Road Race, Donaghcloney (map)
22 July 2010
On Thursday 22 July 2010 Dromara Cycling Club held the 17th round of their club league this time at a new venue of the Donaghcloney circuit. The 4.65 mile circuit is used by other local clubs and several of the riders were already familiar with it. Sign on took place near the Dromore Road / Drumlin Road corner with 38 riders taking part among them 8 guests from other clubs. This round of the league also counted towards both the club's youth and women's leagues and as such we had 4 youth riders and 3 women taking part. Club secretary Trevor Annett organised the riders into 4 groups with separate start times. The day's rain had ceased but the rain clouds were present to the east of the circuit but thankfully to the west the sky was clear and we were greeted with warm sunshine.
First group away left around 7:30 with 7 riders including the 4 youth riders. The youth riders had to complete 4 laps while the others had to complete 5. The second group left 3½ minutes later with 8 riders. The biggest group on the night was group 3 with 14 riders and they left 3½ minutes after group 2. Finally the fastest riders formed group 4 and these 9 left 3 minutes after group 3 which was 10 minutes after group 1. Noel Gibson mis-timed his warm up and missed the group 4 start time but went on to enjoy working hard for group 3 and did not contest the final lap.
The flat nature of the course created a number of splits in the group with the youth riders having a great night leading in two groups at the front. By the final lap the groups had come together and it was Gavin Magowan who took the bunch sprint ahead of Simon Welby, Stevie Baines (East Antrim) and David McKnight. Andrew McGibbon (BikePure) was 5th with Brian McGrath 6th, John Kernahan (West Down Wheelers) 7th and Tony Hare (Apollo CT) 8th. In the women's race it was Val O'Neill who finished ahead of Caroline Patterson with Joanne McCallum, taking part in her first club event, pulling out with a knee injury sustained from the Maracycle she recently completed. In the youth races it was Christopher Weir who finished ahead of Zak Hanna with Connor Mallon and Mark Cantley 3rd and 4th respectively.
Many thanks to the timekeeper and all the marshals. Round 18 is next Thursday (29 July 2010) and will be a time trial at Annahilt starting at 6:50 pm.
Timekeeper: Trevor Annett & Stephen Phillips
Marshals: Dennis McMullan, Trevor Wright, James Gilpin, Darren Weir, Gary Gray, Ronnie Smith, Derek Hanna, Derek Gamble (WDW), Vincent McAfee (Banbridge) and the Gibson family.
Report & photographs: Martin Grimley
Group 4 ready to start
Group 2
Group 3
