Late charge sees Potts take Annaclone GP; newcomer Hamilton wins B race

Marc Potts got the gap, and he drove it home to take first blood in Ulster (Photo: Cycling Ulster – Marian Lamb)

Some very aggressive riding in the Ulster season-opening Travers Engineering Annaclone GP failed to significantly split the strongest men, with Mark Potts of Omagh keeping enough in reserve to get a gap late in the day and storm to victory in the A race.

The B event went to David Hamilton of Curran Racing, who only began cycling less than 12 months ago and was riding his first ever race today. Both races in Co Down were run by Banbridge CC.

In the main event, the A3 riders got a 2½ minute handicap over the combined A1/A2 scratch group, though it would take some very hard riding over two laps of the eight mile loop to see the groups come together.

Shortly after the junction had been made, the icy cold weather did not deter Ian Inglis (Curran Racing) and Paul McCarter (Omagh Wheelers) who clipped off the front and built up a very good lead.

However, with just two riders up front and a number of clubs combining back in the main bunch to bring the escapees back, the breakaway men looked doomed to fail in their bid to make it all the way to the finish.

Once they were caught there was a flurry of attacks in the closing laps. Stevie McKenna of Omagh Wheelers, who enjoyed some very strong early season form last year, was in the thick of that action, as were Alastair Macaulay (Phoenix CC), eventual winner Marc Potts and Des Woods (Newry Wheelers).

However, despite the best efforts of those, and others, to break things up, it was not until the race was approaching the finish that Potts put in a glory or die effort and got what would prove to be a decisive gap.

He blasted up the incline before the finish and buried himself to the line, having plenty to spare on the large group behind to get his two hands up for the first victory salute in Ulster this season.

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Just seconds behind him the minor placings were hotly contested, with junior rider Aaron McBride (North Pole CC) taking second ahead of fastman Peter Kennedy (East Antrim Audi).

In the A4 race, David Hamilton (Curran Racing) and James Wilson (Apollo CC) got clear in the first of five eight-mile laps. While it looked like they would either be overhauled by the bunch at some point or at least joined by some riders from behind, this did not prove to be the case.

Hamilton managed to distance his breakaway companion and powered on alone, reaching the finish for a great win well clear of the nearest group behind him.

Mark Coleman (Orchard Shelbourne) was next, with Paul Johnston (East Antrim Audi) in third place.