Ryan aims for Tour of North history in Ballymena

The flagship event in Northern Ireland cycling takes place as usual over the Easter holiday period and Ahoghill rider Connor has his sights set on writing his own chapter in the famous race's history by becoming the first rider to win the title for a fourth time.

And as if that's not a big enough incentive, Connor has the carrot of making history on his own doorstep, with the race finishing in Ballymena on Easter Monday for the first time.

"It would be nice to win at again but it is going to be hard," Ryan told Times Sport.

"I think it could well go overseas this year because there are a lot of top English and European riders in the line-up."

Connor's glittering career has been stalled somewhat by a mystery heart condition which has plagued him over the past couple of years.

"I've been travelling up and down to Dublin but the doctors still haven't been able to totally put their finger on what's wrong so in the meantime, I'm just tearing on ahead.

"It was probably more frustrating last year because it cost me the chance to win the race when I thought I had a decent chance of doing that.

"But I still have the hunger to win for the fourth time and I will certainly give it a rattle.

"It has been a slow winter for me with the weather and my heart condition but I've been pretty pleased with my form in the early weeks of the season.

"I'm hoping my experience of knowing the course will stand me in good stead. I believe that if I'm in contention on the Monday, then I have enough knowledge of the Ballymena stage to go on and win it.

As well as his own personal aspirations, Ryan will also have the added responsibility of being in charge of a team this year, in his role as rider/manager of the Cycling Ulster/David McCall Foundation team, which includes Ballymena Road Club's Conor McAllister.

"I'm very pleased with the team we have in place. They still have a bit to learn about tactics in race situations but I can remember being in their shoes myself when I was younger.

"People who maybe don't follow the sport all that closely maybe don't appreciate how important it is to be part of a good team.

"The first two times I won it, there was an awful lot of work to be done on the final day but the last time, with Team Pezula, it was all relatively easy because of the efforts of the other riders.

"The Sunday stage is usually the most difficult and hopefully we can still be in contention by the time we come to Ballymena on the Monday," added Ryan.