Madden takes silver at Ulster Championships

The event was staged in fine style by Phoenix CC when they promoted the Drayne’s Farms Ulster Senior and Junior Championships. With Championship races for Juniors, Women, Elite Men and Veteran’s as well as a separate A4 race Phoenix had their hands full but handled everything expertly. Even the weather decided to stay sunny which made the tough course of Dundrod more bearable.

There was good field for the Veteran Championships with past masters Tommy Wilson (Ballymena Scott), Ronnie Smyth (Dromara CC) and Clann Eireann’s Marty McConville making the first move to open a gap on the main field.

They held this for a lap before being joined by team mates Liam Curran and John Madden (Curran Racing), Jonathan Dempsey (East Antrim) and Paul Mulligan (Eurocycles). They were hotly chased by the peloton with the indomitable Stevie Baines initiating attack after attack. The peloton split due to the fast pace over the tough circuit but the break were able to maintain their advantage.

Madden, Dempsey, Mulligan and Smyth were doing the lions share of the work in the break to keep the break away from the peloton. With a mile to go to the finish it was Dempsey who initiated the first attack for the line. Madden and Mulligan responded and split the lead group from 6 to 3. Madden then attacked and initially dropped both Dempsey and Mulligan and it looked for a moment as though the Veteran’s title was going to Ballycastle however Mulligan just managed to get onto Madden’s wheel with the finish line fast approaching. Mulligan was then able to edge past Madden in the final metres to take the win.

“I was disappointed not to take the win on the run in to today but I have to be happy with a silver medal at Ulster level and all credit to Paul Mulligan for getting onto my wheel and taking a fabulous victory,” said Madden.

Newtownards cyclist Martyn Irvine is the new Elite Ulster road race champion after putting on a devastating display at Dundrod today. The 25-year-old Planet X rider escaped in the early stages of the 100 kilometre race along with former Ulster champion Thomas Martin (Eurocycyles) and Newry Wheeler Mark McKinley. Glen Kinning (East Antrim Audi), Dane Dunlop (Lakeland CC) and Conor McAllister (Ballymena Scot) joined the break but were later dropped leaving the trio to forge ahead building up an insurmountable lead on the rest of the pack. Newry’s Desi Foley along with East Antrim’s Gary Cranston and Jason Henry (U/A( made valiant efforts to close the gap ably helped by one of the most improved riders lately, John Heverin (Clann Eireann)

In the final lap at the Deer’s Leap Irvine made his move and moved clear crossing the finish line several seconds ahead of Martin and McKinley. Conor McAlister (Ballymena Scott) and Newry’s Desi Foley claimed the next two spots while hard riding by Four Master’s Ciaran O’Sullivan saw him close the gap and he crossed the line to take sixth position.

Heather Wilson (Maryland Wheelers) was simply in a class of her own in the women’s championships. The Hillsborough girl simply left the field gaining over a minute in each lap on her rivals.

The real battle for the silver medal was between Mandy Collie (Orchard Wheelers), Tonya Moran of the promoting Phoenix club and Claire Oakley (XMTB /McConvey Cycles). In the dash for the line teenager and National Junior Champion, McConvey came out on tops with Moran lifting the bronze medal.

The biggest surprise of the day came in the Junior race. Current National champion Jack Wilson (East Antrim) who represented Ireland a few weeks ago in the World Championships was odds on favourite. True to form he attacked early on and stayed clear for an entire 3 laps.

However, Wilson began to cramp with metres to go to the line. He lost all power allowing Ballymena’s Matthew Brennan to claim the Gold. Donegal’s Pauric McCafferty (Four Masters) put on a fine display to finish in third spot.

In the separate A4 race it was Omagh's Gavin McKernan to ousted Ballymena duo Stephen McNeilly (Cushendall) and Simon Teggart to take the win.

Madden took silver at the Ulster Road Race Championships on Sunday to end what has been his best season of cycle racing. Madden had already taken first place in a number of local road races and time trials hosted by the Ballymoney Cycling Club and the Coleraine based Bann Wheelers cycling club and was 3rd at national level in the 25 mile time trial event. He will be competing in the Ulster 10 and 25 mile Ulster Time Trial Championships in September.