Aiken has too much for Monty in battle for biggest prize

Roger Aiken showed he still has the class that has made him a master off road and in the road peloton on the biggest occasions for many years (Photo: Toby Watson)

After winning the combined elite and U23 race at the National Cyclocross Championships last year in great style, David Montgomery was forced to settle for silver in Co Down this afternoon when Roger Aiken found another gear and pulled away.

The battle between the men had been a close one, with Aiken (Asea Wheelworx) perhaps looking stronger early in the race but Montgomery never letting him get too far ahead.

However, while the two riders were together in something of a two horse race out front with a couple of laps left, it was Aiken who pulled ahead of the young defending champion to regain the crown he has won four times in the past.

Riding his first race in the colours of An Post-Chainreaction, Montgomery took the silver medal – retaining his U23 national title in the process.

Glenn Kinning of Kinning Cycles won the battle for third place after holding off a fast-finishing Gareth McKee (Banbridge CC).

In the Masters 40 race Robin Seymour (Team Worc) took victory from last year's champion Jason Henry (Unattached) and the evergreen Brendan Doherty (VC Glendale).

More to come.

For brief results of earlier races please follow this link.

How it unfolded

From the gun it was McKee who flashed his teeth first, clearly keen to get out front and avoid any early carnage that can sometimes ruin a riders day.

But Aiken was attentive and up for the fight; quickly pulling back the leader and passing him as Montgomery sat in the top six with Paul O’Reilly (UCD CC) also to the fore in those early exchanges.

As the leaders headed out onto the second lap, the decisive pattern of the racing was already taking shape as eventually winner and runner-up Aiken and Montgomery nudged ahead of those in the fight for third.

And while Kinning would eventually claim that bronze medal, others looked stronger heading out onto the second lap.

Indeed, it was McGlinchey who held 3rd place; the international downhill rider turned international road rider showing he has a real ability across all of the disciplines.

Just before him sat O’Reilly, with strong starter McKee in 5th and Kinning behind him.

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And when the time checks came through around that second lap, the leading pair were a significant 25 seconds ahead of McGlinchey, with McKee and O’Reilly a further 10 seconds back.

But by the third lap, Kinning had clawed his way back into the fight and moved up to 3rd place, while at the head of affairs Montgomery and Aiken exchanged the lead in what was turning into a fantastic nip and tuck battle for the title.

And so it remained for some time; the two leaders on each others’ wheel followed at a distance by Kinning and McGlinchey who were also locked together.

But as the business end of the day approached, Aiken distance Montgomery and Kinning did the same to McGlinchey; the Chainreactioncycles man fading a little.

Indeed, McKee would catch and pass McGlinchey, with O’Reilly now well down in 5th place.

And going out onto the last lap, that’s how they stood; but with Aiken really cruising around the course and now with a buffer of around 30 seconds over defending champion Montgomery.

And that’s how it stayed; McKee’s late surge not enough to overhaul the always strong and determined Kinning of the bronze medal that was rightly his.