Conor Murphy leads Greg Swinand on the final stage last year; he and team mate Fraser Duncan will lead a strong Eurocycles challenge this weekend though Aquablue and a host of others should make for a competitive four stages (Photo: Marian Lamb, Cycling Ulster)
By Brian Canty
Tour of Ulster race director, Aidan Higgins has said while he’s disappointed there will be no teams from the UK represented in this weekend’s race, it will at least produce an Irish winner and could help those with designs on the An Post Rás to get more out of the event.
The three-day, four-stage, race is seen as a crucial form-tester and form-builder ahead of the country’s showpiece in a little over two weeks time and to that end Higgins believes the race will make or break some rider’s seasons.
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“The Tour of Ulster has always been one of the last points of reference for riders with ambitions to do the Rás,” he said.
“It’s not far away now and what riders can expect is a very high level of racing with some steep climbs right throughout the weekend. We have the reigning champion here, Adam Armstrong. And he’ll be backed by the Eurocycles boys again so they won’t be giving up the title without a fight.”
Armstrong has won the race on two occasions – also taking yellow in 2010 - and he went on to have a stellar Rás on the back of last year’s Ulster victory.
However, the Newtownards man hasn’t really shown his hand yet this year and has yet to be placed, owing to the belief that he’ll ride this weekend in support of team mates Conor Murphy and Fraser Duncan who have had a number of strong wins recently.
Murphy’s contribution last year was one of the reasons Armstrong won. Murphy attacked from the gun on the final stage and got away with Greg Swinand (Usher IRC). They were second and third on GC, which forced race leader Matt Higgins (Node4Giordana) into a frantic chase.
And just as Higgins was about to close the gap, Armstrong attacked with Ryan Sherlock and built up a lead of over five minutes. Sherlock took the stage and Armstrong won the overall by four and a half minutes.
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Murphy and Duncan might want a slice of the honours this year and with Will McCabe, Paul Mulligan and Armstrong around them, they should push for it. Sherlock won’t be back to try and go one better this year as he’s racing in Azerbaijan.
The absence of English teams this year is mainly down to the fact that the race had been cancelled due to lack of volunteers last November, before Carn Wheelers stepped in to take up the reins. And Higgins said all is in place for another top class weekend.
“It was a shame the UK teams couldn’t be here but I guess when they found out last year that the race was cancelled they probably put their budgets somewhere else and mapped out their seasons months back. It’s a shame but we’ll live with it.”
As well as the challenge from Eurocycles, Damian Shaw (AquaBlue) should also be in the mix this weekend. Shaw is in superb form since winning the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan and with the same backing this weekend – including the likes of Timmy Barry, Sean Lacey, Olan Barrett and John McCarthy - it would take a brave man to bet against him.
Indeed all of that line-up is capable of pushing for stage and overall honours, especially Barry and Lacey.
Elsewhere, Liam Frawley (Galway Bay CC), Cormac Clarke (Newry Wheelers) Greg Swinand (Usher IRC) and Paddy Clarke (Western Edge Castlebar CC) will fancy their chances. The latter was third county rider overall at the Rás last year and is coming into some good form.
Stage one on Saturday will depart at noon with four categorised climbs - at Springwell, Cam Forest, Plantation Road and Birren Mountain. Later in the day, stage two – a short and flat time trial – will begin on the Swatragh Road and run straight to Maghera.
The race will move on to Armagh on Sunday; through Lurgan, Keady Mountain, Newtownhamilton, Deadman's Hill, Markethill, Armagh city and back to Lurgan. The race will return to Maghera for the final stage on Monday, taking in six laps of a tough circuit around Swatragh, Garvagh and Glenullin.
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