Your lungs are bursting, your legs are on fire but you’ve never felt better because you’ve just crossed the finish line and taken a couple of seconds off your Personal Best.

Welcome to the world of the Time Trial, otherwise known as the   Race of Truth where it’s just you against the clock over a specified distance. So we might wear strange looking helmets  and talk about wind but we’re a sane lot really. No really we are!

If you’ve never tried a time trial the club hold regular 5 mile, 10 mile and  25 mile TTs throughout the summer season with a club licence required to enter.  Riders are set off at one minute intervals so you don’t have to contend with bunches of riders associated with a road race. Just ride as fast as you can for half the distance, turn and repeat. Just don’t forget the smile at the finish line ☺.  Complete one at each distance and you may even qualify for a club medal. Sure what could be easier?

If you catch the bug there are also open competition TTs on various courses across the country such as Toome, Dungannon and everyone’s favourite fast course, Woodgreen near Ballymena.  It is at such events that you will find a friendly but varied group of old and young , the fast and not so fast, loitering at the side of the road. Like all cyclists the conversation usually revolves around the wind speed and you will often see this merry band peering at the sky scratching their chins and wondering if that passing shower is going to turn into a downpour.

It was on Woodgreen this year that North Down entered  two ladies teams into the Team Time Trial with a successful bronze medal for the A team of Louise Togneri, Alison McMullan, Ange Perrot and Janine McNally in a time of 1.06.12 for the 25 miles.

There have also been several other successes for the ladies in the club this year with Louise Togneri taking silver in the Ulster 10 championships and Janine McNally silver in the 25 champs. I achieved bronze in both the Ulster 10 and NI 25 championships and silver in the Ulster 25 Vets category. On a more personal note I was delighted to see my PBs improve.

It’s not all about the North Down women of course.  John Hunter put in a fantastic performance to win gold in his age category at the WPFG and there have been club golds for John Rafferty, Matty Blayney,  Paul Swenarton, Michael McMullan, Alan Patterson and under 14 Harry Dow.  Colin Massey and Stephen Cousins are also becoming regulars at the open events and have recorded some very fast times. Well done to all.

While many of the TT regulars will be seen on the latest carbon model it is not an essential to remortgage the house to take  part.  I have been participating in TTs for around 10 years now and only this year invested in my first TT specific bike – and had the nerve to wear a skinsuit. Like most others I began just riding on my road bike before adding aerobars . You can also get some marginal gains (another term you’ll hear alot of) by wearing a pair of overshoes or one of those  pointy helmets, all designed to combat wind resistance at the fraction of the cost of a disc wheel.

So what’s stopping you from giving it a go.  Everyone will be made very welcome and with women particularly underrepresented it would be fantastic to see the numbers increase. No one will care if you do 10 miles in 20 minutes or 35 minutes, it’s all about the fun and camaraderie and I guarantee you’ll be back to try and improve your time.  Remember pain is temporary and you will eventually encounter that rare summer evening when  the sun shines, the wind is light and the PB will tumble. Ready, 5,4,3,2,1 go!

Gillian Orr

‘We’ve been through, some things together,

With trunks of memories still to come,

We found things to do in stormy weather,

Long may you run,’

This is my personal mini memoir of the sportive season just past. It was neatly bookended by two very different sportives in the Mournes.  The first one in February being an undulating run through the key towns of this part of Down, whilst the last one in October, The Etape Mourne, was a series of unrelenting climbs and descents in ferocious headwinds.

In between these vastly contrasting events lay a whole array of sportives, each with their own little quirks of route, weather, and participants.

For those not familiar with the cycling, the sportive is not a race but an event for mass participation of cyclists with an entry fee paid, part to a charity and to the organisation of the event.

The exception was the Etape Mourne at the end of October which was billed as a race but became a test of endurance.  Generally the sportives are organised by the cycling clubs or an organisation as is the case with the Causeway Challenge.

Here are some of my highlights of the Sportive season, my participation being as a member of North Down Cycling Club.  Having joined the club in November 2012, after spending most of the 2012 season participating in sportives either on my own or with my brother, I was looking forward to participating with club members in the 2013 season as a whole new experience.

So it proved, on the very first one held in mid February on a cool damp morning from the village of Katesbridge.   A sizeable ensemble of NDCC members ensured there would be company as the bunch headed off to towards Castlewellan.  As usual with these events, the bunch took off at great speed and for awhile it felt like the lungs were going to explode before sense prevailed and the pace settled down into a steady rhythm.

This event, organised by Banbridge CC if I recall rightly, is billed as a reliability trial and participants must navigate the route using a map.  Apart from a crash involving 3 guys in our bunch of approximately thirty due to a pothole just outside Newcastle, everything was proceeding swimmingly.

Our group from NDCC were still together by the time we reached Kilkeel, the first alleged food stop.

I say alleged because we never actually saw the food stop due to a right turn up a hill for about a mile and then downhill approximately the same distance returning to Kilkeel’s main street having travelled approximately about 100 metres further up the road we turned right on.

NDCC’s propensity for getting lost was evident from the start of the season and would be a feature of 2013.  Fortunately we found a rather salubrious cafe in Rostrevor where cakes were scoffed and coffee consumed.  There was a further delay due to 3 consecutive punctures on the one bike whilst managing to travel about 200 metres from the cafe.

At the top of climb through Rostrevor forest a fork in the road caused consternation for the navigators.  In a startling re-run of our MLA’s having talks about talks it was finally decided to bear left and by some miracle we found Castlewellan still in the same place we’d left it.

Arrival in Katesbridge saw everything locked up and the promised soup and sandwiches non-existent.  Not surprising since it was about 3 o’clock on a Saturday afternoon.   All in all a good day out with the club and as would be the case on future sportives a learning experience.

The lesson this time was to remember to bring plenty of money in case you pitch up at an expensive coffee shop!!

Further sportives came and went, mostly featuring lots of rain until the Kings Moss in April when a new experience unveiled itself, the four seasons in one day sportive.

A sizeable North Down contingent pitched up at Ballyclare Rugby Club on a very wet Sunday morning to participate on an approximate 60 mile event which travelled north to Broughshane, down to the coast at Glenarm and back to Ballyclare via the much talked about Shanes Hill.

Pre start, I occupied myself by checking the bike over.  A neighbouring cyclist started talking about Shanes Hill and it soon assumed the proportions of The TDF’s Mount Ventoux in my mind by the time he’d finished.  At this stage in my sportive career it had never occurred to me to check routes, elevations and terrain for these events.

I was left wondering if my legs would be able to carry me up, in my mind at least, the legendary Shanes Hill climb.  The terrain varied from short steep hills and a rapid descent down into Glenarm to the relatively flat road along  the coast to Ballygally in hazy sunshine.  The temperature on this section of the rose to around a heady 17 or 18 degrees.

A short food stop later we were at the foot of Shanes Hill and climbing.  With hindsight of having tackled far harder climbs, this wasn’t the worst  hill I’d ever taken on but what made it stand out in my mind later, was the way the temperature dropped as the elevation increased to 900feet.

Towards the top, the wind and rain which began to turn to sleet at one stage made this a nightmare to ascend.  The Kings Moss sportive finished in sunlight, blue skies and drying roads.  I dreamed I had just experienced four seasons in one day and it was true, I had.  As the scouts say, be prepared!

As April blended seamlessly into May amidst rain and cold, one man assumed legendary status.   As one associated with bringing wind and rain to all sportives he participated in, he assumed the almost mythical powers of a shaman.

I was sure some North Down sportive riders were checking the start list to see if Eric Blayney’s name was on it.  So great were the number of biblical proportion floods on these events that there were thoughts of sacrificing Eric to assuage the gods and clear the clouds.

As May segued neatly into June the rain-swept sportive became a source of reminisce and Eric was cleared of any mischief as the sun beamed benignly down on the cycling fraternity.  Then he drove a bus, not that he should be blamed in any way for subsequent events!

Hereafter followed one of the more ignominious events in my short history of sportive participation.  The club had by now purchased a minibus, renovated it and decorated the exterior in a graphic cycling montage.  It was in this splendid rejuvenated vehicle that 9 of us set out to participate in the Tour of the Orchard County.

Perhaps it was the lure of cycling amongst the orchards but bottom line was, eight of us from the bus never reached the Orchard County Tour grand depart, because it broke down irretrievably 9 miles from Armagh city.

As the rain lashed the windscreen and the engine coughed but would not start, several passing NDCCer’s stopped to offer assistance. The bus was not for moving until a recovery vehicle finally arrived and towed us slowly along the hard shoulder.

Our humiliation was complete when a caped cyclist pedalling into a headwind overtook the bus as we were being towed.  Eventually the recovery vehicle loaded the whole lot of us, still strapped into our seats like astronauts on an aborted mission, unto the low loader and drove off in the direction of Portadown.

There we unloaded the bikes and set out for Bangor, first circumnavigating the Portadown, Craigavon, Lurgan triangle via numerous roundabouts not once, but twice due to the eponymous getting lost!!  55 miles later and we were back in Bangor the bus still marooned in Portadown!

Someone suggested putting the bus on a bonfire, seemed like a bright idea!

In mitigation to the NDCC penchant for losing direction, the Portadown, Craigavon, Lurgan triangle is the Bermuda Triangle of Northern Ireland. Somewhere were one could disappear for a considerable length of time whilst circling interminable roundabouts!

Into July and Summer really was atoning for the weather’s bad behaviour earlier in the year, with tan lines being firmed up and short sleeves de rigeur.   The next sportive to make my headline was the MAD charity cycle up the coast from Larne to Cushendun and back.

Simples, except that at Waterfoot our group of 8 NDCC’ers decided to branch out and upwards towards Glenariff forest park on a 3 mile plus climb.  The choice of diversion was based mainly on the recommendation of veteran tourist Trevor Belford and we ascended the climb past the forest park at a decent rate.

From there things went downhill, then uphill and kept going up and down all the way to Larne across the Antrim ‘Hills’.  The usual navigational errors crept in and the group soon split into mountain goats, (two hills ahead), the in-betweeners and the odd donkey, several inclines behind.

One donkey even walked briefly due to the heart rate going off the cardiographometer, the less said about that the better!   Rarely, I would say, I was glad to see the power station chimneys, the ferry terminal and the Larne to Belfast dual carriageway but on this very hot and strength sapping afternoon I was almost delirious at the sight of it.

The lesson learned from this was that apart from the NDCC navigational ability being endemic and flawed, sun tan lotion wears off amidst the midday sun.

Much of late July into August was spent cycling various sportives along the north coast of County Antrim.

This area features historical sites, a World Heritage site, scenic beauty hailed as unique with a series of headlands, cliffs , limestone rock cascading to the sea and crowned with a road that winds its way over headland and round bay..

The route of the 2014 Giro will churn it’s way down this coast and one can imagine that even the most seasoned professional will pause from the race to take in the view.  As for cycling it in a sportive?   When the sun shines and the wind drops there is no better world than to lose yourself amidst the splendour of this rugged region.

By the time the Causeway Challenge came around in early September, the warmth of our unusually sunny Summer had evaporated amidst driving rain and high winds.  Setting out early morning for this event was not for the faint hearted.

Some backed out and who could blame them when you stepped out of the car into a small lake in the car park and the wind blew little wavelets in it.  NDCC were once again represented in numbers although not as a bunch, with riders leaving in dribs and drabs from the Ballycastle car park.

I was in the company of NDCC colleague Sandra Adams for this one, known as Team Adams/Irwin for ease of reference, we had planned to do the 80 mile route and miss out Torr Head, (it was closed at the start of the event!) and cycle the ‘easier’, euphemistically named Easy Street.

Sandra, who had started cycling with the club in late February had never cycled over 60 miles before or on this type of terrain.   I had made a point of checking it out beforehand on one of the apps available and it featured category climbs from 5 up to cat 3.  A new experience for all involved.

The howling wind and rain which had been a feature at the start soon subsided but the conifer forests were still swathed in light drizzle and mist as little lines of fluorescent jacketed riders could be seen winding their way up on the twists and turns of the road through the trees.

As a team we were tactically naive, missing a food stop in Glenarm, by choice and attempting to find a coffee shop in Cushendun.   Tactics really went awry at this point when we entered a half lit, ‘tea shop’ which had a front door left ajar and a light on. Tables and chairs abounded but there was no-one at home and the scene reminiscent of an abandoned fairground at Chernobyl.

A pub across the road stood in as a reasonable substitute with some hot coffee.  It was only after re-mounting the bikes that we discovered there was an official food stop, literally around the corner from the pub!

This would come back to haunt us at the top of the 3 mile plus climb known as Easy Street, the suspiciously named alternative to Torr Head, which had been opened once the mist had cleared.

A minor crisis for Sandra due to depleted energy levels was sorted and the team made it back to Ballycastle having completed the 80 miles in a time of…. Ok, it didn’t really matter, the Sandra part of Team Adams/Irwin had surmounted a challenge and another small step along the cycle path by completing 80 miles in a day.

Everyone has their goals and targets to meet depending on their fitness, ability and determination.  Sportives are an excellent way of measuring up to challenges and challenging yourself to go one better than previous.

Sportives continued throughout September into October culminating in a couple of events in the Mournes, these proving to be ideal preparation in the build up to Etape Mourne.

Much new experience had been garnered over the course of the events in 2013 and new friends found in NDCC as a result of cycling in the club colours on the Sportives.  Some I have already mentioned, other regulars on the sportives were David McKeague, Chris Ward, Dawn Henley, Marcus Lemon, Rachy Sinnamon and Denise Hart.

Apologies if I haven’t name checked you but there are too many to mention, the photos just a small selection of the many club members who participated in the sportives throughout the season..

By the time the Etape Mourne loomed figuratively and literally in late October I had a bagful of experience under the handlebars and a little trepidation in the mind having checked out the route and elevations.

For those of North Down CC reading this, who are long in the tooth veterans of many more years competition than they care to remember this may all sound a touch elementary.  For me though I had been naive to think as a fledgling cyclist that you simply mount a road bike and pedal off sedately in a bunch.

I did find out, albeit without serious injury or mishap that serenely cycling along chatting amicably whilst flicking through the gears, watching the wheels in front, the road ahead, the scenery and all the time avoiding numerous manholes, potholes and ragged verges, is harder than it looks.  All that and I haven’t even mentioned the weather!.

The Etape Mourne is billed as a race.  Paramount for me was surviving the course and of course the hills.  Early Sunday morning approaching the Mournes along the coast, the granite hills brooded behind low slung cloud and mist that almost reached to the sea in sweeping fashion.

A thunderstorm just prior to the grande depart, left me trying to peer through the car windscreen which remained stubbornly opaque due to the sheets of water scudding across it.

With the club cyclocross event on the same day, NDCC representation was reduced to just two competitors, myself and Rachy Sinnamon, a very fit and talented cyclist.  The 70 mile route had been cut to a mere 60 miles due to weather conditions, presumably due to the strength of the wind on the lower part of the course near the coast.

There are two sections of flat, the half mile from the Annalong car park to the start of the climb to Silent Valley resovoir, and the same stretch at the end with a seemingly endless raft of hills and climbs in between.  Factor in a 20mph plus headwind and this was always always going to be toughest sportive of the year.

Sometimes you can learn a lesson the hard way.  I adjusted the rear brakes the night before but to my horror as I descended the down past Spelga Dam, the bike had a mind of its own going round the stone wall and found myself atop bike precariously wobbling along the white line in the wet trying to take the bend.

Rachy passed me, a look of terror on her face.  Safer to be in front seemed to be her inaudible message and who could blame her!

Finally arriving in Hilltown after descending into Rostrevor through the forest and along the route I had climbed in February, the Chain Reaction mechanic adjusted the brakes much to my relief.  Here another lesson was learned as I should have checked the mechanic’s work, because belatedly I found the brakes rubbing the rim and only after the climb up past Spelga.

Well alright, that’s my excuse for seeing Rachy’s back tyre disappearing up the climb as though I were standing still.  The sight of a timing mat marking the start of the King/Queen of the mountains segment seemed to activate her as she ‘sprinted up round the ‘S’ bends giving the assembled photographers a cheeky tongue out on the way past.

They were still in a state of flux when I ambled past on my way up the climb.  The rest of the event was uneventful, a near tumble at plus 40mph apart.   Rachy and myself finished together with her outsprinting me the one metre to the timing mat, earning a 5 second bonus and 44^th out of 124 starters.  For the record I finished 46^th and Rachy won Queen of the Mountains, a Chain Reaction shirt and the club respectability.

A satisfying end to the season signified by the sun burst through the clouds over one of the coastal towns as we descended towards Annalong on the last leg of the event, by which time there was a chance to draw breath and admire the view.

This has been a great cycle season for me personally and joining NDCC has been a hugely successful move, with all the experience senior members of the club can bring to bear on your cycling.    Although I have 2 and a half years and thousands of miles under my wheels, it is still a learning process.

It has been a great learning curve amongst a  bunch of club cyclists, the whole tempo of the group is a far cry from tagging along with a couple of leisure riders.

It all looks so easy from the footpath as the bunch sally’s through Ballywalter, pedals whirring, club livery gleaming and shouts of ‘left’, ‘hole ‘and what’s for breakfast!  It was through Ballywalter to Portaferry on the Harry Adams/Wilf vets run that I got used to riding in a group in proper fashion.

For newcomers to the club my advice would be to challenge yourself by going on the club runs and sportives and if the competitive spirit really takes hold, time trial or race.  First it’s important to have the fitness.  As I say, it all looks so easy from the footpath but with the fitness you can progress to new challenges and reach new heights both figuratively and literally.

Here’s to 2014.

Peter Irwin.

 

Two of our girls, Molly McLarnon and Katie Armstrong, are on the Irish 2020 talent team. During the last weekend the girls, along with the rest of the team, made a trip across to Holland to take part in some track cycling. The girls really appreciate the support they receive from NDCC and have put together a diary of their time.

Molly McLarnon

Did I ever think I was going to be cycling behind a derny? Well this was one of the many highlights of my weekend.

My adventure started off on Friday afternoon at the first velodrome with my initial impressions of the track, how steep it was and was I going to stay upright?! Our Dutch coach told some of us to go straight on the track without any instructions and for us to work out what speed you had to go at to stay upright…… He was one crazy coach! The rest of the day was taken up by more coaching.

The next day we were straight at it again, but first we did half an hour of abs and core work, then on to the track for two and a half hours of hard training with a 45 minute break for lunch. A new coach took over in the afternoon and he brought a derny with him. Back on the track we did 30 laps followed by a race. It was great fun, high speed and what a thrill. The day finished up with five of us doing a flying 200m TT which was very tough but enjoyable at the same time.

On Sunday we went to watch the older girls compete in three races against the local Dutch riders in the Amsterdam velodrome. The atmosphere was amazing with the crowd shouting for their team to win.

This trip was an incredible experience and I’ve learnt so much from the past few days on the track.

Thanks to everyone in North Down CC. More stories this Saturday at Hoops. 🙂

Molly

Katie Armstrong

Our plane left from Dublin airport at 11am on Friday 15th November (after my mum cried). The flight took about an hour and half. When we got to the airport we all bought lunch and hopped onto our coach and we were on our way to our hotel.  We dumped our bags down and went to the track which was about 10 mins away from our hotel. We got changed and fitted for our bike.  Our cycling coach had us going round the track gradually moving up so we eventually were cycling at the top and the steepest part of the velodrome. On the first day we basically were getting used to the track and going around it on the different lines. After 2hrs it was no more coach for us we had to get the public bus back to our hotel for dinner and bed.

On Saturday we were at the track for 9:10. We got changed and then we did work on our core for the first hour of the session while local riders (the boys with the 6 packs) went around the track. Our trainer had us using the exercise ball, loosening our backs and doing basic core exercises. Then we did the plank which was awful! After this we swapped over and went on the track while the local riders did their core.  This time we did different types of races like racing against a partner, one lap sprint and our coach made us go around the track the wrong way so instead of going anti-clockwise we were going clockwise which was kind of scary and weird at the start but fine once you got used to it. Of course me being me I fell off just before we stopped for lunch.  I have no idea how I did it, because I wasn’t trying to get off and I wasn’t going slowly, and I didn’t stop pedalling. Anyway it wasn’t that sore instantly but when we were sitting eating lunch the pain really hit and my knee started bleeding again, which it keeps doing! I have a massive bruise on my thigh and a cut and bruise by my knee cap now.

In the afternoon session we got to go behind the electric bike thing for 30 laps, taking it in turns to be at the front. We did a race where we went behind him for 5 laps then raced the last 2. We also weaved in and out of each other which was really scary at first because I thought I was going to knock someone off or cause an accident, but it was ok. Then it was time to go back to the hotel for dinner.

The next day we were up very early to get packed to leave because we were going to a different track in Amsterdam to race on it. Sadly the youth races were all full up so Molly and I didn’t get to compete which was annoying since I really wanted to race! 3 of the older girls got to compete though, so for the day we just watched all the races and explored the track. We got to the airport really early but it wasn’t too bad because by the time we got checked in etc we killed some time. We had dinner and then went shopping. There wasn’t much there though so most of time we just chatted then we got our flight to Dublin and I got a lift home with Molly. I ended up getting home at 12:15am. I was knackered!

Overall my trip to Holland was amazing! I had so much fun and learnt so much on the track! I would love to keep it up;  all we need is a track over here now!  Even though I fell off I still had a great time. Anyway one of the guys at the races fell off too which he shouldn’t have done since he is experienced unlike me ☺ It was annoying not getting to race but we couldn’t have done anything about that.

Katie

Ormeau Park Belfast – Round 6 of the Ulster Cyclo-Cross League

Up until 8am on Sunday 17 November 2013, Ormeau Park was a dry and fast flowing cyclo-cross course.  By 9am, as the host club Xmtb McConvey Cycles were still setting up, the rain came on.  The dry course soon became a very different course, with surface mud, deep mud, exposed roots and expanding water features.  This was Round 6 of the Ulster Cyclo-cross series and only the second wet race (Windmill Park in Dungannon was the other one).

There were 240 brave souls taking part, with just over 100 in the youth categories. Even with Molly away in Holland, North Down were still strongly represented in the youth categories by Ella Riddell, Ria McMaster, Ben Riddell, Ewan Ferguson, Maia Simmons, Ben Webb, Adam Preece, Aaron McCutcheon and Will Hamilton.

All youths performed well in the tough conditions which included another win for Maia, 4th place for Ben, 2nd place for Adam and top 10 finishes for Will and Aaron.

The MTB Support race was well attended by North Down and indeed dominated. More of this in Ross’s report below.

The Cyclo-Cross B Race was also well represented by our Boys in Pink. Sadly the tough conditions took their toll on bikes as well as bodies and we had a few DNFs and bikes to repair. Even the guys that finished struggled with the conditions but Michael McMullan and Keith Hooks rose to the challenge and both finished strongly inside the top 10. Full race report from Paul and Keith below.

MTB Support Race Report by Ross Blayney

A Sunday to remember

 

Sunday 17th November what a day to remember. For one it was my long suffering cyclist widow wife Nikki’s 40th Birthday and also our 10th wedding anniversary. Plus to top it all off our daughter Daisy had a big audition at the Grand Opera House for at part in Sleeping Beauty. It was also round 6 of the Ulster cyclocross series at Ormeau Park Belfast. The plan was for me to go to the race in the morning and nip across to the Opera House to catch up with the girls after the audition then head out for a big slap up dinner.

Morning started well with me doing the good husband bit of breakfast in bed and all haha. Then not long after Johnny Reid was at the front door to give me a lift to the race. On the way up Johnny was joking with me about how I would go in the race as it was only 8 weeks ago that I had broken my collarbone and had only been back on the bike for 2 weeks. I think the verdict was I would be happy just to finish.

Anyway we got to the race and as soon as we got out of the car the heavens opened. It was going to be a mud bath as the rain looked to be on for the rest of the day.

We got signed on and numbers fitted to bikes, changed into what ever wet gear we could find and hit the course for a practise lap. We had both signed on for the support MTB race that would be run about an hour before the main cyclocross races. Being a cyclocross race I had heard the course was changed from last year to suit the cross bike more over mountain bikes. So I thought it was going to be loads of long grassy straights and some steep run ups.

How wrong was I. The course started at the side of a football pitch then swung up a steep climb into the woods above. Then from there all I can describe it as is one of the most twisty, slippy, technical courses I have ever ridden at any cyclocross. After leaving the woods you were back onto the flat open grassy field sections back towards the Start/finish area. The course was around 1.2 miles and took on avg 8 – 10 mins per lap, so just a nice size.

Our race was to be 7 laps of the course. With the rain still coming down it was starting to get very cut up in some places which would make very heavy going in the race.

At 11:30am all the MTB riders were called to the starting area. It was one of the biggest fields, in any MTB race, I had seen in a long time with near 60 riders signed on. As it was a league race, the men leading the league would be gridded at the front on the start line, a bit like F1. As this was my first race and also the first time I had been on my MTB since my broken collarbone, I was stuck way down near the back of the field. I looked up to the front of the grid and could see Paul Ferguson, who was leading the league after winning a number of rounds plus not being outside the top 4 in every round. So he had more or less got the overall sewn up. Then beside him I could see Johnny who had only ridden two of the rounds but had won both, some going. I think I was about 10 or 12 rows back with about 40 people in front at the start. I was even behind a lad with flat plastic pedals, wearing Nike shoes (probably not the most ideal equipment for these conditions).

Before long it was ready for the starter’s whistle and we were off. As the field was so big I could see Paul, Johnny and the other front markers disappear off up the narrow grassy course towards the woods. A good couple of seconds had gone by and I still could not move off yet. Once moving I was able to pass a good number of riders before the first corner, then it was right up a steep slippy hill. Looking up ahead I saw “Mr plastic pedals and trainer guy” ahead of me. As I came up to pass him he stood up and true to prediction, both feet slipped off the pedals and down he came, family jewels first, onto the top tube. I had to swerve to avoid him, forcing me into the longer grass, but this worked in my favour as the shorter grass was really badly cut up forcing a lot of riders to get off and run. Out in the long grass I had plenty of grip and was able to fly past a load more riders. So entering the first single track section I had moved up to about 15th place. Not able to pass, I was able to recover a little from the aggressive start.

Once the track opened up a little, I was able to move up another place or two. Then once out of the woods and on to the fast grassy sections, I was flying past riders. Some of the straight sections were as hard to ride a the tight twisty stuff. It was so muddy, the bike was a nightmare to keep in a straight line at speed. There were riders slipping and falling off all over the place. Hitting the start/finish area for the finish of the first lap, I had made my way up to about 8th place and the frantic pace had started to tell on my 2 weeks worth of training legs. I decided to ease up a little and start to get into some sort of pace for the rest of the race. I could see Paul and Johnny and a couple of others about 30 to 40 seconds ahead of me across the long grass stretches. I rode within myself and tried to make some time up in the twisty sections. It seemed to work as lap after lap I was getting closer and closer to the lead group. Around lap 4 I had made my way up to 5th place and on to Paul’s wheel, near the end of the twisty section. But once out on to the long straights I was not strong enough to sit with him as he was making massive efforts on those sections. To gain time I sat on the wheel of a lad from Newry and just paced myself waiting for the technical sections on the next lap.

Once into the woods we had caught up with Paul. Half way around on one of the slippy off camber corners, Paul and the Newry lad took a wide line and I made my move up the inside. I rode the rest of the twisty bits hitting all the corners at break neck speed and pulled out a small gap on the two lads behind. At this stage I thought I was up to 2nd or 3rd place as Johnny was out of sight. Riding across the field, I thought I heard John McCutcheon shout “Johnny’s way out”. I replied “oh I know he’s flying”, but he shouted back “No! he’s snapped his chain and you are leading”. My heart sunk, no way I could be leading in my first race back after a long time off the bike. Gutted for Johnny as he was so up for doing a good ride and I know he had been training hard for these races. Going through the finish area with 3 laps to go, the Newry lad had caught back up with me. Going up the climb into the woods he passed me, so I let him lead into the technical section. I could see he was on the limit as he was starting to make silly mistakes on some of the corners. So every so often I would rub his rear tyre with my front just to let him know i was still there and put him under more pressure. It must have worked as on one of the slippy rooted corners he slid out, not falling, but losing his footing. I was able to slip up the inside and take the lead again.

Hitting the line with 2 laps to go I had around a 10 to 15sec lead. I knew if I could hold him off into the technical section, I would be able to increase my lead. So hitting the steep climb up into the woods I busted myself to stay ahead. I hit all the corners well and entered the bell lap with a comfortable lead of around 30 seconds or so. Riding the last lap all I could hear was my Mother, who had come along to watch the race, shouting “You’re still in the lead, so take it easy and don’t make any stupid mistakes”. That must have been one of the first times I have ever listened to her and not thought, ah shut up mum, what would you know haha. But I did as she said and rode the last lap well within myself and held the lead all the way to the line. My first win on the MTB in long long time and a big shock as it was so unexpected.

After the race I headed into Belfast and got the news that Daisy had the part in Sleeping Beauty next April, so proud of her. We had a lot to celebrate over dinner that night. To smooth things over with Nikki, for taking time off to compete in a bike race on her birthday, she was happy to receive a little envelope with some spondoolies in it haha…

Report from the B Race by Paul McArthur and Keith Hooks

Paul McArthur

Last Sunday’s race at Ormeau Park ended up a bit frustrating. After a lovely dry, sunny Saturday…. race day dawned dull and wet …. very wet! After a couple of practice laps, I was happy with the nature of the course and worked out the tactics to use on the different sections. After 2 laps I had to wash my bike down and I began to wonder how the bike would cope with seven laps of these very wet, muddy conditions.

I was racing the B course, which had a great turnout of 40 plus racers (biggest yet out of all the rounds). I got a great start down the grass straight. By now, after the MTB Support race, the grass was well chopped up and totally saturated with water. I hit the first part of the wooded section in a good second place and bang …. my chain come off. Not good…. about half a dozen riders passed me before I managed to get going again. There was no real panic here, as I knew I would have plenty of time to catch and overtake people. Unfortunately that never happened. During the second lap both my disc brakes totally failed on me. I hit a couple of trees head-on and over ran a few fast sections, cutting through loads of barrier tape (getting tangled up at one section). I had to slow down and start using the deeper muddy edges and my feet to brake, however I slowly started to lose a couple of places each lap. The last couple of laps I was running most of the technical sections, simply it was safer and quicker than trying to brake constantly with my feet.. Finally I crossed the finish line in a disappointing 17th place, but had no regrets or excuses…….this CX is still one hell of a fun sport.

In the end, I learnt a few things about my equipment and its limitations. At least I should be better prepared for the next muddy, wet cyclocross race. Finally, well done to Michael McMullen and Keith Hooks for each getting into the top 10 and to everyone else who beat my sorry ass. 🙂

Keith Hooks

The cyclocross calendar continues to roll on at a rapid pace and this week (Sunday 17^th November 2013) the race was located in Ormeau Park, organised by XMTB McConvey Cycles. Discussions the previous day had concluded that the weather wasn’t going to be too bad on Sunday but quite the opposite was seen when the curtains were drawn back in the morning. The grim day led to a lot of layers being worn to warm up in. Before the race some people weren’t looking too sure about the race and the conditions. Some decided the course wasn’t for them. But after making the trip to Belfast. with the bike, I thought I would give it a go and enjoy it as much as I could.

From the warm up laps it was clear that it was going to be a tough race. The course was extremely wet and muddy which made going up hill difficult and rolling downhill (sometimes literally) tricky. There was a twisty uphill section, that most people had to run, as well as a section where the mud acted as glue and dismounting was the only way to make any headway.

The race started as it always does, with riders being gridded based on previous results. The women started in front, the opposite of the usual protocol, and were given a minute’s head start to get on up the course. At the sound of the whistle we were off, straight through the water feature and on round the course. Paul McArthur was gridded in the front row and got a great start only to be stopped in his tracks by his chain coming off. Michael McMullan and Michael Hamilton were also quick off the mark, but the conditions were soon to take their toll on all the bikes and Michael Hamilton had to retire after a few laps. Colm McLarnon also had to retire within the first quarter of the race after coming off and injuring his shoulder.

The race went on and the course became more and more chewed up. Braking became even more difficult with even the disc brakes giving up the ghost. I had to use my feet as brakes, as well as the occasional tree, which weren’t the most efficient of methods. Michael McMullan remained strong and was the first NDCC man to cross the line in 8^th followed by myself in 9^th and then Paul McArthur. Barry Hamilton wasn’t too far behind Paul and as for Garth Beattie….. well he turned up!

Week 1:  Lurgan Park,

When I was riding in Lurgan park I was very nervous because it was my first Cyclocross race of the season and also the first time I had ever attempted Cyclocross, but when the whistle blew on the start line I started to realised I was racing further and further ahead of the others, I looked behind and everyone was well behind me. Until the second lap I was thinking to myself “I’m winning!” First race of the season and I was about to win.  Seconds later my bike started to make unusual clicking noises so I looked down and then the hanger on the back derailleur snapped clean off.  There was nothing I could do to fix it. So on my first race ever, I found myself walking with my bike down to the start to tell everyone.  I felt so sad and depressed.

Week 2: Lady Dixon Park,

I was very lucky to get my bike fixed in time for this race. As I did my warm up laps I thought the laps were longer than last time.  At sign on, I saw my friend Cameron Macintyre and he was with someone else called Adam Duff.  Adam was also in my under 14 race. I’d never seen Adam race before so I didn’t know if he was good or not so we all went on a warm up lap and we all just talked and cycled. So on the starting line we all got to know each other, we only had to do 4 laps and as the whistle blew it was me and Adam first into the whole shot.  Off we went and it was pretty much a race between him and me for first and second. During the race we just kept overtaking each other over and over again until the last lap when he was out in front.  I was trying not to let him get too far away or fall so I could catch  him on the flat straight finish.  On the spiral on the last lap, with Adam Duff out front, we went round and round until someone in front of him fell and caught his wheel.  This brought Adam down.  At this point, I managed to get past and started to cycle fast because Adam was straight up and on again.  But for the rest of the race I was out in front and it was a bit of sprint finish because if I didn’t sprint he would have over taken me. When I won this race, I promoted my mum to my manager.

Week 3: Dungannon

When we arrived in Dungannon, I looked up, “oh no, grey clouds”, rain was on the way. It was very long walk up to sign on and walking back I looked up the track and the muck was ankle deep.  I had never ridden in heavy thick muck before because in week 1 and week 2 it was dry and just grass. I got dressed and went on a warm up lap with Cameron and Adam Duff, and it was tough there was lots of roots and deep muck especially through the wind mill, it was hell. So again on the starting line…the whistle blew I didn’t look down to put my cleat in and there was no fiddling either, it was perfect my cleat just went in straight.  And again Adam and I were out in front. It was a grassy start,  on to the concrete then into the forest. In the forest it was like going round a roundabout, it was just corners and corners, you couldn’t pick up speed because just around the corner was…another corner. Adam Duff started to edge ahead because he had a mountain bike so he had more traction in the muck, coming down the hill about to bear slightly left I went over a root. And I’m sure you know if you are going over a root you need to come at it perpendicular, but me not knowing it was there, went over it sideways and obviously my bike just slipped out from underneath me and I hit the ground like a sack of spuds.  Thankfully that was the only fall I had that day and the rest of the remaining laps went according to plan. It was a solid 2nd finish.

Week 4: Bangor,

It had been raining throughout the week so I kind of predicted that it was going to be a very mucky course.  When I signed on I had seen that Adam Duff had signed on already, my opponent.  That week Cameron Adam and I went round together just talking not really paying much attention to the course and once we finished the pre-lap we didn’t do anymore laps, we were just focused on keeping warm!  The wind was a bit fierce in the open air.  On the starting line again like always I’ve got butterflies in my stomach. And as I heard  that whistle blow again, my brain automatically realised that it was go time and we were all pedal to the metal on the concrete, then up the big hill, along a mucky grassy football field, then into the forest. Again there were roots everywhere, in all angles and I was just lucky to get out of that minefield of roots without falling off.   It was just leaves from then on in until a long stretch of big drops of muck but once past that there was a mound up then down and within 3 seconds a very tight u-turn, then back into the forest. On the u-turn I saw my dad in his big hi-vis jacket, chuffed to bits that he is marshalling by the way. Up until now I was placed 3rd until the boy in front of me, Thomas, got a mechanical and pulled out. I finished a good 2nd that day as well.

Week 5: Moira

When we turned up and signed on, me and mum walked to the coffee shop just round the corner and got an Americano each.   I was just sitting in the warm with a warm coffee dreading going back to the cold muck!  This time Ben Webb and I went on a pre-lap this time and it was so mucky. There was a bear left then a big mucky hill up, I just knew I would have to carry my bike up there! So on the starting line just chatting away, then I jumped when the whistle blew for the under 16’s making me realise I was next… When the whistle blew for us it was a long concrete hill up to the start of the track, so again me and Adam were out front by miles! I was trying to stay behind him just in case he made a break for it  and sprinted off.  This time I was just ahead of him on the 2^nd lap but I carried my bike up that big mucky hill on the last lap and that was the worst mistake I made as I couldn’t get my feet clicked back in and Adam was cycling off ahead. As soon as I got clicked in it was all hands on deck. I did not stop pedalling until I crossed the finished line, that day was also a 2nd finish.

I joined NDCC to ride on the roads and really enjoy the club runs, when I’m not selected to play rugby for school on Saturdays but I am smitten by Cyclocross.  I just need to persuade my parents that I now need a mountain bike to add to my collection!

Adam Preece

After a fantastic summer of cycling it’s time to put the “good bike” away and get the mudguards out.

 So does that mean an end to racing and time to let the testosterone levels drop and simply enjoy a leisurely ramble? Not if you’re part of the every growing cyclo-cross scene.

What is cyclo-cross?

Well imagine taking your road bike, sticking on wider knobbly tyres and then heading to a forest to ride through mud, climb steps, jump over obstacles and climbing hills for an hour. Forget tactics, drafting, and teamwork, cyclo-cross is about aerobic endurance and bike-handling skills.

The Ulster Cyclo-Cross series is spread over 8 rounds and also includes races for kids and Mountain Bikes. North Down CC now hosts an event and this year made a welcome return to Castle Park for Round 4 of the series.

NDCC have competed at every event and have had their share of podium spots across the categories. None more so than in the junior and children categories.

Maia Simmons

Maia competes in the Under 10 Females and has so far competed in all 5 rounds. Not only has she taken part but is currently topping the table with 4 wins and a 3rd place. She has a lead of 15 points over her nearest rival and with just 3 rounds left we wish her the very best.

Molly McClarnon

Molly has carried her form from a great season in road racing and time trials into the cyclo-cross season. Her father, Colm, has passed on his wealth of cyclo-cross knowledge to her which she has combined with raw talent and determination to finish on the podium in 4 out of the 5 rounds in the Under 14 female category. It is currently extremely close for the top 3 places but with her win in Moira Park in round 5, Molly now leads the table going into the final 3 rounds. Colm has been relegated to driver, financial support, motivator and bike cleaner.

Ben Webb

Where Molly has got some of her talents from her father, we have no idea where Ben is getting his. Yes there are “short hills” on a cyclo-cross course but there are no opportunities for a sit-in specialist like his father Jonny.
Ben has raced cyclo-cross before and this season is in the under 14 males and has been on the podium 3 times. This solid form sees him top the leader board but it’s extremely close with only 6 points between the top 3 places. There are 30 points awarded to the winner and so this category could well be decided on the final round.

Adam Preece

Adam also competes in the Under 14 Male category. This is his first season and he has written a diary of his exploits which will be posted later. Adam has had a fantastic series so far and is currently sitting just behind Ben and hot on his heals. Adam had a mechanical in round 1 that meant he scored no points. But since then he has not placed lower than 2nd and a top place in his second race at Lady Dixon Park. Adam has been smitten by cyclo-cross and we look forward to hearing about a potential 1-2 NDCC.

Will Hamilton

It’s been a tough road season for Will moving up to the Under 16 males. Towards the end of the season Will was gaining on his older, stronger competitors and he has carried this form into his cyclo-cross season. Will got a 3rd place in round 1 and got a well-earned 1st place in the last round at Moira Park. With some of his rivals not scoring points in round 5, by my calculations, Will moves up into 2nd place overall and even with a gap of 25 points to first place, don’t rule out his chances of an overall victory yet.

Aaron McCutcheon

Aaron is a seasoned mountain biker but cyclo-cross is less technical than the races he’s used to and he races on his MTB as opposed to the lighter, more nimble cyclo-cross bikes. Aaron competes in the same category as Will and has had some strong top5 placings this year. He is currently sitting in 5th place overall and has every chance of climbing further.

MTB Support Races

North Down’s successes have not just come from the youth sections. Paul Ferguson has continued his winning ways and is sitting clear at the top of the Men’s MTB Support category. Johnny Reid has only been able to enter 2 races so far but has won them both, which included our local race through Castle Park. In this race NDCC finished 1st, 2nd and 4th in the Male MTB Support race with Warren Gregg finishing a strong 4th after starting un-seeded from the back.
Alison McMullan has been flying the flag for NDCC women and despite face planting a tree, resulting in a broken nose, she got back on the bike and finished 4th. Alison is currently in 3rd place overall in the Women’s MTB Support race category.
Other regular MTB racers include Brendan Kirk, Ian McCurly, Clifford Blayney, Shane Farren, Gordon Simmons with some guest appearances by Ian Blayney, Shaun Carey, Kerry Speers, Claire Scott and a few other newbies who turned up for the craic at our own local race.

Cyclo-Cross A and B Races

The main events are the cyclo-cross A and B races. Last year Colm McLarnon won a B race meaning automatic promotion to race with the big boys. It’s been a tougher season this year but the “wee man” never gives up and has been doing a great job supporting his talented daughter. Our man to cheer in the A races has been James McMaster. James has returned to race for NDCC and has only completed 3 of the 5 rounds so far but has finished in the top 5 in all of them. So although James has not scored points in 2 of the rounds he is currently sitting in the top 10 overall.

The B races are where most of our riders compete. We have a strong showing this year and a serious challenger in the form of Paul McArthur. Paul has tried his hand, and competed, at almost every out-door sport there is. Paul turned his hand to road racing this season and now cyclo-cross. His fitness and determination have seen him place strongly in every round but he was unable to take part in round 5 and so his rivals have been able to jump ahead. Other newcomers who have shown great form include Keith Hooks and Mark Farrell. I would not be surprised to hear of a podium finish for any of these 3 riders.

Other riders include some seasoned racers such as Mike Hamilton, Michael McMullan, Barry Hamilton, Paul Kirk and Garth Beattie and others new to the discipline such as David McKeague and Kieran Beattie. All using these races for training, fun and to set them up for the road season ahead.

The next race takes place at Ormeau Park on Sunday 17th November. Why not come along to cheer on our young people, men and women of NDCC or better still throw your MTB in the car and give the support race a go. Don’t let the video footage of our chairman on his knees in the mud put you off!

S Cousins NDCC-PRO