Round 3 of the Ulster Cyclo-cross series took place on Sunday 8 November 2026 at Craigavon Lakes. This was the second round of the series after Round 1 was cancelled due to Storm Boelo. Round 1 has been rescheduled for Sunday 27 December.
Host club Apollo Cycling Team last ran a cyclo-cross race back in 2023 and this site hasn’t been used since 2015. The course was built on the hill at the back of the excellent South Lakes Leisure Centre. This artifical hill was constructed out of the earth used to build the lakes. The grassy hill proved a testing course with both the climb and the off-camber. A fairly compact course which made it easy to watch the whole race from the vantage point up near the pits. Toilets and café were inside the leisure centre. Car parking was at the Civic Centre. Unfortunately some riders washed their bikes in the council car park which may jeopardise us getting to use this car park in future.
All races started on the tarmac path behind the leisure centre. The finish took the riders along the grass between the path and the historic water wheel. The first to line up were the Under 6s. There were 14 young riders taking on laps of the short course around the timing trailer. Well done to all. The goodie bags went down a treat.
The Under 8s were the first to take on the spiral and they have 4 laps to complete. In the boys’ race Max Beattie (Square Wheels) got his second win of the series. Oliver Postalov was second with Senán Rafferty (Un-Attached Ulster) third and Liam Fitzpatrick fourth. In the girls’ race Alice Bell (Shelbourne/Orchard CC) got her second win. Hope Corey (Apollo Cycling Team) was second with Zara McKillen (Un-Attached Ulster) third.
The Under 10s had 7 laps to complete. Séan McGahan (Square Wheels) improved on his third place at the last round to take the top step on the boys’ podium. Charlie McCarter (Caldwell Powerhouse Racing) was second with Noah Finnegan (Square Wheels) third. Senan O’Brien (Breffni Wheelers) was fourth with Ewan Corey (Apollo Cycling Team) fifth. In the girls’ race Lexa Clarke (Dunloy CC) got her second win of the series. Zara Aiken (Banbridge CC) was second with Meabh Farrell (Newry Wheelers CC) third.
The Under 12s course took them up the hill, across to the left hand side for the off-camber downhill section. Thomas Crymble (Apollo Cycling Team) got his second win of the series, Naoise Cunningham (Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club) was second with Patrick McCafferty (Dunloy CC) third and Conor McGahan (Square Wheels) fourth. Ríonach Campbell (Square Wheels) won the girls’ race, her second win of the series. Eabha Connolly (Square Wheels) was second with Ciara McCool (Square Wheels) third. A full sweep of Square Wheels riders on the podium.
Next up were the Under 14s, Under 16s and Women. The Under 14s had 5 laps of the full course. In the boys’ race the top three from last round were the same top three again at this round with Lewis Bell (Shelbourne/Orchard CC) first, Nathan Baker (Breffni Wheelers) second and Caoimhin Loney (Un-Attached Ulster) third. In the girl’s race Aoife Campbell (Square Wheels) finished ahead of Alice McGuinness.
The Under 16 boys’ race was held over 6 laps and, like the last round, it was a close battle between Kealan Doherty (Foyle CC) and Rory McCool (Square Wheels) who stuck to each other the whole race. Kealan turned the final bend first and kept ahead of Rory for the sprint to the line. Daragh Quigley (Foyle CC) was third with Billy Lord (Breffni Wheelers) fourth. Ciara O’Connor (Drogheda Wheelers) was the only entry in the Under 16 girls’ race and her 4 laps would have had her in the top 5 of the Women’s race.
The Women’s race was held over 8 laps and attrached a field of 17 riders. Elena Wallace (Harps CC) was again in a class of her own, lapping all but one of the other racers. Rachel Newell (McConvey Cycles) was second with junior rider Aoife Kellett (Dromara Cycling Club) third. Catriona Wheeler (Agivey Cycling Club) was fourth and picked up the first unplaced M40 prize. Sara Tamburri (Un-Attached Ulster) was fifth. Julie Murphy (Un-Attached Ulster) picked up the first unplaced M60 prize.
The final race of the day saw the A’ race riders set off for 9 laps with the B’ race riders starting one minute later taking on 8 laps. At the last round in Dungannon we saw Darnell Moore (Caldwell Powerhouse Racing) and David Montgomery (Spellman-Dublin Port) wheel-to-wheel but it was clear that this wasn’t going to happen at Craigavon as Darnell had a 14 second gap over David at the end of lap 1 and extended that to finish 70 seconds ahead of David at the chequered flag. Darragh McCarter (Caldwell Powerhouse Racing) was third with Barry Kellett (Dromara Cycling Club) fourth, picking up the first unplaced M40 prize. Mark McKinley (Newry Wheelers CC) was fifth with Chris Oakley (Un-Attached Ulster) sixth. Jason Henry (Inspired Cycling) picked up the first unplaced M50 prize. Newcomer to cyclo-cross Jay Mulholland, picked up the first unplaced Junior prize.
In the B’ race Ciaran Campbell (Square Wheels) set out his stall early taking a great win for this popular rider. Justin Doherty (Dunloy CC) was second with Christopher McCann (Banbridge CC) third. These three are obliged to race in the A’ race for the rest of the season. Graeme Evans (Spires CC) was fourth with Johnathen Hadden (Island Wheelers) fifth.
A huge thanks to Chris Corey and all the hard-working volunteers from Apollo CT for putting on a super event. Thanks to Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council for the use of the site. The next round will be at Lime Park, Armoy on Sunday 29 November 2026 hosted by Dunloy Cycling Club.
Commissaires: Jim Adams and Martin Grimley
Results
Series table after 2 rounds
Photos
Toby Watson (Facebook) – here.
Dany Blondell (Facebook) – part1, part2
Emmanouil Klontzakis (Facebook) – here
Jerome Rafferty (Instagram) – link
