Ryedale Grand Prix

(British Cycling Premier Calendar)

 

Photos & Report by Andrew Kennedy for British Cycling
Premier Calendar Home Page

 

Note: Photos of the race can now be viewed by clicking the Gallery 1 button at the top of the page.

 

Duncombe Park, Helmsley the stately home of Lord and Lady Feversham was the splendid setting for the Premier Calendar Ryedale Grand Prix (Peter Longbottom Memorial) elite road race, the sixth counting event in the eight race elite series. The event was held as part of the Yorkshire Festival of Cycling.

 

Series leader Kristian House (Recycling.co.uk) and the 80 riders who'd signed on, rolled up for the start in the gardens of this beautiful estate, as hundreds of leisure cyclists took part in various events.  Race director Bob Howden and his energetic team from the Yorkshire Division had managed to co-ordinate the elite race around grass track racing, a cancer research charity ride, cycle speedway and Go-Ride activities for young children. A great feat of organisation as it ensured a big crowd to see off the peloton as they rode out of Duncombe Park to begin a long day in the saddle, bathed in Yorkshire sunshine.



Roll out of Duncombe Park

This area of Yorkshire is famous for it's weather, the saying goes, "If you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes cos something different will come along", and it did. As the peloton raced towards Castle Howard the expected summer shower drenched the riders, with two early casualties hitting the deck on a slippery descent.

This circuit was used last year for the elite Road Race Championships, and although it doesn't feature any serious climbs the undulations never stop. The course is split into two circuits with four laps of each before retracing the roads back to Duncombe Park in Helmsley.

On lap two of the first circuit a 12 man break gained a small 12 second lead, with the main teams of Recycling, SIS, Agisko-Dart and Team Nippo KFS all represented. This early break was short lived and by the end of the 2nd lap the field was all back together.


Notable by their absence from the start line were the Plowman Craven team. Malcolm Elliot had taken 3rd place in the Archer Grand Prix, but failed to make any impact in the other counting events, and with none of their riders in the top ten overall in the series knowledgeable spectators were speculating if the Plowman Cravens had given up on the Premier Calendar Road series.

The Recycling team outnumbered the other teams, and they had strength in depth. This became obvious as the race progressed, with Recycling riders at the front, and in every move throughout the whole race. Team boss John Herety was also in a dominant position leading the team cars hierarchy in the convoy. As the race reached the mid way point Robert Partridge (Recycling) led the field through the picturesque village of Hovingham. A split had been created and the lead group passed through Hovingham over two minutes clear of what was left of the main field.




Rob Partridge (Recycling) leads the field through Hovingham

With 75 miles of racing in their legs the peloton moved to the second circuit, and Matthew Stephens (Sigmasport) led the group which had now been whittled down to 13 riders, Stephens led them up the short climb out of Gilling East. This proved to be the decisive break and contained Graham Dawson (Agisko-Dart) Mark Lovatt (PlanetX RT) David Clarke (Team Nippo) Ian Wilkinson (SIS) Matthew Kipling (VC Briganti) the Recycling team were represented by Robin Sharman, Evan Oliphant, Ben Greenwood and Shaun Snodden. A further 35 seconds adrift up Gilling East were Kristian House and Dale Appleby (Recycling) who both looked as though they had missed the move.




Former professional and British champion, Matthew Stephens (Sigmasport) shows his class as he leads the breakaways on final circuit.

On lap 3 of the final circuit as the leaders climbed to the feed zone, Mark Lovatt put in a huge attack. Dale Appleby had managed to jump across to the leaders but Lovatts attack had Appleby losing contact at the back of the group. Premier Calendar series leader Kristian House was now 1.45 off the lead group, and rode through the feed with a look of resignation on his face.



Mark Lovatt (PlanetX RT) breaks up the leading group as they approach the last feed zone.



Kristian House (Recycling) missed the break.

Now on the final lap of the finishing circuit with 15 miles still to race, the Recycling team dominance was hard to ignore. With five riders in the lead group of thirteen and 3.45 back to the next group. Young hopeful Dale Appleby was a further minute adrift, and now suffering from his earlier effort to bridge the gap.



Dale Appleby (Recycling) losing contact with the lead group.

As the crowd gathered in front of stately Duncombe Park, race commentator Willi Moore announced that according to race radio three riders had managed to break clear of the front group and established a lead of 20 seconds. The three were Matt Stephens, Ben Greenwood and Evan Oliphant.

 

Recycling rider Robin Sharman had been with the leaders but had suffered a puncture in the closing miles.

Within minutes the huge crowd at Duncombe Park were delighted to see the convoy racing up the grand driveway. Police outriders, and team cars shot through the finish area with sirens blaring and lights flashing. In the distance three riders were out of the saddle and sprinting for the line. With Matthew Stephens fading across the last 100 metres the sprint was a Team Recycling affair with both Greenwood and Oliphant riding hard to the line, the victory went to Evan Oliphant with salutes from both riders as they crossed the line.



Evan Oliphant the winner, with team mate Ben Greenwood second.

Puncture victim Robin Sharman led home the next group over 2 minutes down. At the post race interviews Evan Oliphant was quick to acknowledge his team efforts, and thanked the crowd for a fantastic reception at the finish. His only problem of the day was dealing with an exploding bottle of champagne, which he lost control of as Lord Feversham handed out the prizes.



Oliphant celebrates his win.




Matthew Stephens, Evan Oliphant and Ben Greenwood

With the Tour of Pendle and the Tour of the Peak still to ride in the series, Kristian House maintains a commanding lead in the Premier Calendar, although Team Recycling priorities may change with riders fighting to secure a place in The Tour of Britain. Theoretically Robin Sharman and Phil Dixon (SIS) are still capable of taking the overall in the series.

The end of the race also drew a close to the Yorkshire Cycling Festival, now in it's third year and a tremendous success. Yorkshire Division chairman and today's race director Bob Howden has put together a great team. They started with a mass participation ride, the White Rose Classic, then three weeks of festival, promoting the mens and women's elite road championships at Beverley, followed by the Otley Town Centre elite circuit race, and in between promoting events for all the cycling disciplines.

RESULTS (thanks to Bob Pinkerton)
1. Evan Oliphant, Recycling.co.uk, 4.50.46
2. Ben Greenwood, Recycling.co.uk, st
3. Matthew Stephens, Sigmasport Rt @13 secs
4. Robin Sharman, Recycling.co.uk, @2.14
5. David Clarke, Team Nippo KFS,
6. Phil Dixon, Science in Sport/Trek
7. Matthew Kipling, VC Briganti/CNP
8. Shaun Snodden, Recycling.co.uk
9. Kevin Dawson, Agisko/Dart
10. Mark Lovatt, Planet-X RT
11. Ian Wilkinson, Science in Sport/Trek @2.45
12. Robert Partridge, Recycling.co.uk, @6.21
13. Alex Hagman, Agisko/Dart
14. Sean Polson, VC Azzurri
15. James Williamson, Agisko/Dart @6.40
16. Daniel Staite, Rapha/Condor @10.37
17. Kristian House, Recycling.co.uk @13.22
18. Neil Jones, Gateway RT/Gateway Cycles
19. Mark Wordsworth, JE James/Direct Plastics/D&D/Gi
20. Raymond Wilson, Dunfermline CC
21. Paul Oldham, Hope Factory Racing
22. Mariusz Weisiak, Team Nippo KFS @13.31
23. Peter Williams, Kinesis UK @14.54
24. Gary Hand, Agisko/Dart st
25. Neil Coleman, Agisko/Dart @15.00
26. James Dobbin, Arctic/Shorter Rochford RT @16.53
27. Henry Furniss, Ride Beyond/Bike and Run @16.56
28. Mike Harrison, Sigmasport RT @16.58
29. Ben Pochee, Rapha/Condor, @17.01
30. Tim Lawson, Science in Sport/Trek @17.23
31. Daniel Duguid, Sigmasport RT, St
32. Daniel Shand, West Pennine RC, St
33. Rob Enslin, Agisko/Dart
34. Adam Weaver, Doncaster Wheelers/Pacy Wheatle
35. Ashley Brown, Featherstone RC/Kendell Cycles, st
36. Llewellyn Byrne, Science in Sport/Trek @17.29
37. James Sampson, Stilton RT/Terry Wright/Special @17.30
38. Dale Appleby, Recycling.co.uk, @17.33
39. Richard Wilkinson, Rapha/Condor @17.35