2003

Stage 1 & Overall top 10

Reversing the top 2 positions on the Prologue stage last year, Belfast rider Owen Jeffries (Northern CC -Dave Kane Cycles) got the better of last years stage winner, Jonathon Dempsey (Classic Walls RT) from Draperstown. Scottish Under 23 rider Evan Oliphant took the final podium place in 3rd.

Over 90 riders tackled the 1 mile ascent at Stormont, with 19 yearold Jeffries, who lives less than a mile from the stage, storming up in 2 min 8 sec .43, half a second ahead of Dempsey.

Over 6 seconds spread the top 10 with pre-race favourite Tommy Evans rounding off the top 10 with 2.14.52.

Result Stage 1 & Overall General Classifiation

1Owen JeffriesNorthern CC Dave Kane    2.08.43

2Jonathon DempseyClassic Walls RT 2.09.21

3Evan OliphantScotland Under 23 2.09.38

4George RoseSouth Wales      2.09.61

5Matt WardPhoenix CC      2.10.49

6Brendan Docherty Totalcycling.com   2.13.21

7Andy Proffitt  Artic RT 2.13.55

8Denis EastonTotalcycling.com     2.13.64

9Kirk SloanArds CC     2.14.10

10    Tommy EvansTotal Cycling.com  2.14.52

Stage 2 Result & Overall G.C

The second stage of the 2003 race took the riders around South Down, starting and finishing in Downpatrick. The action started at Colugh after 6 miles whan a 13 rider group moved clear of the 90 rider field. At the first AA King of the Hills at Castlewellan, their advantage was over 30 seconds, and Totalcycling.com`s Gary Crory took the prime. By Rathfriland at 20 miles their advantage was nudging one minute, and again Grory took the AA Prime.

15 riders mounted a chase, but never got within 55 seconds of the leaders, however both groups took time out of the remians of the bunch, who ended the day over massively in arrears.

On the final climb of the day at Castlewellan after 34 miles, Matt Ward pipped Crory, but the latter takes overall lead of the competition.

At the finish back in Downpatrick riders had to tackle 4 laps of a 3.5 mile circuit, and it was here that former Tour winner Tommy Evans (Totalcyclig.com) nipped off the front to score a fine solo victory, 33 seconds ahead of team mate Denis Easton. Top Scot Evan Oliphant was 3rd across the line leading the remains of the 13 man leading group.

Evans win gives him the P&O Irish Sea Race Leaders Yellow Jersey heading in to tomorrows 2 stages around Bangor and the Ards Peninsula.

Stage 2 Result

1Tommy EvansTotalcycling.com69 miles in 2.33.16

2Denis Easton  Totalcycling.com@ 33 sec

3Evan Oliphant Scotland Under 23   @ 35sec

4Matt Sewell     Cycle Centre RT      @ 35sec

5N KenwightS Wales @ 46sec

6Ryan Connor   Cyclingnireland.com            @ 46 sec

7Gary CroryTotalcycling.com      @ 46sec

8Paul Watson    Cycle Centre RT@ 46 sec

9Brendan Docherty Totalcycling.com      @ 51 sec

10Matt Ward  Phoenix CC     @ 53 sec

11    Jonathon Dempsey Classic Walls RT    @ 1.43

AA King of the Hills Competition

1Gary CroryTotalcycling.com10 points

2Matt Ward Phoenix CC   9

3Denis Easton  Total Cycling.com4

Provisional Overall General Classification

1Tommy Evans2.35.16

2Denis Easton  @ 37 sec

3Evan Oliphant @ 40

4Matt Sewell     @ 53

5Ryan Connor  @ 1.01

6Nick Kenwright@ 1.02 

7Gary Crory@ 1.02

8=    Paul Watson   @ 1.04

  Matt Ward

10Brendan Docherty     @ 1.05

11    Jonathon Dempsey     @ 1.53

Stage 3 Time Trial Sunday 20th- Hutch, Class Act

Stage 3 was a 7.7 mile hilly time trial around the Craignatlet hills, and British Time Trial Champion Michael Hutchinson, riding for cyclingnireland.com did not disappoint, stroming round the course in 15min 39 sec, over half a minute ahead of Race Leader Tommy Evans,with Ballymena rider Ryan Connor who represented GB at the Junior Worlds Time Trial Championships last year 3rd.

Stage 3 Result

1Michael Hutchinsoncyclingnireland.com    15.39

2Tommy Evans   totalcycling-lindsay ford    16.16

3Ryan Connorcyclingnireland.com    16.26

4Ben Morrow        east antrim - audi  16.35

5Evan Oliphant    scotland under 23  16.38

6Brendan Docherty  totalcycling-lindsay ford    16.46

Overall Classification after Stage 3

1Tommy Evans    2.51.32

2Ryan Connor@ 1.02

3Evan Oliphant     @ 1.02

4Brendan Docherty   @ 1.35

5Nick Kenwright   @ 1.56

6Matt Sewell   @ 1.57

Stage 4 Bangor Sunday 20th - Oliphant takes sprint

Sunday afternoons stage was a 50 mile loop around the Ards Peninsula, with riders heading via Newtownards, Greyabbey and Kircubbin to Portaferry. On the outward leg there were numerous minor skirmishes off the front, but no group gained more than a handful of seconds on the main peleton.

On the return leg via Ballywalter, Millisle and Donaghadee it looked much the same, however a 5 man group had gained a 20 second advantage by Donaghadee with 5 miles remaining. It looked like this group were going to be allowed to stay away for stage glory, but as the bunch gained momentum in the closing 3 miles, they were swallowed up, leaving a bunch sprint which was won by Scot Evan Oliphant who narrowly edged out Matt Ward, with Prologue winner Owen Jeffries 3rd.

With time bonuses for the first 3, Oliphant moved ahead of Connor in the overall standings, reducing his defecit on Evans to 47 Seconds.

Stage 4 Result

1Evan OliphantScotland U2350 miles in 1.50.54

2Matt Ward Phoenix CCsame time

3Owen Jeffries      Northern CC-Dave Kane   same time

Provisional Overall Classification after Stage 4

1Tommy Evans 4.42.26

2Evan Oliphant @ 47 sec

3Ryan Connor   @ 1.02

4Brendan Docherty@ 1.35

5Nick Kenwright     @ 1.56

6Matt Sewell@ 1.57

7Denis Easton   @ 2.04

8Paul Watson     @ 2.22

9Gary Crory @ 2.22

10    Matt Ward   @ 2.25

Stage 5 - Easton dominant

Todays penultimate stage of the 5 day P&O Irish Sea Tour of the North took riders through Counties Antrim & Londonderry, with 3 AA King of the Hills Primes along the way.

By Maghera with 17 miles covered a group of 6 had gained a 30 second advantage. By Garvagh at 28 miles their number had swelled to 9 and their advantage to 47 seconds. Race Leader Tommy Evans missed the move, but his team mate Brendan Docherty was in the break, and at one point had moved from 4th overall to second place on the road.

The first climb of the day saw Denis Easton take the AA prime at Cam Forest ahead of Jonathon Dempsey and Andy Proffitt.  9 miles later on the main climb of the day at Springwell forest Easton was again first over the summitt.

The lead groups advantage was down to 31 seconds at Coleraine, and stayed there or thereabouts until Kilrea at 63 miles when the race came back together.

Shortly afterwards a group of 14 forged clear, and at Portglenone with 8 miles remaining their advantage was up to 31 seconds. On the final AA climb at Tully competition leader Gary Crory was first across the line, to maintain his lead in the competition.

Back at the finish at Galgorm Easton took the stage verdict ahead of Belfasts Brian Stewart and Limavadys Brendan O`Brien.  Overall second placed man Evan Oliphant led the chasers, including race leader Evans, home 28 seconds later.

Overall Evans maintains his 47 second advantage over Oliphant with Ballymena s Ryan Connor in 3rd at 1min 2 sec.

Tomorrows final 75 mile stage will cover 2 loops around County Down, starting and finishing at Dundonald International Ice Bowl, with Evans and his dominant Totalcycling.com squad poised for victory.

Result Stage 5 Ballymena Monday 21 April

1Denis EastonTotacycling-Lindsay Ford2hrs 59min 20sec

2Brian StewartNorthern CC-Dave Kane        same time

3Brendan O`Brien      Classic Walls RT

4Willie Hamilton          East Antrim - Audi

5Jonathon Dempsey  Classic Walls RT

6Kirk SloanArds CCall same time

Provisional Overall Classification after 5 stages

1T EvansTotalcycling-Lindsay Ford7hrs 42min 14sec

2E Oliphant        Scotland  U23       @ 47 sec

3R Connor          cyclingnireland.com                   @ 1.02

4N Kenwright     S Wales     @ 1.28

5M Sewell          Cycle Centre RT   @ 1.29

6B Docherty      Totalcycling-Lindsay Ford           @ 1.35

7D Easton          Totalcycling-Lindsay Ford     @ 1.36

8G Crory            Totalcycling-Lindsay Ford     @ 1.54

9M Ward Phoenix CC     @ 1.57

10    J DempseyClassic Walls RT         @ 2.16

AA King of the Hills Competition

1Gary Crory14 points

2Denis Easton         12

3Matt Ward   11

Stage 6 Dundonald Tue 22 April

Evans Double Top

Banbridge man Tommy Evans (Totalcycling.com-Lindsay Ford) had cause for double celebration at Dundonald on Easter Tuesday, taking his second stage win of the 2003 P&O Irish Sea Tour of the North, and also is second overall race win, his first coming in 1999.

Evans and his team were dominand throughout the 5 days racing, and today they policed all the moves ensuring none of the danger man gained any time advantage over the Yellow Jersey.

A group of 9 riders moved clear shortly after the stage start, and by Saintfield with 10 miles covered their advantage was 18 seconds. This gradually increased, peaking at 1min 40 seconds with 40 miles covered. The main peleton reacted, and reeled the group in, and at Comber with 5 miles remaining the race was all together, setting up a bunch sprint back at Dundonald International Ice Bowl.

Evans in Yellow still had the legs to hold off the field to take the stage ahead of former International roadman, veteran Lennie Kirk (Ards CC) Evans team mate Denis Easton took 3rd.

With Evans going into the stage with a 47 second advantage, his 15 second time bonus for winning the stage left him with an overall race winning margin of  1 min 2 seconds over Scotlands Evan Oliphant, with Ryan Connor 3rd at 1 min 17sec.

Result Dundonald Stage

1Tommy EvansTotalcycling-Lindsay Ford 76 miles in 2.52.03

2Lennie KirkArds CC same time

3Denis Easton   Totalcycling.com     

4Matt Holmes     Artic Racing Team

5Willie HamiltonEast Antrim -Audi

6Paul Ferguson Toyota North Down CC

7Matt Ward    Phoenix CC

8Finbar O`Kane Phoenix CC

9Jonathon Dempsey Classic Walls RT

10    Stephen Jackson   Saltire Select     all same time

FINAL OVERALL CLASSIFICATION

1Tommy EvansTotalcycling.com10hrs 34min 2 sec

2Evan Oliphant Scotland U23@ 1 min 2 sec

3Ryan Connor  Cyclingnireland.com     @ 1.17

4Denis Easton Totalcycling.com@ 1.31

5Nick Kenwright    South Wales  @ 1.43

6Matt Sewell    Cycle Centre RT @ 1.44

7Brendan Docherty Totalcycling.com                     @ 1.50

8Gary Crory Totalcycling.com    @ 2.09

9Matt Ward   Phoenix CC @ 2.12

10    Jonathon Dempsey Classic Walls RT  @ 2.31

11Paul Watson   Cycle Centre RT     @ 2.37

12Michael Hutchinson Cyclingnireland.com     @ 4.08

13Gary CranstonEast Antrim-Audi    @ 5.07

14Kirk SloanArds CC  @ 5.12

15=    Owen JeffriesNorthern CC-Dave Kane   @ 5.15

    Andy Proffitt Artic RT

17Brian StewartNorthern CC-Dave Kane     @ 5.26

18Willie Hamilton   East Antrim-Audi      @ 5.39

19Adam Broyad     Artic RT    @ 5.47

20Matt Holmes Artic RT    @ 6.16

21Gary Hand    Scotland U23 @ 6.19

22Iain Nimmo  Saltire Select  @6.37

23Fraser Duncan  Northern CC-Dave Kane       @ 7.49

24Gary McKeegan Cyclingnireland.com@8.19

25Paul Mulligan     Crannor Ire.    @ 8.42

26George RoseS Wales   @ 9.18

27Andrew Murphy Scotland U23 @ 9.46

28Brendan O`Brien Classic Walls RT     @ 13.20

29Ben Morrow  East Antrim-Audi@ 13.26

30Gregg RocheCycle Centre Rt  @ 13.41

Team

1Totalcycling-Lindsay Ford23 hrs 10min 58 sec

2Cyclingnireland.com (NICF)@ 6.09

3Scotland U23             @ 7.35

AA King of the Hills

1Gary Crory           Totalcycling.com14 points

2=    Matt Ward Phoenix CC

  Denis Easton       Totalcycling.com       12

4Brian Stewart       Northern CC-Dave Kane 11

Junior

1Fraser Duncan     Northern C-Dave Kane23rd @ 7.49

2David Smith         Scotland U23     45th @ 15.49

3Peter Hawkins     Castlereagh CC       56th @ 17.14

4Chris McCaughan Ballymena RC-Scotts       63rd @ 1.27

Veteran

1Brendan Graham  Totalcycling.co    36th @ 14.59

2Jim McConnell      East Antrim-Audi              37th @ 15.03

3Lennie Kirk           Ards CC      51st @ 16.23

4Norman Campbell unatt    58th @ 18.49

5Keith MillarToyota North Down CC    59th @ 31.09

NICF Members Prize

1Ryan Connor3rd Overall ( & Reilly Perpetual Cup)

2Michael Hutchinson      12th

3Gary McKeegan 24th

4Tim Walsh     38th

NICF Club Riders Prize

1Paul Ferguson40th  Toyota North Down CC

2Michael Hamilton 49th         ` `      ``        ``

3Keith Millar59th``   ``            ``

4Raymond Brownfield 60th``   ``            ``

5Chris McCaughan 63rd Ballymena RC-Scotts

NICF Club Prize

Toyota North Down CC

Home

Gallery

Past winners

2004 event

2005 event

History