Cycling Reports |
East Tyrone RaceBy Patrick WithersDrum Manor, Cookstown 13/04/02
The race was due to start at 10, but didn't start until about 10:20 or so. We were using the usual 3 mile circuit, with a distance of 45 minutes plus a lap. We went over the first hill all together, and then on to a bit of a decent before turning up left back to a short ascent. After coming out of the corner I saw two riders clear, one was from x-mtb and couldn't see the other one's jersey, they had a gap of about 10-15 seconds as we ended our first lap. We came out of start/finish area to the climb again, and I was sitting near enough at the back, hanging on! On the decent again, and into the left hand corner up a bit of a climb, last year's All Ireland Under 15 Champion David Dunlop attacked, and the race was split open. I jumped onto Anthony's wheel, and tried my best to get back on, but we were losing ground, as we turned left towards the start finish area to begin our third lap. I knew after we came over the climb for the third time that there was no hope of getting back on again, and so me and my mate rode bit and bit until he decided to retire with 2 laps to go. As I entered the 5th lap I could see one of my other club-mates up ahead with Gary McKenna (Emyvale C.C.). I rode the last two laps alone, and finished back in 10th place, the race was won by a solo-attack from an Ards rider, with David Dunlop(Lakeland C.C.), Adam Petrie-Armstong (Northern C.C.), and Brian Henning (Newry Wheelers) battling it out for 2nd. To see more on me and my club, go to www.fcc.sports-page.com or www.go.to/fintonacc |
With
the race due to start at 10, I didn't even know I was going until 8! We left the
house for Cookstown at approx 9 O'Clock, and arrived there at about twenty-five
to ten. Off with the bike, got changed, and went to sign-on, only to find that
no one from the promoting club (East Tyrone) had showed up yet, but the Commissaire
signed us on anyway, and of I went with to of my club-mates (Richard and
Anthony) to get warmed up.