Wallace Caldwell memorial road race this Saturday.

Sunday, March 15, 2015
Ballymena Road Club- Chain Reaction Cycles - are looking forward to their first big promotion of the season – the Wallace Caldwell memorial road race - which is scheduled to take place at Galgorm this Saturday 21st March.
The Ballymena Road Club entrants are Clifford Grant, Matthew Brennan, Ryan Bankhead, Hall Booth, Karl Taylor and Michael Carroll. 

This year’s event has the added status of being part of this season’s all Ireland classic road racing league series.
Of the 70 visiting entrants 24 are first category "A1” riders. The newly formed Asea team has a full team of five A1 riders entered including - Ali Macauley, Chris Reilly, Roger Aiken, Bryan McCrystal and last year’s Red Hand Trophy winner Fraser Duncan. 
Fraser Duncan was runner up in the Caldwell last year when his team mate Adam Armstrong took the honours. Armstrong hasn’t entered this year and I’m sure Duncan will be determined to go one place better this time around. Thomas Martin, the winner in 2013, Paul Mulligan and Conor Murphy (all of Caldwell cycles) are also numbered amongst the favourites. 
The last time there was a Ballymena winner was in 2007 when Ryan Connor, riding in the colours of Giant Asia took the honours.         

The race starts from Galgorm at 11am and follows a route to Ahoghill, Portglenone, Maghera, Garvagh, Ringsend and then the tough climb to the Cam forest. Then it’s a fast downhill sweep to the outskirts of Limavady before turning right and the even tougher climb up to the Springwell forest. Then it’s on towards Coleraine before turning right on to the Garvagh road and left through Aghadowey to the Brown Trout.
The final miles take in Kilrea, the outskirts of Rasharkin and on to the Lisnahunshin road and on through Killyless before descending Ballyconnelly road to the Galgorm finish at Wrightbus, a total distance of 74 miles. The event starts at 11am and usually finishes just before 2pm. 
This is the same finish as was used for the first time in 2013 when Thomas Martin (Eurocycles) was first over the line in 2 hours 54 minutes 15 seconds for the 74 miles event.
Adam Armstrong (Northern) won last year in 2 hours 57 minutes 13 seconds.

Race organiser David Dougan says "The Wallace Caldwell Memorial has attracted a full field of 80 riders from all over the country.  I would ask for anyone who can help marshall on the day to contact me and I'd like to thank J&R Keys tile shop of Castle Street and Woodside’s Chemist Church Street for their continued sponsorship.”