Curran impresses with solo victory in Phoenix GP handicap, Co Antrim

Liam Curran mixes it up before making his winning move (Photo: Toby Watson)

Liam Curran (Curran Racing) was not deterred yesterday, Sunday, by the A1 riders bearing down on his A2 group in the Phoenix GP main event in Crumlin, Co Antrim; clipping away up the road to take a very impressive solo win with almost 30 seconds to spare over the chasers.

The main race for A1 & A2 riders saw the A2s being awarded a two minute handicap.

In the scratch group, A1 riders like Ryan Connor (Ballymena RC), Thomas Martin (Eurocycles) and Conor McAllister (Chain Reaction Cycles) we to the fore in the organised chase.

However, with Curran looking very comfortable throughout the two hours of racing, once he got a lead on his own from a breakaway group in the closing stages he put the head down and the A1 firepower in the splintered group behind was not enough to get him back.

Some 29 seconds after he took his solo victory, Steven McAllister (Chain Reaction Cycles) led in the three-man chasing group to take second; with Ryan Connor third and Sean McFadden (Errigal CC) in fourth. A further eleven seconds back, Mark Buchanan (North Pole CC) led in the second chase group for fifth, with Thomas Martin taking sixth.

The main event was one of five races down for decision yesterday in what was a very impressive programme of racing put on by promoting club Phoenix CC.

There were separate races for A3s and A4s.

The A3 race came down to a bunch sprint despite a number of breakaways, with Matty Blaney (North Down) proving to fast for Gary Wilson (East Antrim CC) in second and Joby Holman (Phoenix CC) in third.

The A4 race was also decided in a bunch sprint, but not before more than 20 riders came down in a spectacular crash on the last lap. At the finish it was East Antrim CC’s Peter Kennedy who took the bunch gallop; his second victory of the weekend following his bunch sprint win at the Annaclone GP on Saturday.

Early yesterday morning, Sunday, the first exchanges of a great day’s racing were traded in the separate masters and women’s events.

In the ‘Time Square Jewellers Gold Cup Master's League’ race – which was open to vets over 50 years – the North Down duo of Noel Boyce and Noel Munnis got up the road early and made it all the way to the finish despite some concerted chasing in the group behind.

At the finish it was Boyce who took the chequered flag ahead of his team mate. Just seconds later Robert Downes (Bann Wheelers) took the sprint from the chasing group to claim third place.

In the ‘SportActive Women’s RR League’ race, it was Val O’Neill of the promoting club Phoenix CC who took the win from Freda Brown (Banbridge CC), with Louise Togneri (North Down) in third.

As was the case with the winning two-man break in the Masters event, Val O’Neill put in some decisive attacking in the opening miles and pulled away to build a good lead. Despite some hard chasing behind she made it all the way to the finish alone.

See full results of all races below the photos.

Related News