Ballymena Road Club – Chain Reaction Cycles – will hold their first "open” promotion of the season this Sunday 19^thJanuary when their annual reliability trials take place from Rex Bonar House, Railway Street.

Everyone has been looking forward to this event, which signifies that the countdown to the racing season has official began.

It is expected that cyclists from all over Northern Ireland will assemble at Rex Bonar House for the 10am start. Everyone will be hoping for better weather conditions than those experienced last season when conditions were seriously poor, with the riders having to contend with heavy rain, sleet and snow showers and gusty gale force winds throughout the event. The event was more like a Polar expedition than a cycle tour. Nevertheless there was still an entry of 150 for the two events.

That day the "A” group was 80 strong and they completed a 72 miles ride which took in Antrim, Greystone, Templepatrick, The Longshot to Ballyrobert, then Mossley, Greenisland, Woodburn, Kilroot, Whitehead (where a strong tailwind had the group riding at 45 mph in places) Glynn, Larne and the pit stop at Ballygally.

Then it was on around the coast road (where the wind coming off the sea had the speed reduced to walking pace for some riders) and home via Glenarm, Carnlough and Glencloy before the run in through the Braid to Broughshane and back to base, where hot showers and post event refreshments were an even more welcome sight than usual.

The touring section’s 53 miles route  took them out the Larne Road towards Glenwherry and then right on to Ballynashee road and on to Ballyeaston and the Lower Ballyboley road to Kilwaughter and on to the pit stop at Ballygally and then back the same route as the "A” run.

Many riders failed to finish the event, such was the severity of the challenge, and others, who did finish, commented that it had been their most difficult experience ever on a bike.

The routes for this weekend’s trials will be the same as in 2013. The "A” group is scheduled for an average speed of 19mph while the tourists hope to achieve 16mph average.

Clifford Grant will be taking control of the 'A' group.

Registration for Sunday’s event will commence at 9am with an entry fee of £7 being charged. Riders are requested to wear their crash helmets in both events.

Cycling Ulster also require that riders, who are intending to take part, have already applied for their 2014 Cycling Ireland membership. Those who haven’t received their membership card are requested to present a letter from their club secretary stating that they had applied for their licence.

 In recent seasons the racing licences haven’t usually been received until the first weekend of racing in late February. This year Cycling Ireland have a new system in operation and, amongst other things, it enables the Ballymena Road Club part, of the overall signing on fee, to also be paid at the same time. Hopefully the new system will also mean that licences will be issued more quickly than before.