2012 Season.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Although 2012 has only just begun Ballymena Road Club – Northstone - cyclists are already preparing for the new season.

Registration has commenced and will continue each Monday night in January and many, who intend to compete this year, have already signed on and have commenced their pre season training.

Training conditions have been much better than those experienced at the same period in 2011, when activity was severely curtailed because of the dangerous icy road conditions.

Last Saturday saw both the touring section and "A” groups enjoy dry and mild conditions. The tourists completed a 43 miles ride to Dunloy, Ballymoney, Bravallen, Mullan road, Duneaney, Carlinty and Cullybackey. The "A” group had a big bunch of about 30 riders for their ride to Ballymoney, Ringsend, Garvagh, Kilrea and back over the Craigs moss to Cullybackey; a distance of 57 miles at an average speed of 18.3mph.

Ballymena RT on 28th January.

Each year a series of pre season "reliability trials” takes place in the weeks leading up to the start of the open race programme of events.The first Ballymena Road Club event of the 2012 season will be their annual reliability trial on 28th January.

Last year a total of 127 cyclists from all over NI and also from Donegal, traveled to Rex Bonar House for the start. This popular event usually attracts more participants than all the other road club "open events” put together.

The club is hoping that the current spell of reasonably, favourable weather conditions will continue until the end of the month as the RT is, not only a very enjoyable and challenging event, but also a valuable source of funding the annual expenses incurred in running the club house premises.

BRC race secretary Hugh McCullough is already thinking of the racing season and he has drawn up the programme of club time trials and road races which are scheduled to commence on 11th April with the Australian pursuit event on the Sheddings course at Broughshane.

Week two of the club race season, on Wednesday 18th April, will see a 10 miles time trial on the A26 Woodgreen to Dunsilly course. The fastest rider on the night will be awarded the Stan Finlay memorial rose bowl. The Stan Finlay 10 event had traditionally taken place each year on Boxing day but last season, for the first time, it was included in the club race programme and that is set to continue.