Ulster riders won medals in several categories at the Irish National Road Championships promoted by Foyle CC last week.
The championships got underway with the time-trial at Bridgend on Thursday. Ulster’s Kevin McCambridge (Nicolas Roche Performance Team) took the junior men’s title with Eileen Burns (Ballymena RC) and Craig McAuley (Caldwell Cycles) lifting bronze medals in the senior women’s and senior men’s categories.
Saturday and Sunday saw the road races take place with the circuit taking riders through the City of Derry every lap.
Kevin McCambridge won bronze in the junior men’s, edging out North Down CC’s Nathan Keown. Cathair Doyle (Powerhouse) and Ciaran Dixon (Type 1) also made it inside the top 10 in the junior men’s race. Dylan Traynor joined fellow Ulsterman, McCambridge to take the team medals for the Nicolas Roche Performance Team.
Ballymena RC’s Katharine Smyth took the masters women’s title and the senior women’s bronze. Ciara Kelly (TC Racing) was the top Ulster finisher in the junior women’s, just missing out on the bronze medal in a close sprint finish, taking fourth.
David Montgomery was the top Ulster finisher in the men’s elite/u23 race, placing a highly respectable ninth. Marc Heaney (Asfra RT) collected bronze in the u23 category while Matthew Teggart won a team medal with Evo Pro Racing.
Speaking after the event, Cycling Ulster Chairman, Tommy McCague said:
“I want to congratulate all of the riders who competed in the national road championships at the weekend, particularly the Ulster riders who put in some outstanding medal winning performances.
“Cycling Ulster are grateful to Foyle CC who took on promoting such a major event and the wider cycling community in the province who supported them.
“The Race Director, Chris McElhinney and Ronan McLaughlin were instrumental in bringing the championships to Derry and ensuring they were a fantastic success.
“I also want to extend our thanks to the numerous sponsors, including Derry City and Strabane District Council.
“Finally, I want to pay credit to the many volunteers and the PSNI motorbike marshal support, without them such an event would not have been possible.”
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