June 2002

EVANS WINS RED HAND TROPHY: (By Jim Gore June 29) Tommy Evans warmed up for tomorrow 's Irish road race championship at Stamullen with victory in today's Red Hand trophy event at Broughshane.

Evans, who is from Banbridge and competes for VC La Pomme in southern France, came home alone after 66 miles, finishing well over a minute ahead of local hero Brian Hunter.  Jonathan Dempsey from Draperstown won the bunch sprint for third spot.  These three were in the early action and, after Hunter and Dempsey had gone clear of the bunch, they were joined by Evans at Clough (10 miles).

The gap fluctuated between 30 and 50 seconds as the race progressed through Loughguille and Ballycastle. However, on the climb to the Vanishing Lakes, the three leaders really put the pressure on and at Cushendall the lead was nearly two minutes.

Evans made his bid for victory on the final climb beyond Carnlough at Glen Cloy and neither Hunter nor Dempsey could stay in touch.  Hunter eventually left Dempsey who was caught by the chasing group, but the day belonged to Evans and he returned to Broughshane to score his fourth victory in the race.

Result: 1 T Evans (VC La Pomme) 2hrs 37mins 11secs; 2 B Hunter (East Antrim/Audi) at 1min 21secs; 3 J Dempsey (Classic Walls); 4 M Greer (Maryland Whs); 5 P Bloomer (Harps CC); 6 S Turner (Bann Valley); 7 M Ward (Roadstars Crumlin); 8 L Nelson (Ballymena/Scott); 9 T Walsh (Team Madigan); 10 A Martin (Ards CC) all at 1.45.

Sandy Spence Cup (Under-16): 1 C Burbage (Ballymena/Scott); 2 A Hoey (Ballymena/Scott); 3 M Robb (Old Bleach). Under-14: C Allen (Ballymena/Scott).

Results of National Time Trial Championships: ( June 28)

ELITE: 1 Dave McCann, Volksbank Ideal - 56:32, 2 Dave 0'Loughlin, Ofoto Lombardia Sports - 59:33, 3 Andrew Donnellan, Dublin Wheelers CC - 1:00:28, 4 Philip Cassidy, Cycleways Lee Strand - 1:00:53, 5 Paul Healion, Usher IRC - 1:01:58, 6 Tom Hughes, Stamullen M Donnelly - 1:02:41

LADIES: 1 Geraldine Gill, V.C. Quintin - 33:42, 2 Louise Moriarty, Dublin Skip - 37:05, 3 Sheila Rafferty, Phoenix CC - 37:39

JUNIOR: 1 Theo Hardwick, Killorglin CC - 31:10, 2 Michael Concannon, Killorglin - 31:43, 3 Barry Woods, Killorglin CC - 32:15

VETERANS: 1 Sean Bracken, Usher IRC - 1:05:18, 2 Jim Cassidy, Garda CC - 1:07:14, 3 Mark Birney, Maryland Wheelers CC - 1:07:28

TOUR OF SPERRINS/UCF ULSTER CHAMPS: (By Jim Traynor June 23) It was a 'total cycling' weekend as Belfast based club TotalCycling.com swept the boards in today's classic 110k Tour of the Sperrins and on Saturday in the Ulster road race championship.

In Cookstown Harps Tour of the Sperrins which was sonsored by CPC (Cookstown Panel Centre) scored his second big Sunday win in a row after last weeks Meath Grand Prix.

TotalCycling.com were in the first move when Mark Kiely went away with Davy Gardiner (Apollo CRT) and at Draperstown after 15 miles of racing they held a minute lead. Over Mount Hamilton where Gardiner took the prime their lead was down to 45 seconds on a chasing group of nine who caught the two leaders just after the second KOH prime at Cranagh.

As they turned at Gortin to head back to Cookstown Easton and clubmate Philip Duignan went away and with teammates Kiely, Brendan Doherty and Gary Crory hindering any putsuit the two soon had 1.30 in hand.

however with the rest of the original break not working together they were caught a chase group of ten riders. Five of the big chasing group broke away and although they were closing on the two leaders they still had45 seconds to spare at the finish where Easton took the honours. Hard working Gardiner led in the chasers in third place.

On Saturday the Total Cycling outfit sent Brendan Doherty and Duignam away in the second mile of the 65 miles race at Richill and with a strong team behind able to control the bunch they never seemes in any danger of bring caught with Doherty taking the title from his young teammate while Denis Easton led in the chasers to take the bronze with Total Cycling.com easily winning the team medals. <See Pictures Here> 

Tour of the Sperrins, 110kms, Cookstown: 1, Denis Easton (Total Cycling.com) 2.33.42; 2, P. Duignam (Total Cycling.com) s.t.; 3, D. Gardiner (Apolo CRT) at 45 secs.; 4, C. Murphy (McQuaid's Fireplaces); 5, G. McQuaid (Emeralc CC); 6, M. Kiely (Total Cycling.com); 7, B. Graham (Total Cycling.com) all same time; 8, J. Dempsey (Classic Walls) at 1.16; 9, C. Sweetman (Stamullen M. Donnelly) at 1.38; 10, K. Sloan (Ards CC) all same time.

King of the Hills: D. Gardiner, Unplaced vet: L. Kirk (Ards CC). Unplaced Junior: P. Brady (McQuaid Fireplaces). Unplaced 2nd cat.: D. Cunningham (bray Whs.). Uplaced 3rd cat.: S. Gray (Harps CC).

Ulster Road Race Championship, 100kms, Richhill: 1, Brendan Doherty (Total Cycling.com); 2, P. Duignan (Total Cycling.com); 3, D. Easton (Total Cycling.com); 4, G. Crory (Total Cycling.com); 5, D. Gardiner (Apollo CRT); 6, B. Graham (Total Cycling.com). Team: Total Cycling.com.

Arc Trust - NCBI Sponsored Cycle: Cycleways and Irish Ferries are combining forces to host a sponsored cycle next Sunday, June 23rd, with the aim of raising funds for two important organisations. All proceeds from the event will go towards the Arc Trust Cancer Support Centre in Eccles Street and the National Council for the Blind of Ireland, who both provide vital services for the community. <Read More Here>

McCANN'S A CONTENDER: (By Gerry McManus June 20) David McCann is in boyant mood following his performance in the Tour of Austria and despite this year's setbacks with injuries and illness, is coming into form just in time for the Irish TT and Road Race Championships.

"I didn't think I was going that well," said McCann following the seven-day race: "I certainly didn't expect to be climbing with Mizourov and Scott Sunderland. I wasn't far off the first group on most days either. It's a shame I didn't bother challenging for the prologue as I may have picked up some UCI points."

"That Kitzbuhller climb was a monster. 8km in over 40 minutes and I was overgeared in 39 x 25. The team was pretty happy overall as we held on to two jerseys."

"The good thing is that now I feel fresher than I did starting the race and the race itself has given me a great level of conditioning to build on."

KINGDOM BAR ROAD RACE: (By Míceal Concannon June 17) The small field had to be expected given the day that was in it and awful weather. From the very start the Senior 3, Juniors and Vets. group worked well and drove as hard as they could. Each man doing his bit at the front into the teeth of a Southerly gale.

After 25 miles the lead group began to break up on the drag up to Derrymore but came together again before the climb for Ballaghisheen.

The scratch group was blown asunder right from the start when Timmy Barry, Carrick Cidona, Richie Cahill, Banteer and Paddy Moriarty, Dublin Skip set a lightning pace. Before long there was just the three of them.

At the bottom of the climb they had closed the gap to under 2 minutes. A puncture by Richie Cahill here slowed the group but the main action was up ahead.

Theo Hardwick, Killorglin Credit Union Cycling Club brought the lead group up the climb and looked strong and comfortable. Behind him the group was disintregrating. Only Paidi O'Brien, Kanturk Credit Union Cycling Club was able to stay on his wheel to the top of the climb. At the top they had an advantage of 1 minute on Míceal Concannon, and Barry Woods both Killorglin Credit Union Cycling Club, 2 minutes on the rest of the lead group and 3 minutes 37 seconds on the leading seniors.

Hardwick and O'Brien worked together and opened a gap of 2 minutes to Concannon and Woods.

However, in Glencar, Míceal Concannon left his team mate and in an awesome display of his time trialling ability he closed the gap and rejoined the two leaders over a distance of six miles.

At Fossa on the turn for home the three leaders had a gap of 1 minute and 5 seconds on a group of Richie Cahill, Paddy Moriarty, Timmy Barry and Eoin Concannon who was the only one of the Junior, Vet and C race able to stay with the three A's

The scratch group had given everything earlier and they now came to regret not having a bigger bunch with them for the first 30 miles. On the road for home the leaders opened the gap to 1 minute and 19 seconds until a mile or so from home when finishing considerations came into play.

A three man gallop up the hill in Killorglin saw O'Brien take the race by half a wheel from Concannon with Hardwick in 3rd place. Richie Cahill led home his training partner Timmy Barry with Paddy Moriarty a further20 seconds back and Eoin Concannon 7 seconds later. Garry Flaherty, St. Finbarrs arrived on his own 25 seconds later. Then Brendan Lacey, Earl of Desmond and Sean McEllroy, Carrick Cidona completed the top 10 some 3 minutes later.

Paidi O'Brien becomes the first rider to win the Kingdom Bar Trophy twice and was also the winner of a nice prize sponsored by Heineken of his own weight in Heineken lager.

KINGDOM BAR TROPHY RACE: 1st Paidi O'Brien, Kanturk Credit Union Cycling Club - 2:55:07 2nd Míceal Concannon, Killorglin Credit Union Cycling Club - same 3rd Theo Hardwick, Killorglin Credit Union Cycling Club - same 4th Richie Cahilll, Banteer CC - 2:55:58 5th Timmy Barry, Carrick Cidona CC - same 6th Paddy Moriarty, Dublin Skip - 2:56:18 7th Eoin Concannon, Killorglin Credit Union Cycling Club - 2:56:25 8th Gary Flaherty, Triton Ventilux St. Finbarrs - 2:56:50 9th Brendan Lacey, Earl of Desmond - 3:06:11 10th Sean McIllroy, Carrick Cidona - same

Under 12 1st Tina Walker, Killorglin Credit Union Cycling Club 2nd Adrian O'Connor, Killorglin Credit Union Cycling Club 3rd Eoin Leahy, Kanturk Credit Union Cycling Club.  1st unplaced U.11 Liam Keane, Kanturk Credit Union Cycling Club lst unplaced Girl Mary Kelliher, Killorglin Credit Union Cycling Club

Under 14 1st Jeremiah O'Sullivan, Killorglin Credit Union Cycling Club 2nd Gavin Browne, Kanturk Credit Union Cycling Club 3rd Kieran Enright, Kanturk Credit Union Cycling Club.  1st unplaced U.13 Jason Ballentine 1st unplaced Girl Noreen Curtin, Kanturk Credit Union Cycling Club

Under 16 1st Michael Lucey, Killarney Cc 2nd Shane O'Halloran, Duhallow Wheelers CC 3rd Aidan O'Shea, Killorglin Credit Union Cycling Club.  1st unplaced u.15 Anthony Carolan, Killorglin Credit Union Cycling Club

HARRY REYNOLDS MEMORIAL: (By Gerard Cromwell June 11) The annual Harry Reynolds Memorial Race, held in honour of Ireland's first ever world cycling champion saw Corkman Aiden Crowley of Cycleways Lee Strand sprint to victory from a three man breakaway group which formed in the final miles. <Read More Here>

ALL IRELAND ROAD RACE CHAMPIONSHIPS: (By Gerard Cromwell June 11)  Sunday June 30th will see cycling’s national road race championships take place in the village of Stamullen, Co. Meath. Sponsored by Ideal Bikes and BBB Bike Parts, the race will be co-promoted by the Stamullen M. Donnelly Cycling Team and McNally Joinery Swords Cycling Club. <Read More Here>

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