Cycling News 2008 ...
Read all the Cycling News in the News Letter every Friday & Monday
Friday 9 January 2009
Awards Night signals end of `off` season
Cycling Ulster has again joined with the Northern Ireland Cycling Federation to host the annual cycling awards night for the 2008 Season.
This will take place in the Chimney Corner Hotel, Glengormley, on Saturday 7th February.
Cost is £10 for adults and £5 for Youths, which includes a hot buffet supper. Tickets are available from various people listed on the Cycling Ulster web-site.
Following tonights Phoenix CC bash, the Cycling Ulster event will be the last awards night of the `off` season, with the 2009 racing season getting underway only three weeks later with the Banbridge Clubs Annaclone Grand Prix on February 28th
Tomorrow sees a Cycling Ulster team training day in Limavady for the two squads selected to ride the Tour of Malta at the end of March. This will be a team building day, with some emphasis on fun as well as the serious matter of training. The group will be looked after by George and Mary Boyd, and will be mountain biking in the morning, followed by a pilates session in the afternoon, which will offer some new experiences for most of the squad. A womens and Junior team has been selected to ride this three day event at the end of March with the Boyds and Ballymenas Ryan Connor acting as team Managers.
Meanwhile the Cycling Ireland high performance Track squad has completed the second of this winters track camps preparing for their world cup campaign with a 6 day camp at the UCI headquarters in Aigle, Switzerland last month. Here the final selection was made for the Beijing world cup event which takes place next weekend. The riders have just completed their final preparation for Beijing with a five day training camp in Newport in Wales before leaving for China tomorrow.
Evergreen Belfast professional David McCann has joined the squad, opening a new chapter in his long and distinguished career that has taken him to Commonwealth Games, World Championships and Olympic Games. He joins the six-man squad that includes three from the North with Newtownards man Martyn Irvine, Banbridge`s Sean Downey all likely to line up in the Team Pursuit with McCann and David O`Loughlin. O`Loughlin will also ride the individual pursuit, an event which he last rode in Beijing at the Olympics. Paul Healion is listed for the Kilometre with Downey also riding the Scratch event and European Junior Points champion Sam Bennett riding his favoured event in China. Following the Beijing event, the next round of the world cup takes place in Copenhagen on February 13th.
Seymour`s Sweet Sixteen
With defending champion and pre-race favourite Roger Aiken from Banbridge pulling out of the National Cyclo-Cross Championships at the eleventh hour on Friday citing a lack of preparation during December, it left the Lurgan Park event a two man showdown between Belfast`s Conor McConvey and Dubliner Robin Seymour, one the rising star of the off road world, having just signed a deal with the Felt Racing team in Europe, and the other an experienced campaigner with fifteen national Cyclo-Cross titles to his name. There were also old scores to settle, with Seymour having taken the Beijing Olympic Mountain Bike place over the younger rider whose start to 2008 was hampered due to injury following a road accident.
And so it was a full field that lined up in crisp winter conditions at the Apollo Cycling Teams superbly laid out course in Lurgan park, with the two favourites making the running from the off. Throughout the 7 lap race there was nothing to choose between them, with the lead swapping continuously.
This set the scene for a sprint finish as the final corner approached, however McConvey was baulked by a lapped rider, giving Seymour the opportunity he needed to sprint ahead to an unprecedented 16th National crown
Meanwhile Bangor club North Down CC have handed over a cheque for £7,500 to the Diabetes, Cardiology and Stroke Units of the Ulster hospital, being the proceeds from the 8th annual Coastal Challenge in June of this year. In the seven years the event has been running it has raised a total in excess of £50,000 for these departments in what has become the most popular ride on the calendar, attracting over 700 participants each year. The club has also announced the date for the 2009 event, which will take place on June 21st.
With the winter training in full swing, there are only a few weeks until the first Reliability Trial of the season when hostilities get underway on Sunday 25th January with the Apollo Clubs event in Lurgan. From then on it is Reliability Trials throughout the month of February and the first competitive event listed as the Banbridge CCs Annaclone Grand Prix on Saturday 28th February.
Friday 2 Jan 2009
McConvey set for big time.
Belfast Mountain Bike specialist Conor McConvey has got his 2009 off to a flying start by signing with world class mountain Bike squad Felt International.
The 20 year-old who in 2008 recorded Irelands first Mountain Bike World Cup podium finish in Canada, went on to finish up 6th overall in the Under 23 World Cup rankings at the end of the season and 21st in the World Championships.
This major boost for his career will make up for the disappointment of not having been offered the single Mountain Bike place at Beijing, but must surely give him a real chance of achieving his goal at London in three years time.
McConvey has already attended a familiarisation camp with the Felt team last month in Milan and will be heading to Sardinia for a nine day camp later this month before settling in his base for the year in Fayance on the Cote D`Azure in France where he will live with Mountain Bike legend Miguel Martinez who will mentor him throughout 2009 where his aim is a top five place in the World Championships, where he has two more seasons in the Under 23 ranks.
Unfortunately McConvey won`t have a chance to display his new colours in Sundays National Cyclo-Cross Championships at Lurgan where he will start as one of the favourites, as his new licence has not been processed in time, however his 2009 prospects will give the youngster the spring in his step that may well see him topple defending Irish Champion Roger Aiken for the top podium spot in Lurgan Park.
Sundays action gets underway at 11.30 with a kids event, with the feature Championship decider scheduled for 1.30pm. Along with McConvey and Aiken, former multi Champion Robin Seymour, winner of last Sundays Christmas Cross race in Swords will also be one to watch for yet another medal.
HQ for Sundays race is the Waves Centre in Queen Street with sign-on open from 10am.
Meanwhile some of Ulsters up and coming young talent have received New Years bursaries from the Mary Peters Trust. Strabanes Marcus Christie. Belfasts Ewan Doherty and Ballymena`s Phillip Bremner will all receive a cash boost that will help them achieve their goals in 2009. Christie is likely to be the mainstay of the national Junior Track squad and is hoping to make the European and World Championships, whilst Doherty will be campaigning on the world cup Downhill programme and Bremner is hoping to make a name for himself on the European roads where he will spend the summer months.
A further quartet of David Neill (Team Madigan), Jessica Laird (North Down), Johnny Cole (Team Madigan) and Stuart Henry (North Down) have also received grant aid from the new Sportsaid fund, and will receive their bursaries at a launch in Hillsborough Castle later this month.
Monday 29 Dec 2008
Seasonal Cycling
There was no break in competition for some cyclists over the Christmas period, with time trials and leisure events taking place on both Christmas and Boxing day.
Ballymena`s Ryan Connor did the double, taking in the Ards CC 10 mile event on Christmas morning, followed by the longest standing of the festive events, the Stan Finaly memorial 10 hosted by Ballymena Road Club on Boxing Day.
Many riders compete in these events for a bit of fun, but Connor wasn’t hanging about in either event, winning the Portaferry Road event on Christmas Day with a 22min 8 second ride, followed by his own clubs promotion on Boxing day where he recorded a super fast 20.55 to complete his seasonal double.
Meanwhile Fintona Cycling Club's annual Boxing day time-trial was won by former Ulster Veterans Champion, Kenny Boylan winning the event for the fourth year running, taking his biggest winning margin this time with a winning time of 25 minutes 37 seconds
Looking ahead to Sunday, and Clann Eireann CC will promote the All Ireland Cyclo Cross Championships at Lurgan Park. Defending Champion Roger Aiken from Banbridge will be the man to beat, having just retained his Ulster title earlier in the month, however he can expect tough opposition from both sides of the border, with Belfasts Conor McConvey excelling over the winter, and multi National Champion Robin Seymour not to be discounted. The Lurgan park venue is ideal for Cyclo-Cross, and following the season opener back in October, race organiser Dr Fred MacSorley has promised an improved course for this prestigious event.
Stan Finlay Memorial 10
1 Ryan Connor Ballymena Road Club 20:55
2 J Madden Bann Whs 21:05
3 C Mc Allister Ballymena RC 21:36
4 J Dempsey East Antrim-Audi 22:09
5 I Robinson Ards 22:49
6 U Cunningham Michelin Bib-Sport 23:19
Fintona CC Boxing Day `10`
1. Kenny Boylan Lakeland CC 25:37
2. K Johnston Lakeland CC 27:42
3. P Martin Lakeland CC 28:35
4. P Withers Fintona CC 28:36
5. S Blythe Phoenix CC 31:07
6. P McAleer Unattached 31:07
Cycling Column Friday 12 December
Dublin Finale for Super Cross Cup
This weekend the only competitive event on the calendar is South of the border on Sunday, when DCUCC promote the St Annes Cyclo-Cross in Raheny. This is the final round of the 4-round Super Cross Cup series which carries an 800 euro prize fund.
The event is also the penultimate round of the Cyclo Cross winter season, with just the National Championships to be promoted by Clann Eireann CC in Lurgan Park on January 4th.
Sundays event will take place in the St Annes park in Raheny, Dublin, with the course open for inspection from 10.30 and the first race, for youth riders, at Noon.
Banbridge man Roger Aiken has been the star of these winter events, dominating last weeks event in Kilbroney Park to retain his Ulster title. He will also be odds on favourite to re-take the National honours in a few weeks time, however he can expect tough opposition from Belfasts Conor McConvey and 14-times National Cross Champion Robin Seymour from Dublin.
News has been announced that the FBD Ras in May is again back on the UCI world calendar. The 8-day event, running from 17-24 May is to be sponsored for the 26th year by FBD insurance services, in what must surely rank as one of the longest running sponsorship deals in sport.
News that UCI ranking points are again up for grabs will undoubtedly attract a top class International field, with details of the 8 stages and stage towns expected next month.
Cycling Ireland has also announced preliminary details of the 2009 events calendar, and alongside the Ras are dates for other major events including the Shay Elliott memorial on April 19th, just days after the P&O Irish Sea Tour of the North which will run from 10-13 April.
Locally, the NICF-Cycling Ulster Slane Cycles Classic Series is expected to extend to include the Phoenix Clubs Bobby Crilly memorial which for 2009 will be reduced to a 1-day event, whilst nationally there is rumour of a return for the National Classic League, with two of Northern Irelands top events, the Wallace Caldwell Memorial on 25 April and the Noel Taggert Memorial on 7 June both pencilled in as counters for a series which is still in the planning stages.
For those wanting a real challenge, local outfit Sport Active has secured a number of places in the toughest Cyclo-Sportive event on the calendar. La Marmotte will take place on 6th July and will cover 174 kilometres, taking in some of the most famous climbs in the Tour de France. The route includes the Col de la Croix de Fer, the Col du Telegraphe, the Col de Galibier and the Alpe d`Huez. Not for the faint hearted, the event will attract a field of 8000 cyclists.
Finally, congratulations to Bangor man Paul Watson who, following a 9-day course at the UCI headquarters in Switzerland, has passed his International Commissaires exams for both Road and Track. This will result in him being appointed as Chief Commissaire on two UCI ranked events in 2009, one road and one track, and if all goes well further major appointments will follow.
Paul follows in the footsteps of his father Jack who has Commissaired in events around the world, and also Micky Robb who this year officiated at the Beijing Olympics. If all goes well it could see Watson in charge of the cycling events in London in 2012.
Monday 8 Dec
Aiken dominates Title Race
Pre-race favourite and defending champion Roger Aiken (Banbridge CC) once again dominated the Ulster Cyclo-Cross title race at Rostrevor, despite early pressure from young-gun Conor McConvey.
The 27 year-old quiet man of Ulster Cycling, who can add Commonwealth Games and Tour of Ireland selections to Ras stage wins, is equally at home on and off-road, and dominated the proceedings on Saturday at JC Campbell backed Kilbroney Park venue. He broke free along with McConvey on the opening of seven laps, and once having shaken off the attentions of the Belfast teenager, Aiken set about lapping the majority of the field in his ride to Gold. Further back a superb tussle ensued between the promoting Newry Wheelers duo Peter McConville and Conor Campbell, with the latter winning out on the last podium spot.
The win now sets Aiken up as favourite to retain his all-ireland title, with the national championship due to be held in Lurgan on January 4th. This will also mean no let up in his training over the festive period.
Two Northern Ireland Junior riders Phillip Bremner (Ballymena Road Club) and Rachael Withers (Fintona CC) have each received bursaries from the Dave Rayner fund in England. This trust fund, set up in memory of a top professional rider in the 1980s, assists young cyclists to fulfil their potential, generally by way of placing them with teams in mainland Europe for the summer months. The exact nature of the award for this pair has not been announced, however it is expected that they will compete in Holland or Belgium next summer. Withers is an all rounder who competed regularly across Ireland in the National Womens League, eventually finishing up top Junior, and Bremner has risen to prominence in the Junior ranks this year, which he topped off by winning the Ulster Championship in September.
Making the national news is the comeback of Lance Armstrong, the 7 time Tour de France winner is planning a return to the professional ranks after three years in retirement, to again target the Tour de France as one of his priorities for next season. Armstrong has signed with the Astana team, who are currently training in Tenerife where at a team press launch he expressed his interest in competing in the 2009 Tour of Ireland as part of his programme.
Armstrong has fond memories of competing in the 1992 Nissan Classic in his first few months as a professional, and has said he would consider a return to Ireland for the event which is scheduled to run from 19-23 August.
The Cycling community were saddened to learn of the death of Maureen Foster during the week. Maureen was the wife of well known personality Morris Foster (MBE)
Maureen, the driving force and supporter of Morris in his cycling feats throughout the 60s, was well known for her sharp wit and humour, and was at Morris`s side when he received his MBE for services to Cycling at Buckingham Palace in 2006.
Maureen passed away in the City hospital following a short illness, and her funeral took place in Toomebridge yesterday.
Off Road Season hots up.
With most cyclists winding down for the Christmas holidays, there is no let up for the off-road Cyclo-Cross specialists, with December and January being the peak of their season.
Tomorrow sees the Ulster Cyclo-Cross Championships take place at Kilbroney Park, in Rostrevor, County Down promoted by the Newry Wheelers Club.
Once again the club has secured sponsorship from local car dealership JC Campbell, and the event is claiming the biggest prize fund for a Cyclo-Cross race in Ireland, with over £300 up for grabs, plus the Ulster Title and medals. The days programme will be action packed, with the Youth racing getting underway at Noon and the feature Senior Championship race billed for 1pm.
A lot of work has gone into preparing the course, however recent snow will undoubtedly be playing havoc with the course builders efforts, however Kilbroney generally dries out well and it promises to be a fast flowing course with a few technical sections.
Following that, Dublin Club DCUCC will be holding their St Anne's Cyclo-Cross next Sunday, 14th December. This will be the final round of the Super Cross Cup 2008 will take part in the scenic St Anne's park in Raheny, with the course open from 10.30 and racing at Noon.
This will all be leading up to January 4th when Apollo Cycling Club of Lurgan will be hosting the National Cyclo-Cross Championship at Lurgan Park.
This venue offers Cyclo-Cross riders an excellent arena for fast racing in pleasant surroundings, and it was here that the 2008 Cyclo-Cross season kicked off back in October when a full turnout from North and South of the border were treated to a fantastic course prepared by Dr Fred MacSorley and his team.
They have been hard at work in the interim and have added improvements to the course in anticipation of a full scale national title race next month, where it is hoped that Belfast ace Conor McConvey will again push multi-National Cyclo-Cross champion Robin Seymour and defending champion Roger Aiken from Banbridge to perhaps add a new name on the winners Gold medal.
Meanwhile two Ulster girls will be slightly warmer under cover this weekend when they travel to Holland with the Cycling Ireland Womens Commission for an Indoor Velodrome training camp. Rachel Mitchell (North Down CC) and Rachael Withers (Fintona CC) are two of only three Juniors making the trip to the Alkmaar Velodrome.
With the fluctuating value of sterling, Cycling Ireland has struck a rate of 1.15 euro to £1 in announcing their 2009 Licence Fees. A full Senior Licence will cost £114, with Juniors £57 and Youths ranging from £5 to £31. There is a 50% reduction for students in full time education. Full details are on either the Cycling Ireland or Cycling Ulster web-sites.
Cycling Column Monday 1 December
Track Plans taking shape
Track cycling is still top of the agenda for Cycling in Ireland both North and South, with the three bidders interested in building an indoor Velodrome in Northern Ireland, Down District Council, Belfast City Council and a consortium from Newry, all submitting their business cases to Sport NI on Friday, the reality of a state-of-the-art facility for the province continues to creep a step closer.
Meanwhile Cycling Ireland is putting major efforts in to Track Racing by preparing its athletes for when a track does eventually be built. The National Elite Track Endurance squad are just back from a weeks training at the UCI track facility in Agile, Switzerland, working on their training programme towards competing in future world cup events, the next of which will be a return to the Olympic velodrome in Beijing in mid-January. Next week a squad from the highly publicised Talent Transfer Programme will also get their first chance at riding the 42 degree banking of a 250 metre indoor track when they also head to Switzerland for a weeks intensive coaching.
Not to be out done, the Cycling Ireland womens commission are planning a trip to Alkmaar in Holland in the near future to give ladies a chance to experience track racing, and this will be followed by a National Youth trip again to Holland in January for up and coming under 16 riders.
Whilst Holland may not seem a logical choice for track training, it is a case of availability as the two indoor facilities in the UK, Manchester and Newport in Wales are in constant demand mainly due to the schedules of the world dominating British Cycling squads, from Elite through to the Youth Talent Academies that see riders as young as 14 compete at international level. Such is the interest in track racing following the medal haul from British riders at Beijing, that the general public are queuing up to have a go on the boards at the weekly `drop in` sessions.
Currently there are two track facilities in Ireland, Orangefield in Belfast and Sun Drive in Dublin, both of which are outdoors and are subject to the weather conditions, as owing to the nature of the banking both are unsafe to use in wet conditions. This put paid to almost half of the 2008 programme in Belfast where the Tuesday evening track league was a washout.
At a recent meeting of the Cycling Ireland track commission it was agreed that those running both facilities would work in closer liaison to ensure that cyclists interested in this element of the sport are fully catered for in the interim before our own indoor facility arrives. Already there are plans in 2009 for the National Youth Championships to again be held in Belfast, with high hopes for a full international meeting in Dublin in July. The hugely successful Inter-Provincial Youth event will extend to two meetings, one at each venue at either end of the Summer season. Ulsters youths have dominated this event in recent years, however in 2008 they had to share the spoils with Leinster back in August with the two teams finishing level on points.
With the volunteers at Orangefield already responsible for coaching 16 year-old Newtownabbeys David Neill to take the outright Flying 200metre Irish Sprint record back in August, the emphasis in regional track coaching will now extend to both Sprint and Endurance disciplines, with Team and Individual Sprint events now being catered for to add to the Team Pursuit discipline which is top of the National Elite squad priority.
