Watson wins Caldwell memorial road race

Saturday, March 19, 2016
There was a full eighty rider field for Saturday’s Wallace Caldwell memorial road race, which was promoted by Ballymena Road Club – Chain Reaction Cycles – at Galgorm.
This was the second round of the Irish national road race series and it attracted a top class entry.
A group of six were ahead by Portglenone and they included James Ambrose (North Down CC), Sean Featherstone (Newry Wheelers), Ryan Reilly (Foyle), Aaron McGrady (VC Norwich), Gareth McKee (Banbridge) and Lindsay Watson (Plush MTB).
Their lead went to a maximum 2 minutes 20 seconds before the gap began to close.
The leading six split on the Springwell climb, after Limavady, with Banbridge man McKee piling on the pressure on the tough exposed ascent. Lindsay Watson and Ryan Reilly went with him and they appeared to be making good progress and still had a 90 seconds cushion at the top of the climb, and it wasn’t until after Kilrea bridge that the three leaders were finally reeled in.
It’s a rare sight to witness a bunch sprint in the Caldwell race but, as there were no more breakaway moves on the Lisnahunshin road, the scene was just that back at the Bridge-end finish at Galgorm.
It’s a good job that Cycling Ireland’s photo finish equipment was on hand because the eventual winner - David Watson (North Down) had only the width of a tyre to spare over Irish U23 international Christopher McGlinchey (Chain Reaction Cycles) with Craig Rea (Phoenix CC) in third place. McGlinchey was a guest on the Ballymena RC team at last year’s Tour of the North.
The winner’s time for the 74 miles race was 2 hours 50 minutes 0 seconds.
Ballymena Road Club’s finishers were Matthew Brennan, Michael Carroll and Clifford Grant.
Well done to the club’s new race secretary Jason Burns and his team of  helpers for an excellent event.

RESULTS
1 David Watson (North Down CC)
2 Christopher McGlinchey (Chainreaction)
3 Craig Rea (Phoenix CC)
4 Fraser Duncan (ASEA-Wheelworx)
5 David Hamilton (North Down CC)
6 Ronan McLaughlin (Foyle CC)
7 Mark Millar (Velo Café Magasin)
8 Adam Armstrong (ASEA Wheelworx)
9 Johnny Taylor (Carn Wheelers)
10 Cameron McIntyre (NRPT-Magnet.ie)