Potts outsprints Williams for the Cicli Sport Grand Prix

Marc Potts (Omagh Wheelers) has shown good form since the start of the season (Photo: Darren Crawford)

By Brian Canty

Marc Potts won today’s Cicli Sport Grand Prix promoted by the East Tyrone Cycling club when he outsprinted Peter Williams (Curran Racing) for a fine win.

The Omagh Wheelers rider was quickest on the long run in to the finish after 90 kilometres of racing on the Ruskey Road-Loup Road-Springhill Road circuit and got his just reward for his aggressive style of riding on the final lap.

Third over the line was Philip Bremner of Lakeland Wheelers after he edged out Drew McKinley (Newry) in fourth.

The race was a 14.5 kilometre loop with just one climb of significance coming after just three kilometres. The A1 and A2 riders had six laps to navigate, while the A3’s, veterans and juniors had four. The masters and the women had three laps.

The A3 riders as well as juniors, vets, masters and women went off first and were given a three minute head-start on the A2 riders and they, in turn, had a 30 second advantage on the small group of A1 riders.

However, the A1 group rode well together and caught the A2 group on the opening lap without much difficulty. The A2 group seemed to be content with this and as soon as the two groups began collaborating at the front, the speed ramped up, with several A2 riders working at the front.

They caught the limit group up ahead and a number of riders attempted to go straight through but were unsuccessful. Again, there were more attempts to get away but negative riding at the front kept the race together for the next three laps to set up a tense final lap.