'Fluo duo' Armstrong and Duncan take one-two in Wallace Caldwell Memorial

Adam Armstrong on his way to victory with an attack on the climb of Springwell in today's Wallace Caldwell Memorial. (Photo: Marian Lamb cyclingulster)

Having finished second to his Dave Kane Cycles-Northern CC teammate Fraser Duncan at last Sunday’s Coombes-Connor Memorial in Drogheda, Adam Armstrong reversed the result today when he won the Wallace Caldwell Memorial in Ballymena.

The ‘fluo duo’ went clear early on alongside Belgian based Marcus Christie (An Post-Chainreaction), Conor McAllister (Dig Deep-Inspired Cycling), Fergus Rooney of Phoenix, James McMaster (North Down), Mark Buchanan (North Pole), Madigan’s John Neill and Marc Potts of Omagh.

With a two minute advantage dwindling away in a strong headwind however, the long climb at Springwell was to prove decisive for the leaders as Armstrong soloed clear on the ascent.

He dropped Rooney from the lead group and left Buchanan, Neill, Potts, McMaster, McAllister and Christie to chase as Duncan policed the group.

With the bunch breathing down the necks of the breakaway group, Cormac Clarke of Newry Wheelers made the juncture to the break on his own and, marked by a vigilant Duncan, proceeded to move clear in pursuit of Armstrong.

The chase however came to nought as Armstrong hung on for a deserved victory with Duncan out-sprinting Clarke for second to give the Dave Kane Cycles duo a second one-two in as many weeks.