For Photo’s by CycleSeen’s Eric Blayney, CLICK HERE 

It was a freezing cold night on the hill in the grounds of Stormont tonight as the Tour of the North got underway.  A stiff headwind blew down the hill towards the starting gate exactly one mile from the finish outside the main doors of local parlament.  With a small crowd gathered around the Carson statue to cheer the riders over the top of the worst part of the crowd the riders set off in 30 second intervals at 6 p.m.  By the time the 100th rider came over the brow of the hill it was dark out and the temperature had dropped even more.  It’s not often you see racing after the sun has gone down but Stormont makes for a good setting.

It was hard to know who was pulling in the fastest times except for a push and shove around the small white board that was updating the riders times.  At one stage the board recorded a time of 2.05 for one rider over the one mile climb.  A distinct mistake.  Well either that or a drug scandal wasn’t far away from hitting the ToN.  Of course it was put down as a timing error and when all times were ironed out it was teenager Sean Downey of the Ireland Juniors team who set an impressive time of 2:23.  Exactly 1.13 seperated Downey from the last place time of the 101st rider meaning everyone is still in contention heading into tomorrows first race stage in the Antrim hills.

RESULTS

1  Sean Downey        Ireland Juniors Jun          2:23
2  Martyn Irvine      Pezula Sen                   2:25
3  Tom Vanbecelaere   De Cock Capino Belgium Sen   2:26
4  David McCann       Giant Asia Sen               2:26
5  Ryan Connor        Pezula Sen                   2:28
6  Adam Armstrong     Pezula U/23                  2:31
7  Peter Hawkins      Usher-Irish Road Club Sen    2:31
8  Glen Kinning       Castleregh CC-Mattest Sen    2:33
9  Jimmy Wright       Team Madigan Sen             2:33
10 Matt Ward          Usher-Irish Road Club Sen    2:33

Category: Road Racing » Photos, Tour of the North |

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