Gary Donaldson wins the final stage at the C2 Carn Wheelers Two Day though the host club's Jonathan Taylor won the race overall
Jonathan Taylor (Carn Wheelers) made the winning breakaway on stage 1 at the C2 Carn Wheelers Two Day and while had could not repeat that performance on the final stage today, Sunday, he still came away with victory.
He broke the heart of Des Woods (Inspired Cycling) who lost out today by just two seconds. That was despite starting the day ahead of Taylor on the general classification, and finishing right behind him today, with only one rider between them, but also a gap of three seconds.
Carn Wheeler Taylor - 2nd to Drew McKinley (Newry Wheelers) from a three-man move on the opening stage - went into today's final day of racing 3rd overall.
He was just six seconds down on race leader, and yesterday's stage 2 TT winner, James Gordon (Phoenix CC), and just one second down on Des Woods (Inspired Cycling).
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And when Taylor eked out a few seconds on Woods today, and Gordon finished 30 seconds behind him, it was enough for Taylor to claim the overall victory; by just two seconds from Woods, with Gordon slipping to 3rd overall, at 24 seconds.
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The race split significantly today, and though the gaps were not massive, they were enough to re-order the final general classification.
Up front, riders were duking it out for stage honours rather than the overall, with a three-man group eventually reaching the finish to battle for the win.
In a close three-up sprint, Gary Donaldson (Caldwell Powerhouse) took victory from Mark McGrady (Velo Cafe Magasin) and Mark McKinley (Newry Wheelers).
Nigel Gibson (Carn Wheelers) was next, in 4th at 27 seconds, while James Davenport (VeloRevolution-Speed Queen) was 5th at 29 seconds and Alex Nardone (Bear Cycling) rounded out the top six.
Taylor was back in 14th, in a group of seven all credited with the same time at 41 seconds. Woods was on the wrong side of a gap just behind - finishing only two places down on Taylor, but also three seconds behind him; that small gap enough to decide the race for this year.
May 3rd-4th | C2 Carn Wheelers Two Day
Maghera, Co Derry
Sun, May 3rd | Stage 3 (86.84km)
- Donaldson, Gary Caldwell Powerhouse Racing 2h07m11s
- McGrady, Mark Velo Cafe Magasin 2h07m11s
- McKinley, Mark Newry Wheelers CC 2h07m11s
- Gibson, Nigel Carn Wheelers 2h07m38s @27s
- Davenport, James Velo Revolution / Speed Queen 2h07m40s @29s
- Nardone, Alex Bear Cycling 2h07m45s @34s
- Kelly, Conor VC Glendale 2h07m45s @ s/t
- Black, Niall Phoenix CC 2h07m48s @37s
- Griffin, James Waterford Racing Club 2h07m52s @41s
- Nulty, Daire Breffni Wheelers 2h07m52s @ s/t
- Clarke, Jamie North Down CC 2h07m52s @ s/t
- Mc Kee, Conal Phoenix CC 2h07m52s @ s/t
- Carroll, Brian Gaeltacht.cc 2h07m52s @ s/t
- Taylor, Jonathan Carn Wheelers 2h07m52s @ s/t
- Doyle, Cathir Carn Wheelers 2h07m52s @ s/t
- Woods, Des Inspired Cycling 2h07m55s @44s
- McCullough, Gareth Un Attached Ulster 2h07m55s @ s/t
- McKinley, Drew Newry Wheelers CC 2h07m55s @ s/t
- Coen, Jonathan Dromore CC 2h07m58s @47s
- Lockhart, Dean Carn Wheelers 2h07m58s @ s/t
- Walsh, Courtney McConvey Cycles 2h08m02s @51s
- Phillips, Jamie Velo Revolution / Speed Queen 2h08m02s @ s/t
- Smyth, Ronnie Dromara Cycling Club 2h08m02s @ s/t
- Considine, Caoilin Bray Wheelers 2h08m05s @54s
- Lynch, Matt Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 2h08m05s @ s/t
- Meegan, Cormac Velo Revolution / Speed Queen 2h08m05s @ s/t
- Henry, Jason Inspired Cycling 2h08m05s @ s/t
- McCauley, Jay Strabane Lifford Cycling Club 2h08m05s @ s/t
- Donoghue, Damien Tuam Cycling Club 2h08m05s @ s/t
- McCullagh, Jimjo Carn Wheelers 2h08m05s @ s/t
- Morrison, Peter Velo Cafe Magasin 2h08m13s @1m02s
- Gordon, James Phoenix CC 2h08m22s @1m11s
- Scott, Mark Phoenix CC 2h08m26s @1m15s
- Allen, Ellis Phoenix CC 2h08m28s @1m17s
- Larmour, William Ards CC 2h08m31s @1m20s
- Scullion, Michael Carn Wheelers 2h08m39s @1m28s
- Stewart, Callum Phoenix CC 2h09m33s @2m22s
- Watt, Nigel Inspired Cycling 2h11m02s @3m51s
Final General Classification
- Taylor, Jonathan Carn Wheelers 4h39m26s
- Woods, Des Inspired Cycling 4h39m28s @2s
- Gordon, James Phoenix CC 4h39m50s @24s
- Mc Cullagh, Jimjo Carn Wheelers 4h39m52s @26s
- Doyle, Cathir Carn Wheelers 4h39m54s @28s
- Griffin, James Waterford Racing Club 4h40m01s @35s
- Mc Kinley, Drew Newry Wheelers CC 4h40m07s @41s
- Nardone, Alex Bear Cycling 4h40m18s @52s
- Clarke, Jamie North Down CC 4h40m30s @1m04s
- Considine, Caoilin Bray Wheelers 4h40m35s @1m09s
- Lockhart, Dean Carn Wheelers 4h40m36s @1m10s
- Mc Kinley, Mark Newry Wheelers CC 4h40m48s @1m22s
- Mc Grady, Mark Velo Cafe Magasin 4h41m03s @1m37s
- Donoghue, Damien Tuam Cycling Club 4h41m09s @1m43s
- Davenport, James Velo Revolution / Speed Queen 4h41m10s @1m44s
- Phillips, Jamie Velo Revolution / Speed Queen 4h41m14s @1m48s
- Kelly, Conor VC Glendale 4h41m25s @1m59s
- Henry, Jason Inspired Cycling 4h41m32s @2m06s
- Allen, Ellis Phoenix CC 4h41m44s @2m18s
- Carroll, Brian Gaeltacht.cc 4h41m47s @2m21s
- Coen, Jonathan Dromore CC 4h41m48s @2m22s
- Donaldson, Gary Caldwell Powerhouse Racing 4h41m54s @2m28s
- Nulty, Daire Breffni Wheelers 4h42m07s @2m41s
- Smyth, Ronnie Dromara Cycling Club 4h42m13s @2m47s
- Lynch, Matt Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 4h42m22s @2m56s
- Meegan, Cormac Velo Revolution / Speed Queen 4h42m23s @2m57s
- Mc Kee, Conal Phoenix CC 4h42m26s @3m00s
- Black, Niall Phoenix CC 4h42m31s @3m05s
- Mc Cauley, Jay Strabane Lifford Cycling Club 4h42m34s @3m08s
- Morrison, Peter Velo Cafe Magasin 4h42m37s @3m11s
- Stewart, Callum Phoenix CC 4h42m38s @3m12s
- Scullion, Michael Carn Wheelers 4h42m48s @3m22s
- Gibson, Nigel Carn Wheelers 4h42m52s @3m26s
- Walsh, Courtney McConvey Cycles 4h42m54s @3m28s
- Larmour, William Ards CC 4h42m55s @3m29s
- Scott, Mark Phoenix CC 4h43m07s @3m41s
- Mc Cullough, Gareth Un-Attached Ulster 4h43m07s @ s/t
- Watt, Nigel Inspired Cycling 4h47m06s @7m40s
