Ryan Wins twice in a week!

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Ballymena Road Club – Chain Reaction Cycles – veteran rider Ryan Currie had double reason to celebrate last week whenever he won both events in the Northstone sponsored club race series.

Ryan, from Westbourne Avenue in the town, was the surprise winner of Saturday’s Grand Prix of the Glens road race for the Star Trophy and he followed this up with victory in Wednesday night’s 5 miles time trial at Woodgreen.

The Glens race started in Broughshane and was to follow a route to Carnlough, Garron Tower, Waterfoot and Glenariff before racing back in through Cargan, Martinstown and Rathkenny before finishing on the Ballygarvey road at Broughshane.

The 29 entrants were dispatched in three groups with a total handicap of ten minutes. Groups two and three came together in Waterfoot and almost immediately they then caught the front group, just as the race commenced the near six miles climb up Glenariff glen.

Chris Beattie set off at great speed at the start but mid-way up the climb Matthew Brennan and Connor Young moved clear although their lead was never more than 20 seconds with Tommy Wilson and Chris Beattie riding strongly to keep them in sight.

It wasn’t until after Cargan that these two were re-captured and then there were numerous attacks by the likes of Wilson and Beattie in the final stages of the race. A late, lone attack by last year’s winner, Michael Carroll (Bann Valley) on the Ballygarvey road, almost proved successful but he was caught virtually on the line by the sprinting pack.

Ryan Currie, by his own admission, isn’t the best climber, although he has improved considerably this season, but he certainly can sprint and he came past Carroll to take a well deserved win.

Junior rider Connor Young also had enough left in his legs, despite his earlier efforts, to take second place with Carroll holding on for third. The winner’s time was 1 hour 41 minutes 28 seconds.

Other results were (4) Matthew Brennan (5) Chris Beattie (6) Stephen McAllister (Ballymoney) (7) Tommy Wilson (8) Ryan Shaw (9) Dean McElfatrick (Bann Valley) (10) Uel Cunningham (Michelin) (11) Nigel Kernohan (12) S McNally (Bann Valley) (13) G McNally (Bann Valley) (14) Liam O’Connor (Bann Valley) (15) J McElderry (Bann Valley) (16) Alan Blair (17) Clifford Grant (18) Stephen Smyth (19) Maeve Savage (20) Emma Smyth (21) Brian Geddis (22) Peter Smyth (23) Bobby Currie.