Madden smashes Irish record with speed of 28mph over 50 mile course

Congratulations to local cyclist Madden who won the McQuigg Cup 50 Mile Time Trial and set a new all Ireland record early on Wednesday evening on the Woodgreen circuit between Ballymena and Antrim.

Madden set a new course record (to be ratified) with a blistering time of 1hrs.45mins.19 seconds which equates to an average speed of over 28mph for the 50 miles!

Madden of Curran Racing has broken the current 50 mile time trial record by 23 seconds. The record was set last year by John Heverin of Clann Eireann with a time of 1:45:42. Madden’s new time of 1:45:19 is a new record which needs to be ratifed by the Board of Cycling Ireland.

The record was set on the famous A26 Woodgreen course in almost perfect conditions. The event was a Ballymena promotion of the McQuigg Cup.Turn Stewards and observers were in place and the on-form Madden had ensured that a commissaire was present.

Folllowing the event Madden thanked the Ballymena club for facilitating his record attempt and Aidan Higgins who was commissaire for the evening.

Said Madden: “I could not believe it when I crossed the finish line and stopped my computer. I knew I had broken the Irish record by over 20 seconds which I thought was impossible given the fact that my legs were screaming with a lap to go! I gave a punch in the air salute with relief and joy as the realisation of what I had achieved hit home.”

Madden’s achievement this week opens up a season in which he has already won a number of open time trials and beaten one of his main rivals.

Last year Madden lifted the Ulster 25 mile title for his age group and was Ulster 100 mile champion in an Irish record time of 3:45:05.

05/05/2013 McQuigg Cup 50 Mile Time Trial Results

* McAllister, Orr and Laverty do well for Ballymoney

Ballymoney CC Biesty’s Centra racing team rider’s Steven McAllister kicked off a successful week for the team by winning round 3 of the Inter club league at the Anglers Rest circuit on Wednesday evening,

On Saturday morning Stuart Laverty, the 16 year old junior rider, set a fastest ever time of 21 minutes and 13 seconds at Woodgreen for a Ballymoney junior rider and on Sunday at the Noel Teggart Road Races Ryan Orr won the Under 16 road race on the tough Banbridge, Gilford, Scarva course.

* In the Anglers Rest Round 3 Road race in balmy and very pleasant conditions the six clubs involved in the Inter club league assembled at the Vow circuit for the 29 mile race host by the Ballymoney club.

The BCC team was led by Neville Patton, Tony Blaney, Philip McKeown, Mervyn Linton, Ryan Orr, Steven McAllister (who also got 6th at the A1 Bishopscourt Races on Saturday), Uel Cunningham, Jordan McCaw, David McQuilken and Stuart Laverty just back from RAS Donegal.

Young Ronan Sherman was rested after getting runner up at the Bann Wheelers Mountain TT on the Tuesday evening.

It was a nail biting affair going into the final lap with the gap still at ninety seconds. But with strong riding from Bann Wheelers, Ballymena and the Ballymoney lads it all came together for a sixty rider sprint with BCC Biesty’s Centra Racing Team rider Steven McAllister getting the first place from Bobby Kane (BWCC), 3rd went to Uel Cunningham BCC, 4th Jordan McCaw BCC, 5th Davy Dougan BRC.

In the league standings at the half way point BCC have 98 points with Ballymena and Bann Wheelers on 71 points each, Spires 35,

Bann Valley 34 and Carn Wheelers 30 points.

* Jim Devlin 10 mile TT and the Noel Teggart Road Races - On a hot Saturday morning on the Ballymena to Antrim line the time trial experts assembled 55 in total in a battle against man and machine. This was a morning for personal best times with the fastest time going to Lurgan schoolteacher John Heverin in 19 minutes and 34 seconds, followed by John Madden in 19.51.

Top junior rider was the very talented Bann Valley rider Connor McAteer with a 20.40 and 2nd place going to Ballymoney’s Stuart Laverty with 21.13 and all time best and fastest BCC rider this year.

* Noel Teggart Road Races - Ryan Orr was the winner of the under 16 event at Banbridge in sweltering conditions. Ryan and other local lad Aaron Swan went on the the attack as soon as the flag dropped and rode away from the rest of the field.

With the long drag up to the finish from Scarva, The two young riders played cat and mouse with each other and the BCC Biesty’s Centra rider getting the win at the finish.

* Forthcoming events for Ballymoney CC - This Wednesday evening Ballymoney CC will host a 10 mile TT on the Ballybogey Line starting at 7.30pm.

Then next week is Round 4 of the Interclub League promoted by Bann Wheelers on the Tuesday night.

* Ballycastle Cycling Club - Armoy Community Pharmacy Time Trial League.

Round 4 of The Armoy Community Pharmacy Handicapped Time Trial League got underway on the Orra 25 mile TT circuit. Conditions were perfect for what ended up with an impressive performance from all club members who took part in probably the toughest 25 mile circuit in north Antrim. This circuit not only started with a climb over Orra but also included testing climbs over Glenaan and The Corkscrew.

Fastest handicapped time on the day went to Helena Dornan in a time of 53:00 with Vinny Mort claiming second spot in a time of 55:22 beating the on form Gary Maybin by just 9 seconds.

* Leonard Linton 25 mile Orra Classic Scratch TT - Ballycastle CC’s scratch TT race also got underway on Sunday morning, the fourth of which was kindly sponsored by Leonard Linton Brickwork. In this race, Gary Maybin go the overall victory in a phenomenal time of 65:41 to claim his fourth scratch TT victory and set another new course record. Helena Dornan also claimed second spot in another brilliant net time of 69:35 (Gross 74:35).

Leonard Linton 25 mile Orra Classic Scratch TT

* The 5th round of the Ballycastle CC’s Scratch TT League will take place on Wednesday 12th June with first testers starting at 1930 hrs. This will be another tough 2-up time trial format taking in Hillside Rd , the Lagge and finishing bavk in Ballycastle via the Armoy Glen.