the three days, Nigel came in an impressive seventh overall, whilst Bobby was in nineteenth position - fantastic work from both cyclists in such a large field.