Cavendish Capitalises On Downing's Late Slip
Wednesday, 22nd of June, 2005; British Cycling's Larry Hickmott reports
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Left to right: Ian Wilkinson, Mark Cavendish and Russell Downing.
Isle of Man's Mark Cavendish (Adidas/Science in Sport) is the new National Circuit Race champion after a pulsating evening race during which the two pre-eminent domestic road teams, Adidas/Science in Sport and recycling.co.uk, went head to head in a fluctuating battle for dominance on the winding streets of the attractive West Yorkshire town of Otley.
The race was run off in hot evening sunshine and an early break was made by recycling.co.uk duo of Chris Newton and Russell Downing. The pair were away for the majority of the race in two different breaks (see pictures below) but were finally pulled back in the closing stages following concerted efforts by the main field, led by the Adidas/Science in Sport boys who despite being tired after a stage race in France and a block of work on the track were still competing well on this tough circuit race course.
No sooner had the break with Newton, House, Wilkinson and Downing been pulled back though, than their team-mate and recent winner of the Five Valleys race, Robin Sharman, made his move and got free with Scot Duncan Urquhart (Viner Bikes/Agisko). With the gap increasing, they were still away at the bell and it appeared that they would decide the race between themselves. However, the Adidas/Science in Sport team once again knuckled down and with the help of a big turn on the front from triple Olympic medallist Bradley Wiggins, they brought the race back together leaving what was left of the field contesting a full-on bunch gallop on the downhill finish.
Russell Downing, recovering well from his earlier efforts attempted to put himself in pole position going into the last corner and it looked like the recycling.co.uk team would get their reward for an evening during which they had someone at the head of the race almost throughout. However, Downing uncharacteristically overcooked it on that crucial final bend, saying he thought he was going to end up in the barriers and freewheeled for a second or two, leaving Mark Cavendish to sprint over the top,and as he crossed the line past the many photographers there to get that picture, 'Cav' put his hands in the air to celebrate an important victory for one of the race favourites.
What a race and what a clash between the experienced hands of recycling.co.uk and the brilliant young Turks of the Adidas/Science in Sport team. Mark Cavendish raised eyebrows the world over when he won the world Madison title in the company of Rob Hayles earlier this year, but he's beginning to win and look like the real deal.
Post Race Reactions
The Otley Town Centre Races were once again an over whelming success and a great advert for this style of racing in front of a big big crowd that took advantage of the many pubs along the finishing straight. It was, says the riders, a course similar to those used in Belgium for Kermesses although without the cobbles. 15 year old Adam Blythe is not one to mess with in a sprint and showing his experience and speed, he had time to spare at the finish -- next stop, the Youth Olympics.
Winner of the opening event for category 3/4/Women and Juniors was a 15 year old who has been around for many years, Adam Blythe (Pinarello) joined the cycling tours operator Graham Baxter in a break early on in the race and the duo were never caught or seen again. Speaking afterwards, Adam said to win at Otley and at the Youth Championships has been good and he has good confidence before the Youth Olympics on the first of July in Italy. “This has been a good boost for the Youth Olympics” he told me after winning the Otley race as a large crowd looked on and yelled out congratulations to the rider with a bright future in the sport of cycling.”
Adam, riding a very fancy looking Pinarello bike said “Its been very motivating to have the new sponsor and hopefully they’ll be proud of this result”. Asked how hard it was riding with Graham, he replied “It was hard. On the top of the hill it was murder driving and driving to stay away”. Adam now heads for Horwich this weekend for a criterium there before going to the Youth Olympics (website here).
Up the hill into the wind, local Graham Baxter shows the formed gained on a Tour or two as he leads Adam Blythe in a race long break.
Talking to Graham Baxter (from Pool near Otley) he said the result for him was “fantastic in front of a home crowd. I can walk here from where I live and I came here to win. Unfortunately I didn’t but I had the crowd behind me which was fantastic. It was very hard up the hill with the headwind, that made it even harder. A group went away on the first or second lap up the hill, I counter attacked and had quite a good gap on my own and saw Adam was coming across.
Fortunately he was a strong rider and we worked well together.”
The second race on the program was a youth event for which we are still awaiting the results but for those wanting to have a look at the action, we have pictures of the riders here (photo gallery). Once the young riders had finished their four laps of a demanding circuit, the Elite riders fought out one of the best championships for a long time. One of the favourites came up trumps at the end, Mark Cavendish. Part of the Under 23 Academy, its been a tough three weeks for Mark and the lads with stage races in France either side of an intensive week long set of sessions on the Newcastle outdoor track.
The Isle of Man's World Madison Champion 2005, Mark Cavendish at speed into the corner at the end of the finishing straight leads the bunch with James Tayor on his wheel.
Mark though is a rider who oozes confidence in his finishing sprint and to beat one of the fastest about in Russell Downing was no mean feat for the rider who has just turned 20 and is already a World champion (Madison). After winning the big bunch gallop in a race littered with attacking moves and breaks, he turned around in the road and rolled down the hill, and with people still clapping right behind us and congratulating him, his first words were “I’m made up really. I had a bout of bad form about a month ago and have to work hard to get back that fitness. Obviously the European championships is the main focus for us but this was always going to be special. I’m quite good at this type of riding and wanted to do well. To win an Elite championship -- I have wanted that for a while.”
Talking about the final lap where there was a break of two up the road, Mark said it was a hard lap with two breakaway specialists up the road and they were lucky because Brad was on the front for the end bit and he just wound it back along the top. “Fonzy went for a long sprint” Cav explained “and fortunately I’m quicker and I was able to jump him out of the last corner.”
On the subject of his “adidas/SIS train”, he said we’re all a bit tired from the track training and the stage race in France and because it was a hilly stage race, I wasn’t really competing there but the other lads were. They did what they could here and ‘G’ (Geraint) brought the break back early on and Ed was in a break from the gun.”
One rider who was really gutted later was Recycling’s Russell Downing. He had been in a break or three with recycling team-mate Chris Newton for much for the race before being brought back and then had to sit in as his team-mate Robin Sharman went up the road. “Me and Chris dominated it and were well up for it from the gun like we always are. After we got caught, my legs were hurting but I got back up there. If we weren’t going for the win, I wasn’t going to contest the win but as we caught Robin, I went for it.”
Asked to describe the final lap, he said he said it came back together at the bottom on the brow of the hill. “That was due to Bradley and the lead out men for Cav really. I was third wheel coming into the corner and I thought I’d jump into the corner and I got it all wrong and nearly ended up in the crowd. I had to freewheel a little bit and Cav got over me. When we started to sprint, he had the jump on me and I was never going to get Cav back from there because he is a very fast sprinter. If I had of got the jump on him, who knows. There is always Sunday (National Road race Championships).” Russell then said he intended to go and look at the course for the road race championships saying that it was bound to be up and down all day and will be tough. “It may suit me, we’ll see).
And speaking of tough courses, Russell also admitted this crit champs course was no cake walk either. “It is tougher than any crit course. Its more a good road mans circuit, hillier than a kermess where they have motorway bridges and they call them climbs! It was a really good race and the crowd were amazing. I’ve been first, second, third and fourth here now!”
Finally, I spoke to Giant’s Ian Wilkinson, more known for his off road exploits but also a very handy rider on the road. To get a medal in a big bunch gallop like that with so many top riders there, was a very special effort. Ian however was a little disappointed saying “Its getting a bit regular this finishing second or third. I got away in a break a few times but I wasn’t strong enough to go through all the time and Russell and Chris probably got peeved at me for not coming though but I didn’t have the legs plain and simple. We got back into the bunch with three to go and I had a breather before getting back up there on the last lap. A medal is fantastic. I have been fifth and fourth in the crit nationals and I’m now hoping for a medal in the mountain bike Nationals and Marathon (MTB) nationals this year.”
It was by the time the interviews had been completed and the barriers started to be taken down, getting quite dark but the shining light was the memory of a great evening’s race and my thanks to everyone there for their co-operation and Bob Pinkerton for getting me the results to phone through the result and report after the race. And to Mike Smith, next time it will cost you a pint! Next time…
British Cycling Circuit Race Championship
1. Mark Cavendish Adidas/SIS
2. Russell Downing Recycling.co.uk
3. Ian Wilkinson Giant Racing
4. James Taylor www.sports-coaching.com
5. Scott Gamble DFL
6. Mark Kelly City of Edinburgh
7. Steven Higgins JE James
8. Ian Holt Viner Bikes/Agisko
9. Evan Oliphant Recycling.co.uk
10. Will Wright Wills Wheels
11. Rob Hayles Recycling.co.uk
12. Tom Barras CyclingNews.com
13. Adrian Timmis Pinarello RT
14. Alistair Kay York Cycle Works
15. Phil Dixon DFL
16. Bradley Wiggins Credit Agricole
17. Tom Smith Viner Bikes/Agisko
18. Chris Tune Viner Bikes/Agisko
19. Phil Axe Rutland CC
20. Nick Craig Scott UK
21. Nathan Fox Foxes Cycles
22. Ross Muir Viner Bikes Agisko
23. Robin Sharman Recycling.co.uk
24. Matthew Brindle Josan
25. James Millard Bouwelse
26. Marc Perry Team Rochelle
27. Martin Ford Team Rochelle
28. Richard Sutcliffe Chalons en Champagne
29. George Richardson Ritchey CycleOps
30. Ian Field Trek UK
31. Ben Swift Kinesis UK
32. Pete Williams Kinesis UK
33. Marc Mallendar Rutland CC
34. David Williams Kuota Biemme
35. Ben Greenwood Recycling.co.uk
36. Simon Richardson Suburu/Gary Fisher
37. Matthew Higgins Unattached
38. Ian Bibby Trek UK
39. Paul Manning Recycling.co.uk
40. Matthew Kipling Apline Rootz.com
41. AJ Rutherford Wills Wheels
42. Simon Gaywood CC Luton
43. James Williamson Tarbes
44. Adam Weaver Doncaster Wheelers
45. Gareth Hewitt JE James
46. Michael Holmes Bately CC
47. M Smith Cleveland
48. John Tanner Planet-X
49. Matthew Charity VC Nottingham
50. Duncan Urquhart Viner Bikes Agisko all same time
51. Dave Coulson JE James @12
52. Julian Ramsbottom De Rosa RT @15
Category 3/4/Women/Juniors
1. Adam Blythe Pinarello RT
2. Graham Baxter CC Totana st
3. Giles Pidcock Aire valley @23
4. ? Reily Southport
5. Steve Burke Sport City Velo
6. Tom Diggle Southport CC
7. Stewart Coates Team Marie Curie
8. David Stevens Triangle RT
9. Richard Banks Race Scene
10. Jonathon Watson Paul Milnes RT
11. Ashley Brown Featherstone
12. Craig Gath Selby CC
13. Tom Hooper All Terrain Cycles
14. Dominic Turner VC Cycles
15. Gavin Ryan London Dynamo
16. Richard Williamson Cleveland Wheelers
17. Alistaire Cameron Leeds Mercury
18. Joseph McNeice Batley CC
19. Andy Oliver Ferryhill Wheelers
20. ? Thompson Kinesis
21. ? Harbinson TMC
22. Richard Lambert Rossington Wheelers
23. Paul Noton Star Bikes
24. Sam Webster Triangle RT
25. Jonathon Kennedy Chevin Cycles
26. Denby Sinclair Planet-X
27. Liam Holohan Triangle RT
28. Stuart Green Oldham Century RC
29. Mark Etches Sheffrec CC
30. Matthew Greaves Bronte Wheelers
31. Craig White VC Londres
32. Scott Thwaites Science in sport.com
33. Jonathon Farnby Otley CC
34. Stephen Smith Aire Valley RT
35. ? Rowson Rutland
36. Stephen Wakefield Lindsey Roads
37. Alex Ainsley Cleveland Wheelers
38. Richard Lukes Sheffrec CC
39. Mark Thwaites Kinesis
40. John Galway Keswick MTB
41. Barry Mordue Otley CC
42. kevin Stuart Leeds St Christophers
43.
44. Tim Marshall Triangle RT
45. Tony McCullagh Ferryhill Wheelers
46. Andrew Donaldson Unattached
47. Paul Brierley Huddersfield RC
48. Simon Hudson Steve Goff RT
49. Nick Scull Clifton CC
50. Tim Bladwin Paul Milnes Cycles
51. ? Armistead ERV
52. Stephen Clarke Southport CC
53. Tom Shepard VC York
54. Phil Jack Northumbria Police
55. ? Heath BTRT
56. Steve Houghton Yorkshire RC
57. Adam Blakeley Sport City Velo
58. Darren Gladwin Unattached
59. Mark Hepworth Batley CC
60. Paul Bridgen Unattached
61. Michael Gill Team Chevin Cycles
