Veteran time trial ace Mel McCann (Team Madigan) from Larne bettered his 100-mile championship gold medal time last year by two minutes 30 seconds to retain the 2004 championship title at Ballymena on the 15th August 2004.

 

    Many riders shy away from the tough long distance events, but not Mel McCann.  Clocking 4 hours 13 minutes dead for the 100-miles, he finished some 10 minutes ahead of runner-up and current N.I.C.F Road Champion Liam Nelson of the Ballymena Scotts Road Club who clocked 4.23.17 to take the silver medal.  On paper Liam Nelson would have been favourite, but Mel McCann showed the required determonation needed to win at such a distance against the clock, in the end he got his just reward — the N. Ireland. gold medal.  Islandmagee man Colin McCluskey (Team Madigan) who also has the same determent characteristics as Mel is learning the long distance discipline, he clocked 4.46.12 to lift the bronze medal. 

A real favourite but a non starter was Ballymena's Ryan Connor who recently broke the N.I. 50-mile record.  It was thought he would make a return trip home from France to have a go at the 100-mile record as he is currently in great form.  However it transpires he opted to ride in the Surrey 5-Day stage race in England and is in 11th place over-all, just over 1 minute down on the leader with two days racing remaining.  Who knows how the 100-mile time trial would have went for young Connor, but take nothing away from Mel McCann - at age 43 he gets better and better.  His win also brings him the over-all first place honours in the season long time trial best all rounder competition and again for the second year in succession.