Back to business; McCrystal leads ASEA clean sweep at Wallace Caldwell

Bryan McCrystal opened his account for 2015 this afternoon, taking victory for Team ASEA in the Wallace Caldwell Memorial in Ballymena. Above, pictured by Sean Rowe at the Cycleways Cup in Navan a few weeks back.

By Brian Canty

Bryan McCrystal has taken his first win of the 2015 season with a brilliant victory in the Wallace Caldwell Memorial, promoted by Ballymena RC this afternoon.

The race was the second round of the new National Points Series which opened at Ras Luimni in Co Limerick two weeks ago.

Dundalk man McCrystal made it a memorable day for his new Team ASEA squad by leading a 1-2-3 over the line.

His team and man of the early season last year Fraser Duncan was 2nd with fellow strongman Roger Aiken rounding out the podium.

McCrystal leads the breakaway in Summerhill, Co Meath, on St Patrick's Day where he and team mate Chris Reilly would finish 2nd and 3rd behing Sean McKenna of Aquablue (Photo: Stephen McMahon - Sportsfile)

Emerging young rider Christopher McGlinchey was next for Chainreaction Cycles, having started the season as an A4 and moved up to A2 thanks to three wins already.

It was another Team ASEA man in the shape of Ali Macaulay who came home in fifth place, with Chris Reilly of the same squad in 6th.

Team ASEA will travel south to Carlow tonight in advance of tomorrow’s Des Hanlon Memorial.

It represents the third round of the National Points Series and it is a tough event that McCrystal stormed away with last year.

After his win today and that ride last year, he will be heavily marked tomorrow.

However, on such a tough course that may not prove a significant handicap.

Today’s proceedings went very much the way of McCrystal's team and they wasted no time in getting down to business under glorious sunshine up north.

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The riders covered 45 kilometres in the first hour of racing and they hardly relented in the second hour, clocking 43 kilometres.

Many groups tried to go clear in the early stages but it wasn’t until around the 25-kilometre mark that a move clipped away.

In that escape were the aforementioned Duncan, McCrystal and Aiken as well as Craig McAuley (Roe Valley), Johnny Taylor (Carn Wheelers), Gareth McKee (Banbridge CC), Des Woods (Newry Wheelers) and McGlinichey.
Following the accents of Cam Forest and the Springwell, the race really began to fragment and that whittled the break down to just five; McCrystal, Duncan, Aiken, McGlinchey and McAuley.

These five pressed on but were being held at around 50 seconds for a number of kilometres – thanks to strong driving from the chase behind.

But Duncan and McCrystal found another gear, leaving the others to chase, although Aiken was to contribute little as he had two teammates up the road.

The revised finish, due to road works, left the final climb of Tully before the fast run to the line through Ahoghill and onto Galgorm where McCrystal took the victory.

It’ll take a brave man to bet against him repeating that feat tomorrow.