VC Glendale's Ross wins despite awful crash just before finish line | Sticky Bottle

*Andy Ross, in the blue Belgium-style kit, crashes hard just before the finish, before sliding across the line in 1st place (Photo: Sean Rowe)*

Andy Ross of VC Glendale experienced very mixed fortunes at the Collins Christie Memorial race in Co Meath today; coming away with his first win in a bike race but suffering a dreadful crash on the finish line.

Ross, a 24-year-old from Belfast who only took up cycling two years ago, was sprinting for the finish line when another rider made contact with him and he crashed along with others.

The crash occurred before the line and Ross was sprinting so fast, and was so close to the finish, that his momentum carried him across the line in 1^st place. The fallers all placed in the race as they all crashed over the line.

While annoyed at the manner of the crash and the injuries he sustained, Ross said he was delighted to take his first win in what his just his fourth competitive outing.

*Andy Ross said his injuries were painful but he was thankful he did not suffer any broken bones*

*The moment just before the contact that led to the fall; two lead riders crashing and also another behind. The cyclist beside Ross appeared to lose control somehow (Photo: Sean Rowe)*

Ross said the finish was a perfectly safe one; held on a straight and slightly uphill road, as is recommended for safety purposes.

He added paramedics were on hand at the Navan Road Club
promotion and came to his aid immediately to check if he was seriously injured.

Once they determined he had no apparent broken bones they
tended to the severe road rash and other cuts and bruises he sustained to his
face and upper body.

“I flipped up in the air and came down straight on my face. My face is complete ruined. I had deep cuts on my cheek, my neck, shoulder,” Ross told stickybottle of the crash - photographed by Sean Rowe - at the end of the A4 event in Kilmessan, Co Meath.

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“I’m sure it will be sore in the morning but the paramedics were straight onto me to make sure nothing was broken. Even though I have the injuries I have, I probably got away lightly.

“My face slid across the line first but I won and that’s me up to A3 now. But I could have been out of work for weeks or months. I’m lucky that my bike also didn’t take too much damage, it seemed to land in the grass.”

Ross, the manager of Merchants Café in East Belfast, said he took up cycling two years ago and joined Belfast Club VC Glendale, who encouraged him to take up racing.

At the start of the season back in March he had a very encouraging start to his racing career when he placed 5^th at the Phoenix GP.

The Covid19 lock-down then intervened and but more
recently he was 3^rd at the Brendan Campbell Memorial and also 3^rd
at the Kinning Series at Nutts Corner last week; all his previous outgoings
going off safely with no crashes.

When today’s 35 mile A4 race in Co Meath came down to a bunch sprint Ross was to the fore at the head of the bunch. He was closing in on the finish line when contact was made with him in the sprint, resulting in him crashing.

While his face was badly cut up he said he was thankful his injuries were not more serious and that he would not be out of work or forced off the bike, which would have been the case if he had broken bones.

Asked if his nasty crash would put him off racing, he said: “I don’t think so, it won’t put me off. As I soon as I get myself and my bike fixed up I’ll be ready to go for the A3 races.”

We'll bring you full results when we have them.