Epic Weekend for Dromara CC at Newry 3 day & Ulster 10m TT
Dromara CC entered a team in the prestigious Newry 3-day stage race on the weekend of 8th- 10th August, in what was the race’s 27th year on the Cycling Ireland calender. The race is a popular choice amongst A2 and A3 riders, but with the lack of races in the August calendar the race was moved from its usual July date to August, which lengthened the racing season for some.
Zak Hanna, Chris Magowan, Gavin Magowan and Nathan Mullan all arrived at the start on Friday night ready for what was going to be a tough weekend’s racing.
Many thanks to Mourne Cycles in Newcastle for their generous sponsorship of race nutrition for the team, and to Gareth from Hilltop Vending for the use of his camper van (Or the Death Star) for the weekend, which gave Dromara the Team Sky look with an awning set up off the van for warming up for each stage. It gave the team a very professional look, and hopefully put the fear into those who had never seen us race before!
The first stage was 37 miles with 3 laps of the Warrenpoint – Newry carriageway to complete before heading onto the Old Warrenpoint road before making a left onto the infamous Grinnan road, a climb approximately a mile in length but with a average gradient of 6-7%! The race stayed together here with only a few getting shelled out the back, and Dromara had all members at the front of the bunch. A long, fast descent which was sketchy in places with a dam road surface making braking and cornering a tad more difficult down the other side of the climb before making right to head back down to the Warrenpoint roundabout. After this the riders raced along the straight bit of road past the docks before turning left onto the streets of Warrenpoint to complete 3 laps of a criterium – like circuit. The Maiden of Mourne festival was on and the steeets where packed and with Nathan Carter playing there was no shortage of a party atmosphere! Through the narrow streets of Warrenpoint and it was down to the Warrenpoint roundabout and back for two more laps. From Warrenpoint to the roundabout speeds never dropped below 30pm! Dromara where active throughout the stage creating and chasing breaks to keep the race together, and after picking up two breakaway riders in the last 200m the bunch entered the finishing straight leaving Gavin to unleash his deadly kick to leave the chasers behind to take the stage win and the Yellow Jersey, the first time a Dromara rider has ever achieved such a feat.
Team managers Deek Hanna and Michael Mullan where ecstatic, and so where the rest of the team who all finished safely in the main bunch with a few small groups of riders coming in shortly after.
Gavin was presented with the Yellow jersey by the Maidens of Mourne, then Zak was grabbed and put onto the stage to be presented with the Under 23/Junior jersey, and after a few photos he had to give it back as he wasn’t the first Under 23 rider across the line. Anything to get onto the stage!
Stage 2 saw the riders tackle 3 laps of the Hilltown-Kilcoo-Rathriland-Hilltown circuit, before turning right towards Spelga and then turning right towards Santa’s cottage before descending down into Rostrevor then climbing back into Hilltown via the Reed Hall climb. The stage would total 52 miles.
The team had their work cut out for them with Gavin in yellow and the racing was fast from the minute the neutralised section ended. Attacks came from everywhere and Dromara where working to make sure no breaks got away, keeping an eye on certain riders to poised a threat to the Gavin. Half way around the second lap an attack from David Montgomery (unattached) got a gap and this proved to be the winning move as he was never seen for the rest of the stage, crossing the line a deserving winner. Coming into the finish at the Hilltown INF hall there where 3 riders just off the front of the main bunch who filled 2nd, 3rd and 4th place spots, with Gavin winning the bunch gallop to place 5th on the stage, sadly losing the yellow jersey to David who crossed the line 1:20 ahead of 2nd place Paul Wilkinson of West Down Wheelers.
Thanks to Paul Jess and Phillly Wilson for coming to watch us at the finish.
In between stage 2 and 3 the team went for a feed in Newry to stock up on much needed fuel for the lung buster of a time trial that the riders would face later on in the day.
Stage 3 was a 4.2 mile time trial from the Narrow Water Castle on the Warrenpoint Carriageway to the roundabout at Newry. To many this seemed an easy task as the road is fast and flat, but it is the opposite!
As the starting positions where based on GC placings, the yellow jersey went off last.
The team warmed up under the shadow of the Death Star with the wind struggling to make its mind up as to which way it would blow. Thanks to Trevor Wright for calling into wish us good luck!
First Dromara rider off was Zak, followed by Chris, Nathan and Gavin.
Zak finished with a time of 9 minutes 12 seconds, Gavin was next with 8:53 followed by Nathan with 8:49. Chris was first Dromara rider on the stage placing 30th with 8:32.
After stage 3 on GC Gavin was highest placed sitting 30th, 2 minutes off yellow. Nathan was 6th, Chris 74th and Zak 79th.
On Sunday the riders awoke to torrential rain beating against the windows, perfect for tackling the tough 72 miles that the race was due to undertake.
With flooding on the roads and the rain not having any sign of easing, it was often wondered whether the stage would be cancelled, or even shortened. Nothing changed and so the team got changed in the Death Star, not too keen on jumping on to the turbo and rollers for a warm up. Stocked up with gels and juice the team got to the start line ready for the stage start, which started with a neutralised section through Newry town centre before the official start at Carbane Industrial Estate.
The riders where heading towards Poyntzpass, then onto Scarva, Gilford and Banbridge. After this it was out the Castlewellan road towards Katesbridge, where there where sprint points on offer for those wanting points for the Green jersey competition. The next KOM was on the Horsehoe Bend, where riders did their best to get away but with Chris driving it at the front this wasn’t going to happen.
Thanks to Gary Bailie and Stevie Wallace who came out to support us on the climb, especially in the rain!
Following a sketchy descent into Castlewellan we where Kilcoo bound, and by this stage there was a break up the road with a loan chase rider in between.
After all his hard work over the weekend to keep Gavin in yellow and to keep the race together Chris and floated back out of the bunch, eventually abandoning but he rode his legs off for the team the whole 4 stages.
Approaching the first real test of the day, the steep ascent into Rathriland, the race surprisingly stayed together with only a few riders going out the back. Gavin, Zak and Nathan got up safely in the bunch. About 2 mile after leaving Rathriland Zak retired due to not being able to change gears or break due to cold hands.
With Gavin and Nathan left in the race, it was down into Newry where the riders turned left towards Mayobridge and Hilltown. At Hilltown it was back to Rathriland for another time up Rathriland Hill, and with riders still up the road by this stage the yellow jersey was under threat with last year’s winner ahead of the chasing pack.
In the last 10 miles a late charge from Newry Wheelers’ Des Woods proved to be the winning move as he cross the finish line at the MOT centre in Newry ahead of 2nd place Mark Downey and 3rd place David Montgomery, who was the new winner of the 2014 edition of the Newry 3 day.
Gavin sprinted to 4th place and Nathan was 6th on the stage, leaving Gavin to finish 2nd overall in the points classification. Gavin finished 21st overall and Nathan 43rd overall.
The highlight of the weekend was definitely Gavin getting the yellow jersey on the first stage, and with a 5th place on stage 2 and a 4th and 6th place on stage 4, we can call it a successful weekend for the whole team. Dromara CC has defiantly become a name that riders look for at races now, as the team where ever-present on the front of the bunch every day throughout the weekend.
Many thanks to Deek and Michael for following in the team car and for looking after us over the course of the weekend, and to Mourne Cycles for the kind sponsorship of race nutrition and to Gareth of Hilltop Vending for the use of the Death Star.
Thanks to those who came out to support us along the route, we’ll be back next year for an even bigger assault on the race!
Zako, out.
Ulster 10m TT
The Dromara Clan were out in force at the Ulster TT. With the weather being less than kind for the TT it might have been better to bring a kayak. Keri Parton has been showing great form at these TT’s and produced an excellent time of 24:52 to finish a close second behind Eileen Burns (24:13). Lisa Millar took her new TT bike out to the Ulster champs and produced another super time of 27:30. Finally Trevor Wright was flying the colours of Dromara CC as he produced a time of 25:03.
Plenty of Kudos required to produce those times in those weather conditions.You can find the full report here
