More medals for Ballymoney Cycling Club’s Laverty and Linton

Ballymoney Cycling Club were back in the medals again this week as Biesty’s Centra racers Stuart Laverty and Mervyn Linton both won Ulster Silver and bronze medals at the Province’s Championship A3 and 100 mile TT championships.
Ballymoney's Stuart LavertyBallymoney's Stuart Laverty
Ballymoney's Stuart Laverty

This follows the unprecedented success of Ballymoney Cycling Club youth who returned with nine medals at Irish National and Provincial level, the like off has never ever been achieved before.

With the domestic racing scene coming to a close, Under 14 Ulster champion Shay Donley travelled to Omagh and won the North West League event in style, rounding off a season of domination and strong intelligent riding for this youngster.

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The success of the Ballymoney outfit is attracting more and more people to help get involved in cycling at health and leisure level or on the competition side, which is such a positive development for the sport and 48 riders lined up at the club’s final TT of the 2015 season on the Ballybogey Road.

Ballymoney CC's Mervyn LintonBallymoney CC's Mervyn Linton
Ballymoney CC's Mervyn Linton

This race was won by visitor Barry Hayes from Dungannon, with Ballymoney Cycling Club racer Steven McAllister 3/100’s of a second behind in second place, McAllister was second again at the Magherafelt 10TT this time beating Hayes into third place.

The winner of this race was J Taylor of Carn Wheelers.

THE ULSTER 100 TT CHAMPIONSHIPS

This hard man event run now for the past five years by Ballymoney Cycling Club is getting a core of tough riders who line up on the Woodgreen course to face seven laps of the Dunsilly roundabout to the Seven Towers roundabout.

Mervyn LintonMervyn Linton
Mervyn Linton

The gold medal winner was Sean McIntyre from Caldwell Cycles Omagh from former Sigma Sport Specialised Team professional Andrew Bye and the bronze medal going to our own Mervyn Linton.

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Mervyn who has this season craved out a niche for himself in the art of time trialling and has set personal best times over 10 mile proving that he is not only an endurance specialist but has the raw speed that it takes to win the short fast events as well.

Mervyn’s team mate Steven McAllister finished seventh senior in the event.

THE A3 ULSTER ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2015

Kevin and ArthurKevin and Arthur
Kevin and Arthur

On the rolling roads around Claudy, Eglinton and Greysteel on Sunday the Ulster Road Championships were held.

A1, A2 and A3 riders faced over 80 miles of real racing and the physical efforts and preparation saw only the strong riders getting round in a coherent condition.

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The A1-2 race was won by Tour of the North International stage race winner Dave Watson for Bangor, from Caldwell Cycles rider Craig McAuley and third going to France based rider Ryan Reilly.

The A3 race was won by Armagh rider Kevin McKinnen, from our own Stuart Laverty and Dunloy CC rider Chris McKeown.

The race was over three by 27 mile laps and a breat of 5 riders including Reilly and McKinnen from the start, they were joined in the final lap by eventual winner Watson and McAuley.

Stuart and Chris were part of a four man break that left the discintegrating main bunch and opened up a sizeble gap at the line.

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Stuart got second A3 rider from Chris McKeown in third, both of them were also in the top 10 placings overal.

A3 Result - Ulster Road Champion 2015

Gold - Kevin McKinnen (Armagh CC)

Silver - Stuart Laverty (Ballymoney CC)

Bronze - Chris McKeown (Dunloy CC)

THE LUNGBUSTER 2 FINAL TT 2015

Almost 100 people were lined up to watch the last TT of the 2015 season on the Ballybogey Road.

48 riders took part and the race was decided by 3/100ths of a second from Ironman triathlete from Dungannon Barry Hayes from Ballymoney Cycling Club’s Steven McAllister in 10.23.3 and 10.23.5.

The fastest youth on the night was Under14 racer Kevin McCambridge who set a new schoolboy record of 10 minutes and 59 seconds. Kevin has just this year come onto the racing scene and has set the tongues wagging with his performances.

Fastest woman on the night was Claire McAvoy and the fastest Junior was Chris Surgeoner. Both are from the Ballymoney Cycling Club Tri Team.

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