Glenn Kinning has taken a great victory as the cyclocross season swings into action (Photo: Toby Watson)
Glenn Kinning won yesterday’s Phoenix CC-promoted cyclocross trofee event at Lady Dixon Park, Belfast; the East Antrim man getting the better of Roger Aiken (Team ASEA) after a thrilling battle.
Things didn’t seem to be going Kinning’s way when he managed to get his bike tangled in some tape that marked the course and that necessitated a bike change for him on the second of seven laps.
But he worked his way back into contention and caught a threatening three-man chase group.
He went straight through the group before catching the two leaders Aiken and Lewis Ferguson (North down CC) inside the final few bends.
Kinning went by them to celebrate his second win of the season, the other being the Kinning Cycles GP a month ago.
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“It was wet and muddy and crap but there was a very good start-list with the likes of Matt Adair (XMTB McConvey Cycles), David Montgomery (Chain Reaction Cycles), James Curry (Banbridge CC), Aiken and Ferguson (North Down CC),” he said.
“I made the mistake of going off too hard in Lurgan in round one two weeks ago so I held back a bit at the start and wanted to save a bit of energy for later.
“But I got some tape caught on the wheels on the second lap and I had to swap bikes but I managed to get back in okay,” he recalled.
Beth McCluskey won the first ever women's race in the Ulster series; seen here in action last week (Photo: Dc Images)
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Working the bends very well, Kinning inched his way back up towards the front with smooth cornering and good power on the flatter sections.
“I run 17psi in the tyres and the bike went really well, very clean and smooth so I caught Roger and Lewis who were ahead of a group of three others,” he said of Montgomery, Adair and Curry.
“I caught Roger on the last lap; he probably went a bit too early, but it paid off for me.”
Aiken did take second with Ferguson in third.
James Curry was fourth and the first espoir over the line while Adam Duff (XMTB McConvey Cycles) was the first junior home.
Over 75 riders signed on for the main event while just short of 30 riders toed the line for the female race which was won by Beth McCluskey (Unattached Leinster).
Over the four laps she had 25 seconds to spare on Gill Smith (Phoenix CC) while Michelle Geoghegan (Unattached Leinster) was third around two minutes back.
For full results of all races click here.
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