Watson Wins Tour of the North
David Watson (North Down CC) sealed victory in the 2015 Tour of The North in the best way possible when he won the final stage today in Ballymena.
He won a five man group sprint from Angus Fyffe (Belgian Project), Gareth McCullough, (Newry Wheelers), David Hamilton (North Down) and Craig McAuley (Caldwell Cycles).
Earlier in the 115 km stage a 15 man breakaway group had gained a lead of 50 seconds over the bunch which included Watson. In the break was the Stage 1 winner Gareth McKee (Banbridge CC) who was just 15 seconds down in the overall classification.
On the first King of the Hills prime at Springwell Forest the bunch had closed to 35 seconds as Mike Millar (Phoenix) took top points in the prime line.
At the second big climb of Cam Forest the peleton had caught the early breakaway and fragmented into three groups.
The race leader Watson rode a tactically astute race helped by his North Down team mates especially David Hamilton who raced ahead in the breakaway in the last 10 kilometres.
Watson crossed to the four leaders in the closing miles and the five leaders were 15 seconds clear of the main bunch with 5 km to go.
The two North Down lads did the lions share of the pace making and in the sprint finish twenty nine year old Watson was the worthy winner. The bunch was lead in by Ken Tobin (Bikeworx Dublin) and Mark Downey (Banbridge CC) for sixth and seventh at five seconds. The winning bonus of 5 seconds plus the 5 second gap to the bunch gave Watson a ten second winning gap over Ronan McLaughlin while Hamilton’s fourth place lifted him into 3rd place in the overall at eleven seconds. Jack Waller (Spirit Bikes) was fourth at 12 seconds with Karl Morgan Phoenix fifth at 15 seconds and Mark Downey 6th and best young rider under 23 at 17 seconds.
Ronan McLaughlin won the King of the Hills competition from Darnell Moore Caldwell Cycles with Belfast man Mike Millar (Phoenix) third. Best team overall was Spirit Bikes from Buckinghamshire with Caldwell Cycles Omagh second and Banbridge CC third.
Brendan Kirk
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