Diggle Hangs on to Takes Tour of Wales
Junior Tour of Wales
26-28 August 2006
Final Stage report by Richard Robotham (with special thanks to Stuart Stanton)
The Final Stage in pictures & captions >>>>
Stage 5: 79 Riders took the start of the final punishing 62 mile stage of the 26th running of the Junior Tour of Wales. The Riders would have to tackle 3 major climbs including the Tumble (Keepers) Mountain before the finish. After Stage 4, Merseyside's Tom Diggle (Kuota/Biemme) - pictured right, in yellow - held onto Yellow with a narrow lead of 9 seconds over UCI World Scratch Race Champion Peter Kennaugh Glendene/Biketraks.
The strong Glendene Team would surely be determined to take the overall victory and Team Prize with all of its Riders within the top 15 places. Last year's winner Alex Dowsett started the stage as KoM Jersey holder but some 2 mins 38 secs down overall on Tom Diggle, a gap which Dowsett believed could be bridged on the final climb of the race.
Talking before the start, race leader Tom Diggle Kuota/Biemme, when asked his plan for the final stage, said "I'll sit tight, there are a few people I'm going to mark, and I'll try to sit tight at the front." King of the Mountains Leader Alex Dowsett Glendene/BikeTraks said "The team's main aim today is to win back the yellow jersey." Second overall and 9 seconds adrift of the Yellow Jersey, Peter Kennaugh Glendene BikeTraks stated "I just hope I can get it back on the Tumble"
Once racing began, an early break by Jonathon McEvoy Kinesis UK and Adam Bonser Le Coq Sportfif/Dolan/SIS set the blistering pace at the start of Stage 5. McEvoy took full points at the first KOM prime over Baverstocks at 10 miles and the Hot Spot sprint at Penderyn and Storey Arms at 14.5 miles and 24.5 miles respectively. Bonser settled for second at each of these primes.
They continued to stay ahead over the Brecon Beacons despite being buffeted by strong head and cross winds. The 10 mile descent from Storey Arms saw the chasing Peloton splinter into several groups. The race gained pace at bottom of this descent as the two leading riders were joined by a group of 6 who included Simon Holt Merlin Development and Ross Creber Kinesis UK (5th and 6th overall as the stage began.)
Classic South Wales terrain
The head of the race were then joined by last year's winner Alex Dowsett Glendene/BikeTraks and his fellow team mate and Welsh rider Luke Rowe the recent winner of the Junior Tour of Ireland. After 42 miles Dowsett led the way by taking the KOM prime at Bwlch with Bonser taking another second place.
A Large crowd turned out at Cricklehowell to witness Tom Diggle Kutoa/Biemme escape from the front of the chasing group which was now 2.30 minutes behind, Peter Kennaugh Glendene/Biketraks worked hard and managed to stay with Diggles.
Alex Dowsett wins the final stage
The 8 rider group splintered almost immediately they hit the start of the 3.5 mile ascent of the Tumble to the finish. With Luke Rowe leading the way up the final climb the chasing 3 made no inroads into his lead. As the climb progressed with little over a kilometre to go Luke Rowe looked certain to take the stage victory but was out powered and passed by Alex Dowsett and Stephen Adams BC East Midlands with 300 metres to go. Dowsett made history by becoming the first rider in the 26 year running of the race to win the final stage 2 years in succession; however, his win did not affect the overall result on General Classification.
The winner of the 2006 Junior Tour of Wales Tom Diggle thought the race was very good and was naturally pleased with his overall win, although he thought it was rather close at the end, "It's a good race, but a hard course, particularly the climb up the Tumble at the end."
Race Organiser's Report
The RIS Insulation Junior Tour of Wales held over the Bank Holiday weekend produced the tightest finish in its 26 year history.
After 3 days and 5 separate stages of racing in the mountains of north Blaenau Gwent and the Brecon Beacons just 57 seconds separated the first six overall.
Tom Diggle (Kuota/Biemme) who hails from Southport scored a totally deserved and completely surprising win on the strength of his consistent finishing and gritty attitude. Riding on his own against highly organised and strong team combinations, Diggle took over the lead following a tough hours racing on the 3km per lap circuit race in Bryn Bach Park .
Glendene/Biketraks put their stamp on the race by getting 7 placings in the first 10 on the stage 1 Time Trial.with Russel Hampton winning in 11mins..43secs to complete the 6 miles from Brynmawr to the top of the Tumble above Blaenavon. Last years winner Alex Dowsett came in second just 8 seconds behind .
Dowsett virtually blew his chances of a repeat win when he was part of a group on stage 2 who turrned off early in Llangynidr ending up about 4 minutes behind the Stage winner Matthew Cronshaw (Lune Road Club) from the North of England . Cronshaw did a fantastic ride over the Llangynidr mountain finishing 24 secs in front of Manxman and world champion track rider Peter Kennaugh.
The next stage in this International event also sponsored by Blaenau Gwent Council Bush Mobility and Martyn Ashfield Cycles plus many other businesses around South Wales made its way over to Merthyr Tydfil down the A470 and on through Nelson onto Fochriw mountain with Alex Dowsett again showing his class by taking the Stage by half a minute over team mate Jonathan Bellis on the line outside the Prince of Wales Inn.
Stage 5 the traditional circuit of the Brecon Beacons culminating in the 3 mile climb of the Tumble (Keepers) mountain between Abergavenny and Blaenavon featured attack after attack on Diggles lead . Particularly prominent were the defending champion Alex Dowsett (Glendene) and his Welsh clubmate Luke Rowe. Dowsett went on to win the stage but Diggles overall advantage held on by just 6 seconds.
Luke had the consolation of taking the best Welsh club rider award donated by the Racehorse Inn ,Brynmawr back to Cardiff ahead of his older brother Matt. He in Turn took home the sprints award while Alex Dowsett claimed the King of the Mountains prize.
In all 77 riders completed the race and many will be back next year when Luke Rowe may just be strong enough to claim a long overdue Welsh victory in this the high point of the season for British Junior (16-18 yeas) Racing
Results
Full results for entire field, including analysis (all pdf downloads, less than 100kb)
Final GC >>>> | Sprints >>>> | KOM >>>> | Team GC >>>>
Stage 5 Result
1 Alex Dowsett 2:38:55
2 Stephen Adams 2:39:10
3 Luke Rowe 2:39:20
4 Simon Holt 2:39:26
5 Jonathan McEvoy 2:39:44
6 Alex Paton 2:39:49
7 Adam Bonser 2:39:55
8 Ross Kreber 2:40:21
9 Peter Kennaugh 2:40:42
10 Tom Diggle 2:40:45Full Results (pdf download less than 100kb) >>>>
Stage 4 Result
1 Jonathan Bellis 1:01:02
2 Russell Hampton 1:01:09
3 Tom Diggle 1:01:31
4 Adam Blythe 1:01:44
5 Andrew Griffiths 1:01:44
6 Simon Holt 1:01:44
7 Peter Kennaugh 1:01:44
8 Rhys Lloyd 1:01:44
9 Adam Bonser 1:01:44
10 Luke Rowe 1:01:44Full Results (pdf download less than 100kb) >>>>
Stage 3 Result
1 Alex Dowsett 02:07:00
2 Jonathan Bellis 02:07:29
3 Adam Bonser 02:07:36
4 Matthew Cronshaw 02:07:40
5 Stephen Adams 02:07:40
6 Tom Diggle 02:07:42
7 Liam Holohan 02:07:48
8 Adam Blythe 02:08:15
9 Simon Holt 02:08:15
10Mark McNally 02:08:15Full Results (pdf download less than 100kb) >>>>
Stage 2 Result
1 Matthew Cronshaw 2:03:45
2 Peter Kennaugh 2:04:09
3 Tom Diggle 2:04:09
4 Darren Tiffen 2:04:28
5 Ross Kreber 2:04:33
6 James McNally 2:04:59
7 Liam Holohan 2:05:05
8 Simon Holt 2:05:20
9 Matt Rowe 2:05:20
10 Stephen Adams 2:06:31
11 Adam Blythe 2:07:24Full Results (pdf download less than 100kb) >>>>
Time Trial Result
1 Russell Hampton Glendene CC 11:43
2 Alex Dowsett Glendene CC 11:51 5
3 Peter Kennaugh Glendene CC 12:14
4 Jonathan Bellis Glendene CC 12:15
5 Rhys Lloyd Merlin Development 12:25
6 Matt Rowe Glendene CC 12:26
7 Luke Rowe Glendene CC 12:28
8 Scott Thwaites Merlin Development 12:33
9 Andrew Griffiths Glendene CC 12:34
10 Adam Bonser Le Coq Sportif 12:43Full Results (pdf download less than 100kb) >>>>
Final General Classification
1 Tom Diggle 8:07:11
2 Peter Kennaugh 8:07:17
3 Alex Dowsett 8:07:44
4 Simon Holt 8:07:47
5 Matthew Cronshaw 8:08:05
6 Stephen Adams 8:08:08
7 Ross Creber 8:09:03
8 Jonathan Bellis 8:09:47
9 Luke Rowe 8:10:11
10 Adam Bonser 8:10:13
11 James McNally 8:10:46
12 Matt Rowe 8:11:10
13 Liam Holohan 8:11:11
14 Jonathan McEvoy 8:12:35
15 Alex Paton SEM 8:13:35
16 Adam Blythe 8:13:54
17 Andrew Griffiths 8:14:09
18 Scott Thwaites 8:14:19
19 Steven Guymer 8:15:14
20 Russell Hampton 8:15:30
Final King of the Mountains Classification
1 Alex Dowsett 27
2 Jonathan Bellis 12
3 Luke Rowe 11
4 Adam Bonser 10
5 Matt Rowe 9
Final Team Classification
1 Glendene CC 24:29:01
2 Kinesis UK 24:30:54
3 Merlin Development 24:37:07
4 Le Coq Sportif 24:44:25
5 South East England MTB Squad 24:46:56
Final Hot-spots Sprint Classification
1 Matt Rowe 28
2 Adam Blythe 24
3 Jonathan Bellis 14
4 Adam Bonser 13
5 Tom Diggle 12
