Welcome to the 53rd Edition of the 2017 Tour Of The North International Cycle Race.

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3 Welcome to the 53rd Edition of the 2017 Tour Of The North International Cycle Race. I have been involved with the Tour Of The North for many years under the leadership of my father Alan Mark who resurrected the race in Alan was the race director for many years and after watching my father have many sleepless nights when he resurrected the race I was determined not to let the race flounder. I could not do this without the help of my committee Gordon, Hall, Carol, Niall, Hugh, Joann and my family. And our sponsors Mid and East Antrim Council, Pro Vision clothing and Cycling Ulster. In these tough economic times, we appreciate that the Tour Of The North is a major commitment both physically and financially for all teams. We acknowledge the efforts of all the riders taking part in this tough event, in particular the European team which has committed to the long trip to take part in what will hopefully be another top class race. On behalf of myself and the organising committee I wish everyone a safe and happy Easter. Joan McCullough Race Director 3

4 The first Tour Of The North got underway on Easter Monday, 1955 from Donegal Pass in Belfast. His Excellency, Lord Wakehurst, then the Governor of Northern Ireland, flagged the riders away on a two day event promoted by northern Cycling Club. The Event Started Life as a two day race, but over the years has grown and developed. The Tour Of The North is now one of the Longest running Cycling stage races in Northern Ireland. Ireland's Top Riders Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche are both amongst the list of past competitors, with Kelly winning in The first three years of the event were dominated by Liverpool Rider Stan Britton, who also competed for Britain in the Tour De France. Britton won the first 3 Tour of the Norths'. He went on to be one of Britain s finest stage race riders, competing in the Tour de France. Local legend Ryan Connor from Ballymena has also notched up three wins, albeit in alternate years 2004, 2006 and As would be expected the Tour underwent many changes throughout the 50 years, and indeed many sponsors. Tobacco company Gallagher s, Guinness, McArdle s Ale and Double Diamond took over throughout out the 70's. Bakeries, Cycling Manufacturers and banks also put their name to this most prestigious event, however the race went into decline in the late 70's and ceased altogether following the 1979 edition. The Northern Ireland Cycling federation resurrected the race in 1989, the race Director was Alan Mark and held his position up to a few years ago. Among the organising committee the well knowing names from the History of cycling Northern Ireland Stanley Martin, a long time cycling correspondent to the Belfast Telegraph, John Snodden for many years the main race promoter but it was the inimitable Billy Reilly who had the honorary event organiser for the first edition back in

5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS P.S.N.I. Mid and East Antrim Council Pro Vision Clothing Cycling Ulster Cycling Ireland Emergency Medical Services Press and Media Representatives Commissaries Service Marshals Drivers Motorbike Marshals Programme Adverts Tea Ladies Dixons Contractors 5

6 Race Director Race Secretary Safety Manager Safety Sign on P.R.O Start/Finish Chief Timekeeper Chief Judge Results Manger Photo Finish Announcer Commissaire 1 Commissaire 2 Commissaire 3 Motorbike Com First Aid Joan McCullough Carol Mark Hall Booth Joann Lowry Carol Mark Vicky McCullough Joann Lowry Katelyn McCormick. Darren Crawford. Hugh McCullough and Niall O Hagan Gordon Parker Ian Barfoot Seamus Shortall Alicja Cernak Tom Henry Jack Watson Andrew Wills Jim Adams James Mclaughlin Emergency Medical Services 6

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8 8 STAGE 1

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10 STAGE 2 10

11 STAGE 2 Tour of the North Stage 2 - Sunday 16 April Individual TT - First Rider 10:00 KM MILES LOCATION TIMING STEPS TO REDUCE RISK RACEPLAN Just past Woodside Road Industrial Estate First man Caution Signs; Static marshals and observers. PSNI motorcyclists will also be present Time trial run on public roads; riders will be expected to observe Highway Code 6.0 Just past Sabbath School on RHS Last man due to Finish Signs; Static marshals and observers Time trial run on public roads; riders will be expected to observe Highway Code 11

12 START LIST SPIRIT TIFOSI RT Ed Clemens Cameron Woolsey Jack Waller Jake Hales Marcus Burnett BALLYMONEY CC Aaron Swann David McFaul Nigel Bradley Robbie Doherty Stevie McKenna BANBRIDGE CC Gareth McKee John Buller Matthew Adair Roger Aiken Sean Downey CALDWELL CYCLES OMAGH Calvin Moore Ciaran O'Hagan Adam Armstrong Darnell Moore Mark McClure CARN WHEELERS Ali Gribbon Barry Russell Chris McKeown Johnny Taylor Joseph McCrory COOKSTOWN CYCLING TEAM Aaron Parks James Mullan John McGlaughlin Matthew Brennan Stephen Hutchinson CYCLING IRELAND JUNIOR TEAM Conor Halvey Harvey Barnes Ronan Tuomey Tom Knight Xeno Young CYCLING ULSTER Liam Wilson Cameron McIntyre Ryan Riley Lindsay Watson Peter Hawkins DONEGAL BAY CC Caolem McCarter Darragh McCarter Paul McCarter DOOLEYS RT Aidan Quinn Ben Norris Finlay Young Gavin Shirley Ross Clark DROMARA CYCLING CLUB Chris Magowan David McKnight Gavin Magowan Nathan Mullan Stephen Irvine EDINBURGH ROAD CLUB Calum Johnston Ali Merry Gavin O'Neill Joseph Agnew Stuart Paterson HALESOWEN ACADEMY Jack Stanton-Warren Nick Clayton Patrick Fotheringham Tom Swingler INISHOWEN WHEELERS Damian Lagan Mark Buchanan Michael McBride Rory Devlin KEEVAN CC Derek Finnegan John Bann-Lavery Glenn Dunwoody Kevin McKinney Mark Sergeant 12

13 START LIST Kinning Cycles Ben Joughin Dominic McCartan Edward Kearney Glenn Kinning Luke McMullan Newry Wheelers CC Des Woods Drew McKinley Jude Sands Mark McKinley Niall Clarke North Down CC David Hamilton Javan Nulty Keith Phillips Stuart Henry Timmy Burns Onimpex Bioracer R.T. Chris Quin Dan Whelan Gary Scott John Scott Paul Lally Phoenix CC Christian Nachtigall Ciaran McVeigh Jody Wright Karl Morgan Ferus Rooney Pro Vision Scotland David Griffiths Greig Brown Jason Roberts John Archibald Richard McDonald Roche Vendée Cyclisme Arnaud Voss Baptiste Chauvet Davy Romian Mathieu Loiseau Mathieu Giraudet Stamullen Road Club Aureliusz Klus Chris Reilly Cian Delaney Colin Robinson Craig Sweetman Team Gerry McVeigh Cars Cathal Dillane Ciaran Murphy Karl Powderly Matt McCullagh Sean O'Tuathail Team Sportactive Racing Christopher Birney Myles Connor Paul Vaughan Toni Ballesterllobera The Belgian Project Espoirs Composite Team Andrew Chivers Andrew Maguire Conor McCann Gary Donaldson Marc Heaney The Bike House CC David Watson James Ambrose Lewis Ferguson William Larmour 13

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15 STAGE 3 mph KM MILES LOCATION INSTRUCTION BRC Clubrooms Neutralised Roll-out Algram Right to Larne St Larne St Right to Gilmore St Gilmore St Left to Queen St Roundabout 3rd exit Toome Rd Double roundabout Exit Slaght Rd X-Roads; Right to Whitesides Rd River Maine Bridge End of neutralised Section Race Start Zero trips - RACE START 14:00 14:00 14: T-Junction with B52 Right to Portglenone - Portglenone Rd Start Lap 1 (18.5 km) 14:10 14:09 14: X_Roads, Loughbeg Rd on Left Left to Loughbeg Rd 14:20 14:18 14: T-Junction with B18 Left - direction Ballymena 14:33 14:30 14: Lane 152 on LHS KoH Start 14:38 14:34 14: Gate on LHS KoH Roguery (Cat 3) LAPS 1, 2, 3 & 4 ONLY 14:39 14:35 14:32 T-Junction with B Portglenone Rd on Completion of lap. Do a completion of last further 4 laps. 14:41 14:37 14:34 lap Tour of the North Stage 3 - Sunday 16 April T-Junction with B52 Right, then Left on B18, Portglenone Rd on direction Ballymena completion of 5th lap 150m before junction with Whitesides Rd 16:44 16:27 16:14 RACE FINISH 16:55 16:37 16:23 15

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17 STAGE 4 mph KM MILES LOCATION INSTRUCTION Galgorm Centre Neutralised Roll-out Fenaghy Rd Cullybackey; T- Junction Turn Left; Care through village Large church on RHS then Kilrea Rd; SP Turn Right Rasharkin, Kilrea Derestriction sign End of neutralised Section Race Start Zero trips - RACE START 11:00 11:00 11: McLaughlins Corner Turn Right; SP B/money, then Public House immediately Left to Vow Rd 11:22 11:20 11: T-Junction; SP Garvagh, Turn Left Limavady 11:40 11:36 11: Tour of the North Stage 4 - Monday 17 April T-Junction; SP Garvagh, Kilrea, Limavady Turn Left 11:44 11:40 11: T-Junction with Moneybrannon Rd; SP Coleraine, Limavady Turn Right 11:48 11:44 11: Ardreagh Rd on LHS; SP Turn Left Limavady, Ringsend 11:49 11:44 11: Ardreagh Rd continues Veer Right on main road as Greenhill Rd 11:53 11:48 11: T-Junction with A29 Drumcroone Rd Turn Right 11:55 11:50 11: B66 Craigmore Rd on LHS; SP Limavady, Turn Left 11:56 11:50 11:46 Ringsend Cam Forest Start KoH 12:07 12:00 11: Parking on LHS KoH Cam (Cat 1) 12:10 12:03 11: T-Junction with A37 Broad Road Turn Right 12:20 12:12 12: Gate on LHS Start KoH 12:22 12:14 12: Entrance to Windfarm KoH Springwell (Cat 1) 12:29 12:20 12: Drumcroone Rd Roundabout Take 2nd Exit, Drumcroone Rd 12:46 12:36 12:27 Moneybrannon Rd on LHS; SP B/money, Kilrea, Turn Left 12:52 12:41 12:32 Aghadowey Glenkeen Rd on LHS: SP Turn Left B/money 13:03 12:50 12: Bann Rd on RHS Turn Right 13:07 12:54 12: B62 Finvoy Rd on RHS; SP Rasharkin Turn Right 13:16 13:02 12: Ballymaconnelly Rd on RHS; SP Kilrea Turn Right 13:32 13:17 13: T-junction with B64 Bann Turn Left Rd 13:36 13:21 13: X - Roads Church Right to Lisnahunshin Rd. Rd/Lisnahunshin Rd Direction Ahoghill 13:42 13:25 13: X - Roads with Straight over B93 to Corbally Cardonaghy Rd Rd 14:02 13:43 13: Corbally Rd Corbally Rd turns Left 14:05 13:46 13: Corbally Rd Turn Right on to Fenaghy Rd 14:05 13:47 13:31 Fenaghy Rd. At Ballymena Business FINISH 14:06 13:47 13:32 Centre 17

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19 PREVIOUS WINNERS 1955 Stan Brittain England 1956 Stan Brittain England 1957 Stan Brittain England 1958 Ray Botty England 1959 Alan Ramsbottom England 1960 Hugh Maguire Scotland 1961 John Lacky Ireland 1962 Norman Batty England 1963 Hugh Maguire Scotland 1964 Jack Johnston N.I Liam Horner Ireland 1966 Ian Thompson Scotland 1967 Jack Johnston N.I Les West England 1969 Noel Taggart N.I Peter Doyle Ireland 1971 Roly Merry Wales 1972 Not held Due to Troubles in Northern Ireland 1973 Noel Taggart N.I John Clewarth Wales 1975 Keith Apter England 1976 Sean Kelly Ireland 1977 E Den Broek Belgium 1978 Billy Kerr N.I Billy Kerr N.I Not held mainly due to lack of 1987 sponsorship 1988 Mervyn Gilmore N.I Garry Scott N.I Alastair Irvine N.I Roddy Riddle Scotland 1992 James Millar Scotland 1993 Andrew Moss N.I Simon Bray Wales 1995 Colin Langley England 1996 Rob Holden England 1997 Jason MacIntyre Scotland 1998 Andy Proffitt England 1999 Tommy Evans N.I Phil Cassidy Ireland 2001 Julian Winn Wales 2002 Duncan Urquhart Scotland 2003 Tommy Evans N.I Ryan Connor N.I Paul Healion Ireland 2006 Ryan Connor N.I Tom Murray England 2008 Ryan Connor N.I Martyn Irvine N.I Philip Lavery Ireland 2011 Adam Armstrong N.I James Moss England 2013 Not held - due to severe snow fall 2014 James Gullen England 2015 David Watson N.I Ed Clemens England 19

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21 ALAN MARK Alan Mark and his family have given a lot to cycling and the Tour of the North in particular. Alan started cycling at the age of 14 under the wing of his elder brother Ernie. They joined the Ballymena Road Club and quickly found success in the racing scene. Most notable among Alan s achievements were the Tandem Derry to Belfast record along with Sammy Connor in September They recorded a time of 2 hours 43 minutes despite a last minute welding job to a broken frame! Earlier that month the same two set a 100 mile record and both still stand as Northern Ireland records today. Alan was the main organiser of the Tour of the North from 1988 to the early 2000s and remained on the organising committee until a few years ago. He is now the President of Ballymena Road Club having been a member for 63 years! His wife Mary and children Carol, Samuel and Joan have all been involved over the years with The Tour of the North and other Ballymena promotions. Joan (now McCullough) is the race director with husband Hugh and all the McCullough and Mark family carrying on the family tradition. Alan Mark Chariman NICF Promotions 21

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