Gareth O’Neill went on a solo raid that very nearly came a cropper, though he had the composure, and the legs, to finish the job in Co Down (Photo: Toby Watson)
Gareth O’Neill (Athlete Nutrition Coach HD) has recovered from almost throwing his chance away at the North Down GP to hold off the charging bunch and win the event for the first time in his career.
Though known as a fast finisher, O’Neill is also an aggressive road man and that came to the fore today when he went solo with two laps to go in the North Down Cycling Club promotion.
O’Neill had two passages of the 14.7km circuit in Donaghadee remaining when his made the move, with the C1 group already having long caught the C2s at that point of the handicapped race.
However, with just one of those two laps completed, O’Neill arrived at the finish line, to go out onto the final lap, and thought the race was over.
Thankfully, he was able to regroup mentally, and still had a decent gap on the chasing pack. And when Dean Harvey (McConvey Cycles) got across to him on the last lap, the duo combined well.
Up the finishing straight, the bunch was breathing down their necks, with Ciaran Maguire (Dan Morrissey) going long in the sprint and making serious inroads into the slender advantage held by the two leaders.
However, while Maguire ate up the road with his effort, and managed to pass Harvey, thus pushing him into 3rd place, O’Neill had done enough to win.
After O’Neill, Maguire and Harvey on the podium, Nathan Mullen (Banbridge CC) was 4th, with Paul Kennedy (Burren CC) in 5th and Sean O’Kane (Orwell Wheelers) 6th.
Thomas Ireland (Newry Wheelers) won the C3 race from Ryan Kane (Northern CC) and Ryan Latimer (North Down CC), with Rachel Newell (McConvey Cycles) winning the women’s category.
Paul Kane (Northern CC) won the Masters race from Dolan Dunlop (Harps CC) and Jonny Webb (North Down CC).
Sun, Aug 2nd | Haldane Fisher North Down CC
Donaghadee, Co Down
Promoted by North Down CC
C1-C2 Race
Gareth O’Neill Athlete Nutrition
Cairan Maguire Dan Morrisey
Dean Harvey McConvey Cycles
Nathan Mullan Banbridge CC
Paul Kennedy Burren CC
Sean O’Kane Orwell Wheelers
James Mackey Foyle CC
Shane Trimble Newry Wheelers
Jack Lightfoot Saint George
Javan Nulty Unattached Leinster
Peter McLean Velo Café Magasin
Darnell Moore Caldwell-Powerhouse
James Alexander McConvey Cycles
Elliott McKeegan Caldwell-Powerhouse
Jonathan Coen Dromore CC
C3 Race
Thomas Ireland Newry Wheelers
Ryan Kane Northern CC
Ryan Latimer North Down CC
Paul Ferguson North Down CC
Ronan Conway Bear Cycling
Neil Compton Dromore CC
Mark Baird Dromore CC
Andrew Crothers North Down CC
Owen Byrne North Down CC
Tom Rogers Dromore CC
Women’s Winner
Rachel Newell McConvey Cycles
Masters Podium
Paul Kane Northern CC
Dolan Dunlop Harps CC
Jonny Webb North Down CC