Kinning's winning 'Hand' at Broughshane

BALLYMENA Road Club – Scott Roof Tiles promoted their Blair International Transport Red Hand Trophy road race at Broughshane last Saturday.

Sixty five riders had entered for the race and most of them headed out from a sun kissed Knockan road at the start.

The first mile was neutralised to give the riders time to settle in for what is traditionally a very hard start.

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Once racing got underway Ahoghill's Ryan Connor along with Glen Kinning (East Antrim) and John Madden (Curran) attacked immediately. At Clough they led by 25 seconds and they maintained this gap through Corkey and Loughguile.

Then Kinning lost his place at the front and dropped back to the chasing group, perhaps he remembered how hard the race was in 2009 when he "dead heated" with Ryan Connor for first place.

Connor and Madden kept going and held their lead down Glenshesk and on through Ballycastle and at Ballyvoy, with 27 miles completed, they had 50 seconds to spare over a chasing group of seven.

Then, just after the old quarry at Ballyvoy, Connor attacked, dropped Madden and went into a solo lead on the climb to Ballypatrick forest and the vanishing lakes.

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Madden was caught and this left a group of eight in pursuit of Connor.

On the coast road at Waterfoot, with 44 miles done and 20 still to go, his advantage was 67 seconds over the eight, with the main field at 3 minutes 13 seconds.

The gap closed around the coast and as Ryan turned right on to the final climb up Glencloy his lead was down to 31 seconds.

Noted climber Kinning was riding hard at the front of the chasing group on Glencloy and they were almost on Connor at the top and he was finally reeled in at the Braid.

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Two riders, Rory Devlin and David McKnight were dropped on Glencloy, leaving seven to contest the final run in through Aughafatten to the finish back at Broughshane.

This time Kinning, who had one hand on the "Red Hand trophy" last year, made no mistake and registered an outright victory for the first time, winning in 2 hours 28 minutes 32 seconds for the 64 miles event an average of 25.86 mph.

His East Antrim team mate Gary Cranston finished second and Paul Vaughan, who had been fastest in the BRC 25 miles time trial on Wednesday night, took third. Ryan Connor had enough left to take fourth place, and the points for that placing gives him equal first place in the Ulster classic road racing league series.

BRC race secretary Tommy Wilson did another excellent job and brought together a big team of officials and race marshalls for the race. The club had six motor cycle marshalls who supplemented the PSNI out riders and helped create a “rolling closed road” environment for the front contenders.

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Tommy thanked all concerned and expressed his gratitude to fellow club member Alan Blair for not only continuing to sponsor the event but also for doing lead car ahead of the race.

Chris Beattie was the best Ballymena Road Club finisher in 15 th, with Matthew Brennan 16 th and Simon Taggart also finished with this main group and he won the third BRC prize.

CLUB '25'

Steven Workman whacked an amazing 7 minutes 38 seconds off his personal best time for 25 miles when he recorded 55 minutes 52 seconds to win last Wednesday evenings BRC 25 miles time trial at Woodgreen.

Steven’s time also won the handicap section and he leads the handicap league after the first two rounds.

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Matthew Brennan finished second with 58.17 which was also a PB.

Results “25” (1) S Workman 55.52 (2) M Brennan 58.17 (3) Derek Dougan 60.34 (4) Jim Burns 61.01 (5) Martin Ruddy 61.19 (6) Adrian Kerr 63.06 (7) Bobby Currie 64.39 (8) David Kennedy 64.43 (9) Geoff Bell 67.23 (10) Clive Morris 67.34 (11) Sammy Kerr 68.36 (12) Beresford Millar 71.33.

Visitors (1) Paul Vaughan 54.18 (2) Martin Robb 58.37

Handicap result (1) Workman 52.22 (2) Brennan 55.59 (3) Currie 58.02 (4) Bell 59.18 (5) Dougan 59.58 (6) Ruddy 60.02

The Ulster women’s association held a 10 miles time trial in conjunction with the BRC event at Woodgreen, with Ballymena's Louise Fullerton second and Maeve Savage sixth.

CONOR'S IRISH CALL

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Once again Ballymena’s Conor McAllister proved to be a runaway victor in last Thursday night’s Dave Kane Cycles 10 miles Time Trial League event.

The venue was a new course for the League, taking place on the Glenshane Pass down to the Castledawson Roundabout. McAllister recorded a 21.01 for the ten miles with nearest rival Niall Shannon over a minute slower. Simon Stockton was next best placed rider with his time of 22.26.

Conor missed Saturday’s Red Hand Trophy as he was included on the Irish team amongst a 200 rider entry for Sunday’s Lincoln Grand Prix.

Conor’s list of representative honours continues to grow and he is one of four Ulster riders who been selected on the Irish team for the upcoming FBD Rs, which starts on May 23 in Dunboyne.

PHILIP’S MOURNE WIN

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BRC rider Philip Bremner had his best ever win on Sunday when he was first home in the tour of the Mournes road race at Newry.

Philip opted to miss his “home” race, the Red Hand Trophy, on Saturday to concentrate on the Co. Down event and his decision paid off as he was included in a 12 rider break which went clear early on in the race. BRC junior rider Matthew Brennan was in the break too and he was to take an excellent 9th place.

It was Bremner, however, who took the honours after going clear near the finish and holding on to win by 10 seconds. Well done Philip.

CALENDAR

Wednesday 12th May: Ballymena Road Club Scott Roof Tiles – cyclists will hold their annual H&M Wilson cup road race on the Caddy circuit at 7pm.

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The race also forms part of the four race inter club road race series between BRC Bann Valley Carn Wheelers and Bann Wheelers.

The event marshalls are being co-coordinated by Richard Wilson and he will be assisted by Sean Kelly, Patsy McGurk, Millar Montgomery, Tommy Mairs, Syd Stewart, and Seamus Butler.

Marshalls flags and hi-vis aprons are again in short supply, they are of no value other than being an important piece of kit for race control. If you have marshaled at a BRC event in the last year and have kept the bib and flags then please return these to the club urgently.

Thursday 13th May 10 miles time trial league Toomebridge 7pm.

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Saturday 15th May Tommy Given memorial road race (Ulster classic league round four) Hillsborough 12 noon.

Sunday, May 16: The Northern Ireland Road Race Championship for Youth, Women, and Men will take place in conjunction with the North Down Grand Prix this Sunday 16th May from Donaghadee rugby club.

First off at 10.30 am will be the N I Youth Championships for Under 14’s and Under 16’s, 19 and 25 miles respectively.

Also on the course at the same time will be a non-championship race of 42 miles for A4’s. At 1pm there are a further two championship events for women, a distance of approximately 26 miles and the premier event of the day, the N I senior Championships will also use the longer circuit covering a total of 74 miles.

Wednesday 19th May BRC 10 miles time trial Woodgreen 7pm.