By Andy Potts

Robin Seymour (Team Worc) easily won the second race of the Cyclo Cross season, held on Saturday at the Seacourt Community Centre in Larne, County Antrim. The Wicklow rider took the East Antrim Audi promoted event by storm to win by almost three minutes. This was the first ever cyclo cross to be held in Larne and was an undoubted success, as the race organisers received excellent backing from Larne Borough Council and the staff and youths from the Seacourt Centre.

The Senior race was held over seven laps of a challenging course which had everything from long straights, energy sapping run ups, step overs and a poly tunnel! The race saw a spectacular start as the entry of forty three swept into the opening section which included a hairpin, the poly tunnel and a hay bale step over. Brian Conway (IMBRC) led the riders through this section, the Dubliner closely followed by Ali McSorley (Apollo), Lewis Ferguson (Team BHB), Robbie Lamont (XMTB) and Robin Seymour (Team Worc). It was at this point that Newry rider Connor Campbell became an early retirement due to a broken seat post. By the end of the first lap sort out it was Ferguson who held the lead with Seymour in a close second as McSorley held third just ahead of battling ‘oldies’ Lamont and Peter McConville (Newry Wheelers). Newry rider Mark McKinley was in a strong sixth as early leader Conway battled for seventh with fellow IMBRC rider Paul O’Reilly.

By the end of the second lap Seymour had moved into the lead with Ferguson a battling second. The Lamont/McConville battle continued to rage as McSorley began to struggle with gears that had been damaged on the opening lap. McKinley continued to impress in fifth as did leading Junior, O’Reilly. Tim Edgar (XMTB) led the MTB challenge, holding a narrow eighth ahead of Gary Henning (Newry Wheelers), Dave Barry (IMBRC), Brian Conway and Aiden McDonald (Apollo).

On lap four Seymour attacked Ferguson as the pair strode up the long run up at the half way point of the lap. In a matter of seconds Seymour’s move had proved decisive as he quickly opened up a gap on Ferguson. Lamont and McConville continued to entertain all with their battle for third. It was at this point that Mark McKinley dropped down the leader board to eleventh place, the young Newry star having to make the first of two pit stops to mend a loose seat post. Edgar was now in fifth and having a great battle with Henning, Barry, McDonald and O’Reilly.

Over the last two laps Seymour visibly increased his effort, even though he was in a comfortable lead. By the finish the reigning Irish Champion had built up a lead of almost three minutes over Ferguson, the young Holywood rider at last showing a return to form. The battle for third went all the way to the finish. Both Lamont and McConville came to the final log step over section side by side and being given a great reception by the large crowd. However it was Lamont who took the option to run to the finish and snatched third by a mere second from McConville. Tim Edgar was the first MTB rider to cross the line in fifth with Aiden McDonald in sixth and second in the MTB class.

Dubliner Dave Barry, one of the talented newcomers to the cyclo cross scene, finished a fine seventh. The crowd were treated to another sprint finish as Newry’s Gary Henning proved to strong for Paul O’Reilly through the final log section. A superb result for Henning, and for O’Reilly it was another first in the Junior Class. The top ten was completed by early leader Brain Conway. Mark McKinley eventually finished in eleventh, due to his two enforced stops. Graham Boyd (XMTB) had a great battle with race organiser, Danny Hylands, to take twelfth overall and third in the MTB class. Graham was forced to switch to the MTB class after headset problems with his cyclo cross bike. Following a slow start, Newry’s Drew McKinley did well to eventually finish 14th, edging past IMBRC’s Luke Manning on the last lap.

As always the Youth riders provided an excellent support programme. Banbridge rider John Buller took the U-8 Class just ahead of fellow Club rider Richard Baird. The U-10 race brought a ‘home’ winner as local rider Ty Mackness swept to a fine win ahead of Banbridge girl Rachel Mayne. Chris Oakley (XMTB) proved to strong for Banbridge rider Dan Runciman in the U-12 race, while Banbridge rider Andrew Wilson scored his first ever win as he took the U-14 event ahead of XMTB’s Chris Millar. Johnny Beers took the U-16 race from fellow XMTB rider William Boyd.

Following racing, the awards were presented by former World Boxing Champion Dave ‘Boy’ McAuley, and everyone took advantage of the superb soup served up in the Youth Club. This was Cycling at its best, working with the local community, from the Council workers who helped prepare the course, to the kids from Seacourt Youth Club who helped with the clear up. Finally, well done to Danny, Jimmy and team on an excellent event.

Next Cyclo Cross event takes place this Sunday in Corcaigh Park in Dublin, promoted by Team Worc.
EAST ANTRIM AUDI CX RESULTS 14-10-06
7 LAPS
SENIOR RACE TEAM/TIME/CAT
1 R.SEYMOUR TEAM WORC 53.42 1
2 L.FERGUSON TEAM BHB 56.2 1
3 R.LAMONT XMTB 57.38 V
4 P.McCONVILLE NEWRY WHEELERS 57.39 V
5 T.EDGAR XMTB 60.4 MTB
6 A.McDONALD APOLLO CT 61.14 MTB
7 D.BARRY IMBRC 61.29 3
8 G.HENNING NEWRY WHEELERS 61.53 3
9 P.O’REILLY IMBRC 61.54 J
10 B.CONWAY IMBRC 62.13 3
11 M.McKINLEY NEWRY WHEELERS 2
12 G.BOYD XMTB MTB
13 D.HYLANDS EAST ANTRIM 3
14 D.McKINLEY NEWRY WHEELERS 2
15 L.MANNING IMBRC 3
16 S.DOWNEY MAD 3
17 M.HAMILTON NORTH DOWN 3
18 J.McAULEY APOLLO CT 3
19 P.ANDERSON BANBRIDGE CC MTB
20 S.WRIGHT BALLYMENA RC V
21 P.AGNEW TEAM MADIGAN 3
22 J.RUNCIMAN BANBRIDGE CC V
23 W.MULLIGAN BANBRIDGE CC V
24 R.BLANEY ARDS CC 2
25 S.GALLOWAY TEAM WORC 3
26 I.McCONVILLE NEWRY WHEELERS V
27 G.COUPLAND APOLLO CT V
28 C.ARMSTRONG APOLLO CT MTB
29 A.REA NORTH DOWN MTB
30 ? WILD PHOENIX MTB
31 M.MILLAR CASTLEREAGH 3
32 C.McMANUS XMTB LADY
33 J.HENRY PHOENIX 3
34 S.PRENTICE BANBRIDGE CC MTB
35 M.MAYNE BANBRIDGE CC V
36 D.HANNA DROMARA CC MTB
37 G.QUINN BANBRIDGE CC MTB
38 L.McKIVERIGAN BANBRIDGE CC MTB
39 N.OLDHAM BANBRIDGE CC LADY

U-16
1 J.BEERS XMTB
2 W.BOYD XMTB

U-14
1 A.WILSON BANBRIDGE CC
2 C.MILLAR XMTB

U-12
1 C.OAKLEY XMTB
2 D.RUNCIMAN BANBRIDGE CC
3 W.HESLIP BANBRIDGE CC
4 A.OGILBY XMTB

U-10
1 T.MACKNESS TEAM MADIGAN
2 R.MAYNE BANBRIDGE CC
3 J.BAIRD BANBRIDGE CC

U-8
1 J.BULLER BANBRIDGE CC
2 R.BAIRD BANBRIDGE CC
3 S.BULLER BANBRIDGE CC
4 S.McKIVERIGAN BANBRIDGE CC
5 J.LAMONT XMTB
6 S.HYLANDS EAST ANTRIM
7 K.MACKNESS TEAM MADIGAN
8 R.OGILBY XMTB

Category: Cyclo-Cross » |

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