Macaulay makes it look easy storming to win Audi GP

Ali Macaulay takes the applause of the crowd as he comes home alone for victory in the Audi GP (Photo: Marian Lamb - Cycling Ulster)

Ali Macaulay has taken his first win of the season, coming in solo at the end of the Audi GP in Antrim this afternoon.

The Team ASEA man attacked the winning breakaway late in the 64 mile event at Ballynure.

And once he put the initial daylight between himself and the others there was only going to be one outcome, as he hit the afterburners and drove it hard for home.

By the finish line he had almost one minute in hand on a breakaway that featured a blend of youth and experience not commonly seen in competitive sport.

First-year junior rider Jake Gray of the NRPT-Magnet.ie team took the sprint from first-year U23 rider Ryan Reilly (AC Bisontine).

The leading four; Ryan Reilly heads the escape from Macaulay, Woods and Gray (Photo: Marian Lamb - Cycling Ulster)

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And just behind them taking 4th was another of the breakaway men; the near 50-year-old Newry Wheeler Des Woods show he still has the goods.

Macaulay, Woods and Reilly were among an early breakaway that also featured Curtis Gilmore (Team Madigan) and Conor McCann (NRPT Magnet.ie), though the latter two would lose their places and Gray would make his way across to the move.

The race, featuring eight laps of a 7.9 miles course, saw the four leaders pull out a gap of over one minute on the cashing group.

And on final passage of the climb on the last lap, Macaulay attacked the others and powered on to win.

After Gray, Reilly and Woods and had finished, Dominic McCartan (Apollo CT) out on a great surge to take the sprint for 5th from Aaron Swan (NRPT Magnet.ie) and Jason Henry (Unattached).