John Maxwell Cup won by Ciaran Magill

This traditional 25m time trial was moved to the Rathfriland Road and reduced to a 10m TT because of road obstructions.

A total of 29 riders set off at minute intervals to the five-mile turn point at Annaclone . Weather was mild and, with little wind, the conditions were good for fast times.

Of the 29 riders that took part 23 were club members with the remainder visitors, with the furthest Paul Gick (Dromara CC) making his way to the race from Kilinchy.

This turned out to be a be a special evening with 21 club members posting personal bests for this year. Timings tumbled almost everywhere. Aidey  Finnegan posted the quickest actual club time at 24:50 (24.16mph) with the quickest time on the night posted by Dan Gordon at 23:56, again a PB.

With handicaps and target times applied the win on the night went to Ciaran Magill who posted a time of 26:44 (22.44mph) 1:52 under his target. This is Ciaran’s second win of the year, his first back on April 18 with a 10 mile TT win in the Weir Cup. Ciaran has improved by an impressive 47 secs since his last 10 mile TT.

Filling out the top five on the night were Shenna McKivergan 30:24 (19.73mph), Brian Curran 27.10 (22.08mph), Chris Burns 26:57(22.26mph)  and Ian Cochrane25:48 (23.25mph) all of whom posted PB’s.

In the Club Race League Brian Curran holds the lead and sits on 481 points. Brian has now reached 15 races the maximum number of races that count in the league points tally.In second place is Jude Sands on 441 with Chris Burns on 414, Ian Cochrane on 413 and Ryan Moore fifth with 409.

Looking forward the next club race will take place on Wednesday August 1 on the Drumneath circuit  and is the concluding race of 3 in the Mourne Observer Cup.

Interestingly five riders sit at the top of this competition separated by only three points. Michael Beattie 70 points, Paul McGuckin 69, Jude Sands 69, Ian Cochrane 68 and Brian Curran 68. A hard call and certainly anyone of the five are capable of the win.