Archibald swaps leather for Lycra to support Hospice

Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Ace motor cycle road racer Adrian Archibald and his wife Melanie are amongst the latest entrants for next month’s Billy Kerr Sportive.
Three times Isle of Man T.T. winner Adrian, who also won six Ulster Grand Prix events, one NW200 and over 100 National road races during his 21 year career, retired just before the start of the 2013 season.
He started cycling, as a schoolboy, with his home town club in Ballymoney in the mid 1980’s and then progressed into motor cycle road racing in 1992. So its "back to the future” for Adrian, who always retained an interest in cycling, as he now has more time to devote to pedal sport.
Adrian and Melanie, who are both members of Ballymena Road Club – Chain Reaction Cycles - took part in the recent Gran Fondo Causeway event and are eagerly looking forward to the Billy Kerr Sportive. 
In fact Adrian also took part in last weekend’s Danny Butler challenge charity event from the Ballymena Road Club’s Rex Bonar House club rooms. This was effectively a dress rehearsal for the BKS and raised over £500 for the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice – the charity partner of the BKS.
It’s somewhat appropriate that the Billy Kerr Sportive is scheduled for 16th August which co-incidentally is the same day as the Ulster Grand Prix road races at Dundrod.
Will Adrian miss the UGP action? As a previous lap record holder at the world famous circuit, perhaps he may, but I’m sure once he gets stuck into the climb from Ballyvoy up past Ballypatrick forest and the vanishing lakes his attention will focus on the task in hand and he will give the Sportive his best shot.
Adrian, Melanie and all the other entrants will have the opportunity to meet and cycle with Sean Kelly who will also be taking part in the Sportive.
  
The organisers of the Sportive now urge and encourage all BRC members and friends to register online so that numbers for catering can be anticipated as soon as possible. See club website www.ballymenaroadclub.co.uk on details to enter or contact Alan Blair or Nigel Kernohan if you do not have access to a computer or internet.