John Buller from the Bioracer-DHL-FR services stable completes a successful weekend for the boys in blue at the Haldane Fisher North Down GP in Orlock Donaghadee!!

Not many times I have the luxury of a short journey on a Sunday and yesterday as one of them. Living in the next town of Newtownards has his plus points and a race I won’t miss if I can help it. This time I was invited by the promoters North Down CC to do the MC job at their 2019 Haldane Fisher’s North Down GP, a very popular race in the cycling fraternity that always attracts top riders from all corners of the land. The HQ was in Donaghadee near the lighthouse and a few km from the start on the road to Bangor (Orlock) A great buzz already greeted me, a full field for the main race, even the A4-Masters-Ladies race had a decent turnout and this so late in the summer is unusual for this category.

Ok, let us go the race himself…The A1-2-3 race was set off first followed by the A4 & Masters 2 minutes later, both a rolling start with a circuit who was about 12km long and had a climb each of the 8 laps (A race) and 6 laps for the B race. There was also a wee drag towards the finish in Orlock so in many ways a demanding course at the shores of the Belfast Lough of the Irish Sea. From the first lap, attacks happened and soon the main players showed their faces upfront…a break of John Buller (Bioracer-DHL-FR), Donal Shearer (Phoenix CC) and Darnell Moore (Caldwell Cycles) with some impressive chase groups forming behind them was seen when the passed the line for the first time, soon it became 6 upfront with another few close by (all in the same minute) Cian Keogh (Ciclotel Travel fueled by YPB) was in the second group of chasers and his efforts to get to the front which eventually happened got him at the prize-giving the “Combattivity reward” He had the company of Liam Curley (Strata3-Velo Revolution) and continental pro Chris McGlinchey (Vitus Pro Cycling) and the winning break was formed. They kept at it and despite some serious efforts of the next groups on the road who had lads such as Lindsay Watson (Powerhouse Sport) Marc Potts (U/A) yesterday’s Madigan GP winner Adam Ward (Bioracer-DHL-FR) Gareth O’Neill (Newry Wheelers) Alan Bingham (Newry Wheelers) and local junior Nathan Keown (North Down CC) they couldn’t breach the gap. They never got more than a minute to regain towards the front but just didn’t make it as the front group was motoring and you need to go faster than them to close the gap, this is very difficult with the headwind at the finish straight of the course. The six upfront went into the last lap and a sprint to the line was on the cards. John Buller had the better of Darnell Moore this time, John is known for his explosive sprints as he proved already earlier this season in the “Teggart Classic” Liam Curley a respectable 3rd (Full results below)

The A1-2-3 & Juniors result (top 12)

The A4-Masters result

A4 Race
1. Niall Brown Ards Cycling Club
2. Garrett Greene Velo Cafe Magasin
3. Barry Mitchell Ards Cycling Club (KOH winner)
4. Kevin Walker Dromara Cycling Club
5. Brian Robert TVR
6. Stephen Maguire Square Wheelers
7. Conor McGrane Velo Club Balrothery (Combative prize winner)
8. Gediminas Skirmantas Newry Wheelers
Masters Race
1. Johnny Webb North Down CC
2. Trevor Nixon Phoenix CC
3. Dwyer O’Neill Armagh City (Prime overall winner) Leading women: Grace Smith (Ballymena RC)

This feast is free for each competitor and his supporters…in my homeland, you pay for such things what makes Irish racing different and special
A thank you also to North Down for the invite to help out at the finish line as MC and the donation toward the project, already a bursary sponsor and this very helpful for my travels in the next weeks. A job well done to race organisers Sam Carson and Philip Dickenson and their army of volunteers. Well marshalled, plenty of lead cars and lead motorcycles, finish line crew who controlled the traffic very well and controlled by the commissaire’s on duty (see photo below) Also giving Ian Barfoot a mention as chief judge and photo finish line operator who provided us with correct results within a 1/2 hour of racing. And last but not least a big thank you to the sponsors Haldane Fisher as named main sponsor, the Gentlemen of the Peloton and Apex (both cycling apparel providers) Brownfield cycle repairs Bangor, Harbour Company Donaghadee and Agnew Volkswagon and supported by CI and CU as federations.

Some photo’s I took before, during and after