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Time Trial Results

David Armour Memorial Road Race

Course: 3 Oaks Hilly Circuit

Date:19th June 2007

Quigley Takes David Armour Memorial Race

On Tuesday evening the Bann Wheelers Cycling Club hosted the David Armour Memorial Road Race, in honour of their former club mate. The race was held over 6 laps of the four mile hilly ‘3 Oaks circuit’ in Aghadowey. As befits a race in memory of Davy the ethos was that everyone should enjoy the sport and get as much out of it as possible. The Bann Wheelers were therefore delighted to welcome riders from other clubs (Roe Valley CC, Triangle Triathlon Club and East Tyrone CC) to the event and used a handicap format to split the field into three groups. The first group to start featured two men (Johnny Goldie and Ronnie Kidd) and two women (Kay Hack and Anne Paul). The second group followed four minutes later and comprised Dave Park, David Laverty, Alastair Bratten, Russell Callaghan and Gary Kendall with the final ‘scratch group’ of Peter Cromie, Nigel Quigley and Colin Loughery following after a further two minutes. Midway through the race the front two groups made contact and David Laverty and Russell Callaghan opened up a lead at the head of the field. However, by the fourth lap the scratch group had caught up with the rest of the field and pressed on to the finishing lap. It was on the final lap that Nigel Quigley attacked and managed to hold off the field to take the victory ahead of Colin Loughery and Peter Cromie. The event was thoroughly enjoyed by all the participants, particularly as the handicapping worked well and all riders were able to compete to their best and finish in a group. The circuit was a classic Davy Armour experience – I had never ridden the course before and as we sped towards a small track that disappeared up a hill, I had the same thought that I had often when out on the bike with Davy ‘we can’t possibly be going up that’. As with rides when Davy was setting the route I should have expected the unexpected. The scenario seemed fitting to me and as I outwardly gasped with the effort of climbing the hill I inwardly laughed as I knew that is what Davy would be doing too. Riders wish to thank Mark Smyth, Sammy Greer and Jim Canning for marshalling a safe event and Ian and John Nevin for timing and lap counting.