Ayr’s hot ladies set the champion pace
Toni and Janet take first in 10 mile team time trial
Roundup Scottish champions Toni McIntosh and Janet Erskine have started their season in the same hot form as they finished last year.
On Sunday, the Ayr Roads/ Harry Fairbairn Cycling Club duo took first ladies team prize in the Fullarton Wheelers 10 mile Team Time Trial on the Irvine course in 24 minutes 48 seconds.
Ayr Roads fielded nine teams and had two teams in the top 10 of a field of 60 with Alastair McGibbon and Ed Clifton eighth in 22: 01 and Michael Curran and Scott Maclean ( composite team) tenth in 22: 11
Other Roads times : Calum MacDonald/ Graham MacLeod 23: 05; Alex McAllister/ Robert Kelly 23: 22; Jody Gerrard/ Harry Brawley 23: 24; Duncan MacArthur/ Thomas Gooding- Hill 24: 08; Steven Maclean/ Michael McClelland 24: 34; Bobby McGhee/ Martin Lindsay 24: 38.
Martin Lindsay who stood in for Scott Knox, at the last minute due to illness, produced a great performance in his first team time trial.
Winners, as expected, were the Pro Vision team of David Griffiths and John Archibald, coached by Ayr coach Scott Maclean, in an excellent 19: 49.
In the Dig at the Dock cyclo cross staged at Bo’ness on the same day, Rory Webster took first in his age related race and Fraser Tait third in his category.
The week before, young Beth Macrae and Fraser Tait took top stage, with both securing their best performances this season, where Fraser took third place in his age related race.
Beth missed a podium place by taking fourth in the ladies race. Beth will feature in Ayrshire’s first road race of the season when she competes in Walker’s CC Australian Pursuit Race in April.
This will be a test for her, as she will face more experienced riders in a road race of mixed terrain. Thereafter, Beth hopes to compete in the Scottish Women’s Road Race Series along with Janet Erskine.
Carrick Cycle Club fielded two pairs in the Ice Breaker ‘ two- up’ ten mile event on Sunday morning on the A78 bypass between Kilwinning and Irvine.
Mark Skilling and Mick Robb set the early benchmark with 21 minutes 2 seconds but had to settle for second.
In Bo’ness, the cyclocross season drew to a close at the fourth round of the Superquaich Series with Brian Yates and Paul Gibson in action.
The sixth edition of the race included former European champion Helen Wyman and American professional racer Jeremy Durin.
After an hour of racing, Koppenberg Cross winner Thomas Mein proved the strongest legs with Sean Flynn and Iain Paton taking the remaining podium places.
Brian Yates capped an excellent cyclocross season in 21st with teammate Paul Gibson 53rd.
Four members of Ayr Burners Cycling QTS head to the shores of the Forth for Dig in at the Dock.
The first race saw Joanne Baxter, Jonny Burns, and Kev Pugh take on the coastal circuit. Pugh closed his 2017 cross account with 11th place finish.
The Burners Saturday Bunch opted for a loop of upward gradients as a dozen riders set off from The Burns Centre on the weekly morning jaunt.
The ‘ Ayrshire Alp’ graded climb of Ballycoach was first on the menu with Crosshill, Kirkmichael, and Maybole on the lumpy route card.
Burners hold a jumble sale at the Citadel on Saturday from 2pm.
Cycle Ayrshire’s Sunday’s Easy Ride is from Prestwick Station ( 10am) and is an outing of around 25 miles.
Details at www. cycleayrshire. co. uk for this leisurely ride with a lunch stop.