Ballymoney Cycling Club gears up for future glory

BALLYMONEY Cycling Club is a club that has enjoyed success at every level in Irish racing from senior to the grassroots and now the under 10 and under 12 riders are starting to get in on the action.
By The Newsroom
Published 29th Mar 2013, 09:32 BST

In a sport that is progressively encouraging older riders from 35 - 50 years old to get involved, Ballymoney CC have quickly noted and implemented a programme to nurture and develop young riders to start and build for the future.

Over the coming weeks the junior team of Stuart Laverty, Ronan Sherman, Jordan McCaw will be riding in not only local events but at the Gorey three day near Wexford, This race has in the past seen BCC riders travel down to sample early season racing southern style. Stuart Laverty will be the sole representative at this years stage race. Stuart who is recovering from a crash at the Spires GP a few weeks back is just getting back in the saddle for the tough test of this young man’s desire to progress in the hard man’s world of cycling.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ronan Sherman, the Dominican student who recently joined the ranks of BCC will be looking to further his development at the Ras Loughguile in April. This two day event in the hills around the village takes in the famous “Reservoir Rd” and the Orra mountain loop.

Ronan will be accompanied by team mates, Neville Patton, William Loughridge and Mervyn Linton.

Moto cross ace Jordan McCaw will be choosing carefully the outings over the next few weeks carefully as he does his best to juggle a busy schedule of two wheels with motor power and two wheels with leg power. Jordan’s dad Trevor will no doubt be around with his welcome support for all of the junior team as the early season get into full swing.

* Youth Tour of Scotland 2013 - Schoolboys Ryan Orr and Ciaran McFadden will be representing the Ballymoney Racing Team from the 5th - 8th April around the City of Perth. Both lads will be supported by their dads and have the best wishes and continuing support of all the local team behind them.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ciaran who is only and under 15 rider has represented Cycling Ulster at numerous events over the past couple of years and he brings this experience to Scotland in the coming days.

* Ryan Orr, a recent Cycling Ulster Silver medal winner and mtb and cyclocross specialist, was in Roscommon at the weekend for

the European Youth Olympic trials.

Ryan who was 4th fastest behind Declan Mulholland, Michael O’Laughlin and Jake Gray, only to have his time removed by a commissaire as his gearing was 8mm too big. This for mere mortals like most of us is the difference in using a 19mm tyre instead of a 23mm tyre. For knowledgeable onlookers it just goes to show the potential of the young man as he had not yet recovered from a chest infection.

Dalriada schoolboy and talented triathlete Chris Surgeneor has been using the road races and the early season events to sharpen up his speed on two

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

wheels. Chris was at CicliSport GP last week and was instrumental in trying to get his team mate Ciaran McFadden a top 10 placing in the run in too the finish.

There are certainly bright hopes for these young men in the not too distant future.

* Forthcoming Events - This weekend is the International P&O Tour of the North stage race, kicking off on Friday evening with a prologue stage at Stormont in Belfast.

It will be close to Ballymoney with stages in the stage 2 starting in Ballymena and finishing in Carnlough, Stage 3 will be following the route of the

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

famous Wallace Caldwell and the riders can be seen on the Springwell and Cam forest, coming close to Ballymoney at the Brown Trout, Aghadowey.

BCC member’s will be on hand as service crews and the BCC team car will be out there advertising the local team and their sponsors.

Ballymoney CC PRO Maurice McAllister will be commissairing this race accompanied by UCI commissaire Jack Watson.