Aiken adds Ulster Champs gold to impressive palmarès

Roger Aiken was crowned Ulster champion after winning Sunday's Carn Wheelers-promoted event in Maghera, Co Derry. The Team ASEA man had too much in the tank for Glenn Kinning of Kinning Cycles and Darnell Moore Caldwell Cycles (Photo: Toby Watson)

A week after being crowned winner of the Ulster Cyclocross Series, Roger Aiken was back on top of the podium on Sunday afternoon when he stormed to victory in the provincial championships.

He took the Ulster crown again but beating one of the strongest men on the Irish cyclocross scene Glenn Kinning (Kinning Cycles) into the silver medal position.

And one of the up and coming talents of the discipline on the island, Darnell Moore of Caldwell Cycles took the bronze medal on what was a very tough day for racing.

Aiken told stickybottle recently he was riding the cyclocross season with an eye firmly on the road race campaign of 2016.

And he set his stall out early today, breaking away from a field of around 35 elite riders and taking with him only Kinning, Moore and Graham Boyd of Xmtb McConvey Cycles).

By the end of the second lap the latter began to fade and by the fourth lap it was clearly a matter of who would be second.

Kinning clung doggedly to his task and Barry Kellett (Dromara CC) wasn't giving up either but Aiken wasn't for catching and he posted consecutive sub 9-minute laps to win outright by over a minute and a half.

Moore, as well as taking bronze, was the first junior home.

While Aiken's goals may be longer term, few would bet against him having a big say in who wins the national title early in the New Year and even taking the title himself again.

Reigning national vet's champion Jason Henry (Unattached Ulster) won the M40 race by just over 10 seconds after a brave effort by Brendan Doherty (VC Glendale) while the evergreen Des Woods (Newry Wheelers CC) proved victorious in the M50 category event.

He led from the opening lap and posted some lap times comparable with some of the top elite men so he will be a force to be reckoned with at the national championships next month.

John Bogues (Phoenix CC) was runner-up there with Deon McNeilly (Shimna Wheelers) taking bronze.

In the women's races Alwynne Shannon made it gold medal number two for the Newry club when she won the elite event while Trudy Brown (VC Glendale) won the vet's equivalent.