Darnell Moore wins Simon Brien Residential Tour of Ards

Today saw a new chapter in the history of the Tour of Ards, sponsored this year by Simon Brien Residential. With the classic big loop route no longer feasible without police outrider support, we changed to a quieter, lap based race. The previous 80 rider field is also not permitted without police support, but splitting the event into two smaller fields suited the course well.

Darnell Moore receives the legendary Tommy Brown memorial trophy from Tommy’s great grand daughter Courtney Brown.

In the main A+/A1/A2 race over 75 miles, there was aggressive riding all day, but it was only in the final lap that Darnell Moore (Team Caldwell Cycles) managed to escape and repeat his victory of 2018.

Daire Feeley (Evopro Racing) took second 9 seconds later, with Luke Smith (Moynalty Cycling Club) third. Luke also took the King of the Hill prize. Stuart Millar was aggressive all day and took first Ards CC rider.

	Name	Club	Time
1	Darnell Moore	Team Caldwell Cycles	2:59:22
2	Daire Feeley	Evopro	2:59:31
3	Luke Smith	Moynalty CC	2:59:31
4	Gareth O’Neill	Team Caldwell Cycles	2:59:33
5	Craig McAuley	Team Caldwell Cycles	2:59:35
6	Lindsay Watson	Powerhouse Sport	2:59:38
7	Nathan Mullan	Dromara CC	2:59:50
8	Shay Donley	Team Dan Morrissey – Pactimo	2:59:50
9	Odhran Doogan	Team Caldwell Cycles	2:59:50
10	Peter Wakely	Unattached Ulster	2:59:50
11	Robert Kennedy	East Antrim CC	2:59:50
12	Vladislav Evseev	All human/VelRevolution RT	2:59:50
13	Fergus Callaghan	Four Master CC	2:59:50
14	Lee Harvey	VC Gelndale	2:59:50
15	Timothy O’Regan	All human/VelRevolution RT	2:59:50

There was a similar pattern of racing in the A3/Junior race over 50 miles, with Oisin Ferrity (Island Wheelers, and just home from Irish international duty at the junior Gent Wevelgem classic in Belgium last weekend), getting a slight gap on the run in to the finish. Another junior Darragh Doherty (VC Glendale) was second, with Mark Buchanan (inishowen Wheelers) third. Mark also took the king of the Hill prize.

Oisin Ferrity (Island Wheelers) hangs on to take victory in the A3/Junior race

	Name	Club	Time
1	Oisin Ferrity	Island Wheelers	2:14:42
2	Darragh Doherty	VC Glendale	2:14:43
3	Mark Buchanan	Inishowen	2:14:43
4	Conor Fitzgerald	The Bike House CC	2:14:43
5	Matthew Pilgrim	Dromara CC	2:14:43
6	Mark Kendall	Banbridge CC	2:14:43
7	Peter Elliott	Velo Club Iveagh	2:14:43
8	Gareth McBride	North Down CC	2:14:43
9	Gavin Magowan	Dromara CC	2:14:43
10	Matthew Kincaid	Newry Wheelers CC	2:14:43
11	Tomas Knapcok	Clogher Valley Wheelers	2:14:43
12	Francis Donnelly	Banbridge CC	2:14:43
13	Jamie Moss	Ballymena RC	2:14:43
14	Joseph Owens	Team Caldwell Cycles	2:14:43
15	Daniel Purdy	Banbridge CC	2:14:43

Thanks to everyone who made it such a great event –

Our sponsors – Simon Brien Residential, Bioracer and Brownfield Bike Repair and Restoration.
The Police, who had a couple of cars on the circuit.
All our freshly trained moto marshals and static marshals. With the recent change in legislation, trained marshals now have the authority to stop traffic for a bike race, and it was great to see our confident, well turned out marshals acting so professionally today to help keep the race safe.
Everyone who helped with driving – lead cars, commissaires and neutral service. That electric Volkswagen ID4 looked futuristic and environmentally sound at the front of a major bicycle race!
Race director Chris White, for designing an innovative and challenging circuit.
Ambulance.
Cardy Gospel hall.
The commissaires and the photo finish.
Tommy Brown’s great-grand-daughter Courtney Brown for presenting the legendary trophy.
And all the riders and supporters.

Our marshals looked confident and professional today, and did a brilliant job – thank you!

Here are some more photos from the A+/A1/A2 race

The riders assembled under clearing skies, after earlier rain.

After a neutralised rollout to Greyabbey, the race was officially started. 3 riders had a small gap at the boat club…

But the bunch was in close attendance.

At Ballyboley corner, after 10 miles, it was all together again

There were constant attacks – here just south of Ballywalter

Unfortunately the race missed the turn into Stump Road, and the commissaires neutralised it until everyone was back on course. Racing restarted just after this photo in Ballywalter.