British Cycling

Mens National Circuit Race Championships

Sunday 18th June 2006; Horwich; by Larry Hickmott 

>Previous Winners

Race Website: www.horwichcarnivalraces.co.uk

 

PHOTO GALLERIES: Click the Gallery 1 (or other) button at the top of the page. A key to what is in which gallery is below:

Gallery 1: Mens Circuit Race Championship
Gallery 2: Mens Circuit Race Championship
Gallery 3: Mens Circuit Race Championship
Gallery 4: Go-Ride at Horwich
Gallery 5: Youth Races (Horwich)
Gallery 6: Youth Races (Horwich)
Gallery 7: 3/4/Women/Junior Races (Horwich)
Gallery 8: 3/4/Women/Junior Races (Horwich)

 

Podium -- Silver medal for Tony Gibb, Gold for team-mate James Taylor and Bronze for 16 year old Adam Blythe.

 

The final event of a full days activities for the Horwich Carnival including running races and a procession of floats and carnival queens, was the Mens Elite Circuit Race Championship. From the first race of the day at 10.45 to the last, the rain never went away for long but there was still some very exciting racing to keep the crowd by the side of the roads entertained. The Mens Championship was no different.

 

The championship, promoted by the Horwich CC, was run on a triangular course in Horwich Town Centre (near Bolton) and was basically a drag up to a wide radius hairpin, a downhill run to the first of two right angle bends before the drag up to the finish started prior to the second of the right angle bends. Winner after an exciting race was James Taylor, who was the fastest in the group sprint. Taylor managed to hold off Plowman Craven teammate Tony Gibb and 16 year old Adam Blythe who was third.

 

A field of 75 riders were on the start line, on dry roads after the earlier rain had stopped long enough for the streets to dry out. Like most circuit races, this one was on for young and old from the moment the race started after a rolling lap. Early breaks came and went but one of the most surprising was a lone attack by Tony Gibb with around 33 laps to go. He got a gap of 17 seconds and managed to hold it for a three or four laps, long enough certainly to collect a 30 pound prime, before he was caught.

By this time though, the driving pace of the race as Agisko Dart chasing Gibb stretched the group out into a long thin line, tearing the field apart as they did so and riders were coming off the back quicker than they were off the front. Once Gibb was back in the fold, Ross Muir of Evans had a dig, chased down by Matt Stephens (Sigma Sport) but they, like Gibb,  failed to make the move stick.

More moves were tried by riders and as each attack came and went, the elastic holding the bunch together was becoming more and more fragile and soon the inevitable happened as a gap opened and before long, there were two large groups 30 seconds or so apart that were racing around the mile long circuit.

The break then, bit by bit, opened up the gap between them and the bunch whilst more riders tried their luck to get away as the rain returned for the final half of the race. A dangerous looking break was the one by Nick Craig and Ian Wilkinson, bronze medallist in 2005 in the Circuit Race championship. Wilkinson had been in half a dozen moves and this one was looking the most promising, but yet again, the chasers found another gear and closed the gap at the expense of more riders being dropped from the break.

After the Wilkinson/Craig tandem had been brought back, another rider well known for his cross country mountain bike exploits, Paul Oldham, had a go and was away for several laps before his attack too was nullified. Malcolm Elliot too had some time off the front, a few seconds no more, as he took a prime but even he wasn't able to force open the gap. And if it was to be a bunch sprint, then the PCA team were going to do their best to control things and James Taylor and Malcolm Elliot took turns at driving the group along through the finish as did Duncan Urquhart for his teammate Neil Coleman.

With the bell lap only a few laps away, Ben Hallam tried his luck. One of two Glendene riders in the break, he attacked up the finishing straight but the pace was so fast, he never got more than a few yards before being brought back. Then drama as Rob Hayles punctured his rear tyre and came into the pits at the back of the break and had a very quick bike change, so quick, the next time round he was back on the front of the break.

Bell lap, and Rob Hayles looked in control as he led the field over the finish line, but the former double-world champion was no-where to be seen as the sprint unfolded up the hill to the finish line and instead, it was the Plowman Craven duo of James Taylor and Tony Gibb, both throwing their arms up in the air at a 1-2 for Simon Barnes' team which has had a frustrating time of late. A little over a minute later,  winner of the bunch sprint was Tim Lawson from SIS.

 

After the podium presentation, we spoke to James Taylor (pictured above winning) who was naturally delighted with his own victory, his 26th national title, and also the way his team Plowman Craven have bounced back at the right time. The day before with a lot of money on the line, James had awful luck when his chain got wrapped around his rear mech and he was refused a lap out.

"Yesterday was not my day. To be in the winning move and to be feeling as good as I am feeling at the moment and not be allowed a lap out was a kick in the whatsits. I chased for half a lap and then sat up and refocused. Two or three years ago I'd have thrown my bike in a ditch and been on a strop today but at 29, I realise that doesn't work and today it's amazing. I don't know what to say."

"I thought Tony was having it. As we came up the finishing straight, I felt Adam Blythe up on my shoulder and Tony coming up, and then suddenly I just seemed too be riding away and it was like, jesus, where's this come from."

Talking about the final lap when Rob Hayles came through the finish leading them, James explained "He got faster and faster and I could see Crawley happening all over again and then as we came round that bottom turn, I like to think I am pretty tidy going round corners and we came round that, I gave it a big turn and that was it. But Rob was going strong all day."

James is also one of those athletes who has another job outside of riding which makes the victory all the more special. "When I first started the job, it was hard mixing the two because I wasn't used to it and its made me train to be honest. I have a certain amount of time each week to train and that is making me train when I have got to train. In the last six weeks I have come on and started getting better and better and to this. But where this has come from I don't know."

Finally, I asked about the circuit and the rain. "The circuit was good and when the rain came down, it changed everything. I felt really good and then suddenly Malcolm hit the barriers down the bottom and two laps to go I thought, I'm sliding and I hadn't felt like that until then. That last lap we were going round there pretty quick. It was a lot wider than I thought it was going to be which in the rain, it made it safer."

 

For the silver medallist Tony Gibb, the victory was also pretty sweet. For a long time he has been riding for Simon Barnes and Plowman Craven and then this year, they put a team put together of some of the biggest names in the sport here in Britain. The road has been up and down because when you have such a team, everyone is looking at you to not only make the race, but also get the results-namely victories. In the Elite Circuit Race series, Malcolm Elliott delivered them a great start and then the team suffered a series of defeats and no champion likes to be beaten. Especially Tony.

So when James raised his arms as victor in the championship race, Tony in second, raised his at the same time, both delighted with the way everything came right for them on the day. "We were a bit disappointed after yesterday because that was a bit of dress rehearsal for today and it didn't go to plan. We had a bit of chat last night and today, we rode superbly. We had some bad luck when Tom's (Smith) handlebars broke but Malcolm turned himself inside out and did the professional job that you expect from a fantastic pro."

Early in the race, Tony was away on his own which turns out wasn't actually part of the plan. "I ended up on the left hand side and kicked a few times in the chair and found myself go away. I was hoping that if I did three or four laps, that it would split behind and a group would come across. It didn't and I wasn't gong to spend 29 laps out there on my own!"

Talking about the team, Tony says "For the first year of having a team, there have been some disappointments but it's been phenomenal. Simon and I go back six years and this is Simon's team and I have been there from the start. I have helped bring in riders and some sponsors and it rests heavily on my shoulders when things go wrong but James is helping me out and kicking butts when they need to be kicked."

And finally, you can't help notice when around the team about well they are equipped, with their Opera bikes. "Phil Griffiths (Yellow Ltd) has backed the team to the hilt, the bikes, wheels, shoes, glasses, you name it and Phil has been fantastic. And this bike (the Opera) is the best bike I have ridden without exception" he said finally.

 

In the top five were two 16 year olds, Adam Blythe in Third and Peter Kennaugh in 5th. It shows that there is some great talent coming through the Olympic Development program. And for Adam, especially a sweet result after his girlfriend Lizzy Armitstead won the Womens title the day before (when he was second in the mens race) and also an up and down year for the Sheffield youngster.

 

"I'm over the moon with that. Having been ill for the first three months of the year, so I'm really happy with that result. I got taken out wide on the last corner when someone came under me and managed to get some grip again and went from that bottom corner."

"I started coming up to him and then he kicked again so I had to dig in and hold on to the line. In the first part of the race I suffered and was hurting when Rob (Hayles) kept giving it big stints up the hill but it went alright. I'm just getting the form back now and couldn't ask for two better results in a weekend."

 

In the last event of the day, and in a break from the rain, the riders line up for the 2006 British Cycling National Circuit Race championship.

 

 

The rain kept a large crowd at bay but at times, the barriers were full of cheering spectators as the bunch was lined out by th pace of the race.

 

 

One of the first breaks lead by Ian Wilkinson (SIS) ahead of James Williamson (Agisko Dart).

 

 

Early lone break (Tony Gibb was another), by Duncan Urquhart of the Agisko Dart RT.

 

 

Matt Stephens rode a strong race and is seen here lining the field out through the finish area. 

 

 

Nick Craig (Scott UK) and Ian Wilkinson (SIS) get away in the final quarter of the race as the rain comes down.

 

 

Paul Oldham goes for it in the latter stages of the race.

 

 

James Taylor driving the bunch hard in the latter stages of the race.

 

 

Four laps to go, and Rob Hayles punctures and changes bike and was back in the group the next time they came round.

 

 

Rob Hayles leads the bunch at the bell but finished last of the break.

 

Results (Provisional Only)
Men's Championship
1. James Taylor, Plowman Craven RT 1.28.51
2. Tony Gibb, Plowman Craven RT
3. Adam Blythe, Pinarello RT
4. Karl Freeman, Team Milton Keynes
5. Peter Kennaugh, Glendene CC
6. Ben Hallam, Glendene CC
7. Ross Muir, Evans Cycles
8. Ian Wilkinson,Science in Sport
9. Paul Oldham, Hope Factory Racing
10. Matthew Stephens, Sigma Sport
11. Nick Craig, Scott UK
12. Tom White, Kuota-Biemme
13. James Stewart, Lecoq
14. Neil Coleman, Agisko Dart
15. Shaun Snodden, recycling.co.uk @ 5 secs
16. Rob Hayles, Team KLR
17. Phil Dixon, SIS
18. Malcolm Elliot, Plowman Craven
19. Duncan Urquhart, Agisko Dart @14 secs
20. Tim Lawson, SIS @1.23
21. Daniel Duiguid, Sigma Sport
22. Alistair Rutherford, Wills Wheels
23. George Richardson, Team Kona UK
24. Roy Holmes, Hewitt RT
25. Vince Halpern, AW Cycles
26. Andrew Guy, Preston CC
27. Mark Dziobon, Bontrager-Rudy Project
28. Mark Hammerersley, Wills Wheels
29. Richard Williamson, Velo Sport Quimper
30. Adam Weaver, Doncaster Wheelers,
31. Andy Gott, Sportest.co.uk
32. Adam Wood, Horwich CC
33. Jack Woodward, Science in Sport
34. Alistair Kay, York Cycle Works
35. Daniel Davies, Agisko Dart
36. Mike Harrison, Sigma SPort
37. James Williamson, Agisko Dart @1.30
38. David Williams, Kuota-Biemme
39. Andy Collis, De Rosa RT
40. Tony Parkison, Rochdale, Tri Club
41. Kevin Dawson, Agisko Dart

Youth

Youth A
1. Matt Jones, Interbike RT
2. Will Penn, Interbike RT
3. Scott Flynn, Obri Coaching RT
4. Daniel Stevens, Liverpool Century
5. Craig Eden, St Helens CRC
6. Thomas Lowe, Merlin
7. Joseph Martin, Sportcity Velo
8. Sam Pedder, Sportcity Velo
9. Lawrence Paddon, Horwich CC
10. Joe Allen, New Brighton CC
11. Ben Goddard, Newport CC
12. Crolla Thomas, Sportcity Velo
13. Steve Aldgate, Mossley,
14. Andrew Davis, Horwich CC

Youth B
1. Perry Bowater, Walsall Road RC
2. Matthew Waters, Ribble Valley Juniors
3. Oliver Webster, Triangle RT
4. Alex Stainsby, Clevland Wh
5. James McGillick, Mossley
6. Laura Allen, New Brighton CC
7. Jack Bowyer, Eastlands Velo
8. Matthew Holmes, Eastlands Velo
9. Jack Penrice, Eastlands Velo
10. Melissa Greaves, Bronte Wheelers
11. Eric Fitton, Mossley
12. Lucas Tilston, Eastlands Velo
13. Joshua Murray, Mossley CRT
14. James Layland, Mossley CRT

Youth C
1. Harry Tanfield, Cleveland Wheelers
2. Sam Lowe, Merlin Dev Squad
3. Hugh Carthy, Science in Sport
4. Hannah Layland, Mossley CRT
5. Jack Sadler, Gill Cycles
6. Adam Holt, Bynea CC
7. Jordon Rigby, Ribble Valley Juniors
8. Joshua Penrice, Eastlands velo
9. Tom Armstrong, Ribble Valley
10. Chris Latham, Eastlands Velo
11. Joshua Knights, Team Scottish provident
12. Jack Pedder, Sportcity Velo
13. Jessica Anderson, Eastlands Velo
14. Ashleigh Huntsman, Cleveland Wh
15. Kirsty Raw, Hetton Hawks
16. Niall Farrington, Liverpool Century
17. Elliot Webster, Triangle RT
18. Drew Fitton, Mossley CRT


Youth D
1. Charlie Tanfield, Cleveland Wheelers
2. Samiual Turton, Ribble Valley
3. Megan Hetton, Hawkes (Girl)
4. Robert Armstrong, Ribble valley Juniors
5. Ryan McGillick, Mossley CRT

Youth E
1. Adam Layland, Mossley CRT
2. Toby Tanfield, Cleveland Wheelers


Category 3/4/Women
1. Scott Thwaites, Merlin
2. Matthew Cronshaw, Lune RCC
3. Andy Tinsley, Omnipex/Bioracer
4. Simon Holt, Merlin
5. Mendel In'tveld, Liverpool RC
6. Darren Tiffen, PM
7. Warren Flynn, Obri Coaching
8. Jack Pullar, Lune RCC
9. Matthew Greaves, Bronte Wheelers
10. Nathan Harrison, Lancs RC

Women
1. Clare Rutherford, Wills Wheels