Glasgow Grand Prix 2006 - Dane Takes the Spoils

 

Monday 28th August; Glasgow, Scotland

Part of the British Cycling Elite Circuit Series (Elite Circuit Series)

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Race Report

Dane Michael Morkov riding for Denmark took the honours in the pre-Tour of Britain Glasgow Grand Prix circuit race in George Square in the heart of Glasgow.

Run off in increasingly difficult conditions - it began to rain in the final 10 minutes and finished in almost pitch darkness - the race featured only one significant move when, after less then 10 laps and within the first five minutes, Morkov and Belgian Skil Shimano rider Maarten Tjallingi broke free from the front of the field. They rapidly put space between themselves and the bunch.

 

Maarten Tjallingi leads Michael Morkov in the near race long break.

There were a number of attempts to get across to them, but, perhaps with the Tour of Britain on their minds, the bigger teams seemed reluctant to chase in an organised and coherent manner, leaving individuals with the near impossible task of bridging to Morkov and Tjallingi - Markov in particular was driving things along at the front with impressive speed.

Large crowds came to watch the event

Coming into the final lap, Morkov was clearly determined not to let all his good work go to waste and manoeuvred his Belgian accomplice into the lead and then came round him down the barriers to win by half a wheel.

Rain made the closing stages very difficult

Behind them, Malcolm Elliott took the sprint for third ahead of Rob Hayles. Elliott was clearly disappointed at the finish that the bigger teams had not tried harder to bring back the break - however, he tempered that with the knowledge that he is now the proud owner of his first world champion's rainbow jersey, after his victory in his age category at last week's world masters Road Championships in Austria. His third place also cemented his position at the head of the series standings.

We'll be reporting back from every stage of the Tour of Britain, bringing you results, reports and images straight after each stage finish.

 

After the race, Larry Hickmott spoke to Malcolm Elliott about the race and about his recent World Championship win:

"It turned out as good as I could have expected. With those two away, it was going to take another team to chase them down and nobody seemed bothered. Recycling and DFL were keeping a really low profile, so it became a series of individual efforts which were never going to succeed at pulling a break like that back."

 

"So it became a ride for third place and when the rain came down with ten minutes to go it made it really tricky and in fairness, everyone was quite sensible - which made it a straightforward gallop down here, just like 22 years ago in '84 when I first came down here charging to a finish line."

 

Elliott win the gallop for third

 

"Anything better than seventh was going to gain me points and Warwick [Spence, his main rival for the series] finished 10th so I gained on him. I just got back from Austria yesterday morning so this was a bit of a contrast. I went there to ride the UCI Masters World Championships. People have been saying to me for a few years I should go there, and I have always managed to exclude myself because I'd been competing in UCI races that season. Whereas this year with the Lincoln and Archer having lost their international status and not doing the RAS as I usually do, it left it open."

Talking more about his world title win in Austria, he went on to say "I'm not used to racing people my own age and it was quite surprising the standard of them. I don't come across too many of them in England. I was really nervous about the race and went there wanting to prepare properly and focus and fortunately it came off for me."

"I was in a three up break with Thurlow Rogers, my old teammate from the States and a Frenchman and he remembered me from my days in France in the early 80's. We got away on a short climb with 25k to go and we had a minute at the finish where it was a straightforward three man sprint and I knew the French guy had been taking it steady in the break and I didn't know much about him. He proved a bit stronger in the sprint than I expected but I held him off and won a world championship, a rainbow jersey - it's been 30 years I have been trying for one of those!"

Results

1. Michael Morkov, Denmark
2. Maarten Tjallingi, Skil/Shimano
3. Malcolm Elliott, Plowman Craven, @ 22 seconds
4. Rob Hayles, Team KLR
5. Andrew Steensen, Denmark
6. Dale Appleby, Recycling.co.uk
7. Gary Adamson, Kuoto Biemme
8. Skil/Shimano
9. Ross Muir, Evans Cycles
10. Warrick Spence, London Dynamo
11. James McCallum, TheBicycleWorks.com
12. Daniel Kreutzfeld, Denmark
13. John McCarthy, TheBicycleWorks.com
14. Skil/Shimano

15. Ben Abrahams, Equipe Velo Ecosse
16. Gary Handy, Agisko Viner
17. Ross Crook, Edinburgh RC
18. Gareth Montgomery, Endura
19. Arthur Doyle, Ivy CC
20. Sean Newington, North Beach Hotel

further details coming........

More Images from the race

 

Start if the Junior and Youth event.

Young riders riding an agressive race in front of a large and vocal crowd of supporters

The Elite Circuit Race gets under way.


Bunch races past the Tour of Britain podium used for the Glasgow GP

More Junior and Youth rider race action.

Junior winner.

 

James McCallum, Commonwealth bronze medalist, tries a lone attack to chase the leaders.


Michael Morkov just manages to beat Maarten Tjallingi

 

Podium lass Jackie, Malcolm Elliot, Michael Morkov and Maarten Tjallingi on the podium

Race Info

RIDERS
1. Dean Downing, Team Dfl-Cycling News-Litespeed E
2. Russell Downing, Team Dfl-Cycling News-Litespeed E
3. Tom Barras, Team Dfl-Cycling News-Litespeed E
4. Alex Coutts, Team Dfl-Cycling News-Litespeed E
5. Cameron Jennings, Team Dfl-Cycling News-Litespeed E
6. Kane Oakley, Team Dfl-Cycling News-Litespeed E
7. Chris Newton, Recycling.Co.Uk E
8. Robin Sharmen, Recycling.Co.Uk E
9. Kristian House, Recycling.Co.Uk E
10. Robert Partridge, Recycling.Co.Uk E
11. Dale Appleby, Recycling.Co.Uk E
12. Sean Snodden, Recycling.Co.Uk E
13. Evan Oliphant, Recycling.Co.Uk E

14. Malcolm Elliott, Plowman Craven RT E
15. James McCallum, The Bicycleworks.com E
16. Rob Hayles, Team KLR (pictured showing off!)
17. Kate Cullen, City of Edinburgh Wolfson Electronics EW
18. SKIL Shimano
19. SKIL Shimano
20. SKIL Shimano
21. Casper Jorgensen, Denmark
22. Michael Faek Christensen, Denmark
23. Alex Rasmussen, Denmark
24. Andre Steensen, Denmark
25. Jens-Erik Madsen, Denmark
26. Michael Morkov, Denmark
27. Graham McGarrity, C21 Multisport Specialized E
28. Norman Gillen, Squadra Porcini Warren Consultants 3
29. Arthur Doyle, Ivy CC 2
30. Steve McEwen, Pedalpower RT 2
31. Ed Cluer, Glasgow Wheelers Taylor Agency 2
32. Stefan Collins, Glasgow Wheelers Taylor Agency 1
33. Adam Robertson, VC Azzuri 2
34. Richard Hepworth, Wakefield CC Exponential 1
35. Kevin Barclay, Merlin Development Squad 1J
36. Stuart McManus, ScienceinSport.com Trek 2
37. Jack Woodward, ScienceinSport.com Trek
38. Jonathan Copp, Deeside Thistle CC 1
39. Andy Tinsley Bioracer Onipex 2
40. Ross Crook Edinburgh RC The Bicycleworks 2

41. Jim Cusick, Glasgow Couriers 1
42. Raymond Reidy, Leslie Bike Shop 2
43. Tom Smith, AW Cycles.co.uk Giant Northwave
44. Gary Adamson, Kuota Biemme 1
45. Jamie Drever, Glasgow Wheelers 2
46. Euan Pope, Rockhard MBC MTBE
47. Stephen Cassels 2
48. John Stollery, Parker International 2
49. Mark Richards, East Kilbride Road Club 2
50. Steve Wright, North Beach Hotel - Dooleys Cycles
51. Sean Newington, North Beach Hotel - Dooleys Cycles
52. Paul Rennie, North Beach Hotel - Dooleys Cycles
53. Kevin McNulty, North Beach Hotel - Dooleys Cycles
54. Gary Hand, Agisko-Dart-Cycling TV E
55. TBC Evans Cycles
56. TBC Evans Cycles
57. TBC Evans Cycles
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