09/05/2014 BBC Newsline

That's all from the BBC News at Six, so it's goodbye from me

Good evening, the headlines on BBC Newsline...

Thousands of spectators line the streets of Belfast as the Giro

d'Italia begins. And the race is on - we're live at the start, middle

and finish of tonight's time trial event.

Also in the programme... Tributes to Oscar Knox, the little

boy who became an internet sensation as he fought cancer.

And it's all smiles for the camera, but just how amicable are relations

at Stormont? The Giro Big Start racing has begun.

The first of the three stages are taking place in Belfast right now.

It's a time trial involving the 22 teams going from the Titanic Quarter

to Stormont to the City Hall. Lining the route are thousands of

spectators, cycling fans and people just interested in being part of the

one-off event - one of the world's biggest cycling events. BBC

Newsline's Mark Simpson takes us through what's been happening so

far. It started with a kiss, a day in

Belfast like no other. The riders were up early and so were the

spectators. Roads were closed to allow the cyclists to do their stuff

leaving other parts of the city looking like a ghost town. This is

just after morning rush hour in the city centre. Fridays in Belfast are

normally not like this, or this... Stormont changed colour. Politics

and sport don't often makes but this political location worked

perfectly. This is great for Northern Ireland and I hope this guy

stays blue for a while. What do you think of the riders so far? They are

gorgeous! They could be models! They are fabulous! You are an amateur

cyclist. What do the professionals have that you do not? Talent.

Physically they are very small, they are like jockeys. And they are so

dedicated. They keep their weight down and they train five or six

hours a day. The Giro d'Italia is a gruelling grind. It is not just a

test of speed, but stamina. And these men are going to be tested to

the limit over the next three weeks. They are incredibly powerful

athletes, certainly a lot more toned than I was when I was riding my bike

to school! And they all seemed to be relaxed, even making time for a

quick stealthy before the big race. All along the route, spectators are

trying something different, including here, at Queen's

University. Lawyers, doctors, staff and students, all cycling as the

real cyclists pedalled past. This is an incredible experience for the

people of Belfast. You can see that the colour of Belfast is pink. The

sun is shining and it is a wonderful experience. Just before six o'clock

at Titanic slipways, the Giro d'Italia officially began. In

tonight's event, the teams are riding against the clock, speeding

round the streets of East and South Belfast in as quick a time as

possible. The winner will be the first rider across the finishing

line in the quickest team. They make it look easy - it isn't, but it sure

is fun to watch. In sporting terms, this professional

racing is about stamina, strength and speed. These are alive pictures

of the racing at the moment. -- live pictures. Thomas Kane is at the

starting point at the Titanic Belfast centre.

Fantastic images from all around Belfast. Here on the Titanic

Slipway, everyone of the cyclists has been cheered off the starting

line as they fly past. I am joined by an expert and world champion,

Wendy Hoover Nagel. You have outdoor experience. Give us a rundown of the

time trial? It is a reason against the clock. We have got teams racing

against other and the fastest will win the race today. Give us an idea

of how much goes into the team trials, in terms of practice? People

have learned a lot of things. The aim for the teams will be to get

around the course as quickly and as safely as possible. Obviously, with

the weather as it is, they will have been taken into consideration in

terms of tactics. It is starting to rain, but when is a problem, why? It

can really break up a team and affect the flow of the race. I

noticed that a lot of the teams have opted to use non-deep section front

wheels but kept this Queen's at the back. It will offer more control at

the front. The rider at the front will not experience much twitching

of the bike. You have been here all afternoon. You would love to be out

there, wouldn't you? I feel it is very strange for me to be on this

side of the barriers. Usually I am competing in the arena and it feels

quite surreal to be on the other side today. Thank you for joining

us. Once the cyclists leave here they will make their way up the new

denied to road to the next major point, Stormont, and my colleague is

there. The first cyclists arrived just

before six o'clock this evening. We are around eight kilometres from

Titanic Quarter. On average it takes around nine minutes for them to make

their way here. What a welcome they have been getting. Several thousand

people have lined the Avenue. This is the best spot to get a really

close-up look the cyclists. That is because they have to slow down as

they go up the hill and go round Carson's statue. You have got an

opportunity to get a real close-up view. Earlier I spoke to people who

came from all over to watch the race. Wouldn't have missed it for

the world, definitely not. I booked a day off a year and a half ago when

I find out they were coming, to make sure I was off work on the Friday.

We have sold up bikes each. We do our cycling on the Comber Greenway.

We decided not to miss it and we had to come and see it. We have been

trying to get the Colombian contingent to scream. There is a

cyclist from the same town as her. It is not off the world's number two

by grace comes to Northern Ireland. It is not just about the cycling. It

is also about a big family day out. There are all manner of things to

keep people entertained. Of course, it is the cyclists that have brought

people here and there is a huge cheer every time you hear a group of

cyclists going past. They will be here for a while yet. We get them a

ride every five minutes going up the avenue. Unfortunately, the rain

arrived probably around ten or 15 minutes ago, but we are just keeping

our fingers crossed and hopefully it will not get too heavy. Back to this

do deal. It does not seem to be disturbing

the cyclists. The idea of having the Giro's Big

Start was first muted at a St Patrick's Day dinner in Washington

four years ago. -- first mooted. After months of planning and

investment from north and south it's finally here. We had all the

publicity with the G8 summit last year now the world's media spotlight

is on us yet again. Mark Simpson is at Belfast City Hall.

There is an absolutely massive crowd here. I spoke to the police just

before we came on air. Even they did not anticipate the crowds been quite

so big. They say so far, there have been no major incidents along the

route. Before we pat ourselves on the back, let's get the Italian

perspective. What do you think of Giro d'Italia, Belfast style? I love

it. There is lovely hospitality, warm people. The weather doesn't

matter. Much more than I expected. Yesterday, at the presentation of

the teams, there were lots of people like in Italy. There was the same

energy, the same feeling. Thank you very much. You can thank the

organisers. We will speak to one of them in the moment. Is the weather

not a bit of a problem? It doesn't matter. The riders are used to

everything. We had some stages in Italy in June, even in June, with

snow. So last year, a stage was cancelled because of snow. So, no

problem at all. Thank you, enjoy the rest of your stay. Let's talk to one

of the organisers. This has all gone without a hitch? It has been an

amazing day. This morning I cycled in at seven o'clock and the roads

looked pristine. The practice run was good not just for the riders but

for the city. It joined up all of the dots from the planning and

preparation, from the police, the tourist board, the council. It is an

incredible day and the crowds are amazing. It is not just cycling fans

- they are probably in the minority! Everybody is here, people with an

interest in sport or cycling. It has not been too bad weather wise, has

a? The weather has been extraordinary. We were forecast

heavy showers and we just had a sprinkling a few minutes ago but

apart from that the weather has been in our favour. If we can host the

Giro d'Italia? What's next? We always aspire to bigger things. Are

we going to have this conversation about the Tour de France? We don't

know. But we have got the Tall Ships coming next year. Remember, there

are still two more days to go. To find out about when the roads are

closing and re-opening tomorrow and Sunday check out the traffic website

- trafficwatchni.com. Tributes have been paid to the

County Antrim boy whose high profile fight against cancer captured many

hearts and who has died. Oscar Knox, known as Wee Oscar became an

internet and social media sensation, as Ciara Riddell reports.

A little boy who captured the hearts and minds of many - Oscar Knox's

short life was dominated by his condition, neuroblastoma. His

journey documented on social media by his parents Stephen and Leona

gathered followers from across the globe, including local sporting

stars. And it was via Twitter the heartbroken family announced his

death saying, "Our beautiful, amazing and much-loved son Oscar

James Knox gained his angel wings yesterday afternoon. Sleep tight

little man." It is heartbreaking. It is very, very sad. We are in shock.

I knew he was very sick, but you kind of just expected him to get

better because he is such a fighter. It is just heartbreaking.

Thanks to fundraisers, the little boy travelled to America for

specialist treatment in 2012. Six months later, in April last year, he

was given the all-clear. But the rare and aggressive cancer returned

in August. The Wee Oscar fundraising and awareness campaign, run by his

parents, helps promote blood donation. He was a typical small

boy, full of beans and you can tell from him that he wanted to make an

impact. That was certainly driven by the impact he had on our business

here, with helping promote blood donation and recruiting new donors.

Oscar Knox will be remembered as a little boy who fought his disease

with a smile. His fans in Glasgow Celtic say the five year old's

courage was inspirational. He was a very special Belfast boy.

And viewers have been adding their tributes to Oscar and his family on

our Facebook page. Still ahead, Cecilia will have the

forecast... The showers have stayed away until

this evening. The team time trials are well under way and the crowd are

loving it. I'll be back with a full forecast for the weekend including

stages two and three of the Giro d'Italia.

The Prime Minister has played down reports he's trying to woo the DUP

so their votes could help him if there's a hung parliament after the

next general election. Political opponents have accused the DUP and

Sinn Fein of failing to capitalise on the positive mood created by the

Giro d'Italia after the latest row between Martin McGuinness and Peter

Robinson. Here's our political correspondent Gareth Gordon.

Selfies don't come more self conscious. Taken by Belfast's Sinn

Fein Lord Mayor, it features the Dirst and Deputy First Ministers as

well as the DUP Enterprise Minister. -- the first. The launch of the Giro

D'Italia required a united front, and so this picture was allowed to

tell the story... But only part of it. It's a matter of recognising

that we do face serious challenges but as political leaders, we have a

duty and responsibility to overcome those challenges and difficulties in

the interests of our people. Of course my party will resist those

kinds of comments but I do not think dragging those issues to an evening

like this is the right thing to do. There could have been red faces, but

the overwhelming colour remained pink. But earlier, there were no

smiles. They haven't done it. Why not? Because they are worried about

the election. That is, in my opinion, politics of the worst kind.

This was the latest shot in an increasingly bitter battle. The

charge against Peter Robinson was cowardice, according to Mr

McGuinness, for allegedly failing to show leadership and condemn loyalist

violence in East Belfast. Of course, short of bringing their relationship

to a finish altogether, the two men had no alternative but to grin and

bare it. Today is the Giro d'Italia, but for how much longer can they do

it? We seem to have ready in pink in one hand and the yellow streak of

cowardice in the other from republicans. It is mixed messages

and the only consistency is dysfunctionality of the heart of

government. These are days when the people of Northern Ireland at their

best foot forward yet those who claim to lead us take further steps

back. Mr McGuinness also accused the Prime Minister of cosying up to the

DUP with a view to doing an electoral deal - a claim backed up

by a story in this morning's Guardian newspaper. It's pretty

normal for the Prime Minister to be meeting political leaders from other

parties outside his own party but the point about this meeting, this

reception, is that the DUP felt it was pretty lavish, that he was

willing them, that the Prime Minister was having an eye to what

he might need in a year's time if there is another hung parliament.

This is what David Cameron told the BBC... It is only right that the

Prime Minister talks to other groups and parts of Parliament. I was

talking to some of the leading Democratic Unionists about the lead

to try and win some compensation for the fact that Libyan Semtex used by

Colonel Gaddafi is being used in Northern Ireland. The drinks after

that was an offshoot from the meeting. Sinn Fein will be

sceptical, but the next move may have to wait until the Giro leaves

town. NI 21 says the relationship between

the First and Deputy First Ministers will never work, which ever united

front they try to portray. No matter what a day we have, what

investment, we will always be let down because they will never work

together. In Northern Ireland today, more than ever, we need something

that brings us together and irrespective whether you are Irish,

British, Polish, we need a common vision and common identity.

Let's go back to the Giro d'Italia to the team trial start, @ Titanic

Belfast. -- outside Titanic Belfast. This is the team who have been the

quickest run the course so far. Many of the spectators have rushed off.

They do not want to miss a second off the Giro d'Italia in Belfast.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them to see the

world's best riders. Did you know that the biggest online bike

retailer in the world is from Mac to? --? DoaghDid you know that bikes

are big business? Getting to the point when you are ready to head the

road could be more expensive than buying a new car. You can get

yourself into five figures if you go to town, ?10,000 plus if you go to

town on all of the parts. There is a point you get to where that

extravagance is not necessary and it is only nice to have if you can

afford it. You can get into the sport on a sensible budget. Parcels

are shipped off to every corner of the globe. Not bad for what started

out as a local family owned bike shop in Ballyclare. Pre-2000,

pre-Internet, we started selling via magazine adverts and traditional

meal order. We went online in 1999, reasonably early for e-commerce. We

ship to over 100 countries and we can process 50,000 individual

customer orders a week. That is over 100,000 items of clothing, bike

parts, bikes themselves. Road cycling has never been as

fashionable, but its growth isn't solely down to the arrival of the

Giro d'Italia. Many newcomers have been inspired by Olympic success or

benefited from the Cycle To Work programme. In the last two years it

has been people looking for a bicycle and they have not ridden

since they were kids. The Olympics was a big one and TeamGB had a

massive on it. Everything is really good. This company might operate on

a global scale but like all local retailers, they are having this

weekend's big start will create a similar legacy to the London games.

It is amazing to see just how fast these teams are going round the

course. They reach a very high speed as they go round the course and the

amount of work that goes into these bikes, even in terms of preparation,

is phenomenal. One thing the local fans love is the intimacy between

themselves and the riders. Earlier on in the paddock, they were getting

their photographs taken, they were talking about the bikes. In the

background, another team is flying past. You can watch live coverage on

BBC Two and throughout the weekend on BBC Two. What an experience for

local fans. One of the things I did notice, the

riders signalling to the people who were encroaching on the road to

stand back. If you are going to line the route, it is something to take

note of. These guys are going at some pace and we don't want any

accidents! The weather has been kind for this evening's time trials.

What is in store for stages two and three? Cecilia has the forecast.

Hello. I am at the City Hall. It is packed with people around Donegal

Square. There is a lot of noise going on. I have been counting the

teams as they have come past the finish line. So far, eight teams

have come in. They have come in pretty fast. The crowd are loving

it, despite the fact that we have had some showers in the last half an

hour. Typically, the rain stayed away for the most of the day. In

many places, there are massive screens where you can see what is

going on and it is fantastic to be able to see it here in Belfast. If

you are going to see them at the week and -- weekend you will need to

be prepared for rain. Although things are dry at the moment, there

is rain to come in from the south-west later on. That will be

pretty heavy for a while. Coming in at about ten o'clock this evening.

It should have cleared most places by the end of the night and

tomorrow's headline is for heavy showers. Tomorrow morning there will

be some sunshine for a while before the showers get going. The good

thing about showers is that it will not rain all day. There will be gaps

in between. Some of the downpours tomorrow will be slow moving. Stage

two leaves the City Hall, heads north towards Ballymena and the

north coast, then back down the Antrim: . -- Antrim coast. There

will be showers en route but hopefully you will get some sunnier

moments. Then we have got some lovely photos. Sunday's forecast is

for a blustery showers. As it headed south on Sunday, the wind will be

behind them and move them along. The showers will hopefully not be so

heavy. Back to the studio. That was BBC Newsline when sporting

history was made and we welcome the little bit of Italy.