Will Henry Cup

Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Ballymena Road Club - Chain Reaction held their final road race of the 2013 season on Wednesday 14th August over four laps (20 miles) of the tough Glarryford circuit.
The race was handicapped with groups going off at zero, two and four minutes.
The scratch group immediately set to work, determined to catch the groups in front. Strong riding from Tommy Wilson, Matthew Brennan and Connor Young saw the time gaps tumbling quickly in the opening two laps. By the start of lap three the gap from front to back had fallen to less than thirty seconds.
Matthew Brennan was first to show his hand, bridging the gap between the two groups and immediately going to the front to force the pace. Karl Taylor and Tommy Wilson followed suit and were closely followed by the remaining scratch riders.
With everyone together entering the final lap, it looked like the race would come to a bunch sprint. However, several riders had different ideas and the climb to Millar's Corner saw a group of approximately ten break away from the bunch.  By the top corner the gap was thirty seconds and by the turn towards home, at Dunminning, the gap was over one minute, as the strong riders forced the pace.
As the race neared the finish at Glarryford, Matthew Brennan again attacked. He was followed immediately by Karl Taylor and Clif Grant and those three riders opened a small gap as they approached the line. Taylor led out the sprint and was challenged by Grant.  With 50 yards to go the pair were neck and neck, but Grant timed his 'sprinter's throw' to perfection and claimed his second win in as many years by a very small margin.  Brennan and Young finished third and fourth.
Taylor said afterwards '' I gave everything to win this race, but it wasn't to be this time. I was pedalling squares in the last fifty yards!''
 Results
(1) C Grant
 (2) K Taylor
 (3) M Brennan
 (4) Connor Young
 (5) Ryan Shaw
(6) Tommy Wilson
(7) Martin Robb (Bann Valley)
(8) Declan Butler (Michelin)
(9) George Graham all same time 49 minutes 45 seconds.
(10) M Wright at 45 seconds (11) Stephen Smyth (12) Alan Blair (13) S Campbell (Bann Valley) at 45 seconds (14) Craig Crawford (Duffin) (15) Emma Smyth both at 1 minute 57 seconds.
 
Youth Race/Sandy Spence Cup - Result
(1) Caolan Stuart 55.04 (2) Breandan McCavana (3) Caleb Dempsey all 55.04