38th Girvan 3 Day Cycle Race
promoted by Wallacehill Cycling Club
A British Cycling Premier Calendar Event
April 7-9, 2007; Race website: www.girvanrace.info
Race Reports by Carl J Lawrenson; Photos by Jane Knox
The Girvan has seen some nail-bitingly close finishes in recent years and with just 3 seconds separating the yellow jersey of Ian Wilkinson (Science in Sport) from former leader Chris Newton (recycling.co.uk) the 2007 race was no exception.
| Stage 1, Day 1 |
It was a nervous first stage for this years Premier Calendar event in Scotland characterised by several crashes in the peloton.
First winner in the 2007 Girvan was Recycling's Chris Newton, fresh from the UCI World Track Championships in Majorca last week, who just managed to outpace John Tanner and Ian Wilkinson at the line to win the stage and take the yellow leader's jersey into the evening's stage. More >>>>
| Stage 2, Day 1 |
Just over four hours after the completion of stage 1, the riders lined up again for the traditional Saturday evening circuit race around Victory Park in the centre of Girvan.
After a keenly contested race, Plowman Craven’s Tony Gibb launched an attack in the centre of the road and narrowly edged ahead of Ian Wilkinson and yellow jersey Newton at the finish. On the podium, 2007 Double World Champion from the UCI World Track Championships, Scotland's own Chris Hoy, presented the leaders jerseys. More >>>>
| Stage 3, Day 2 |
Overnight leader Chris Newton (recycling.co.uk) took a slender 7 second advantage over Ian Wilkinson (Science in Sport) into the third – and longest - stage of the Girvan, with 2003 winner John Tanner (Sportscover) a further second behind in third place.
Forced to lead out the sprint, Wilkinson launched a blistering attack in the left hand gutter and held on to win from McCauley whilst Newton, third, lost the yellow jersey to Wilkinson by the smallest of margins. More >>>>
| Stage 4, Day 3 |
A large crowd awaited the final sprint in Victory Park and as the riders came in to view and the sprint began, it was winner of the previous week’s Tour of the Reservoir, Dean Downing, who got a gap and jubilantly crossed the line ahead of Briggs and Andy Roach (Pinarello RT) who finished 4 seconds behind.
Fourth and sixth places in the same time for Newton and Wilkinson respectively meant that their overall GC positions remained unchanged and with McCauley in the same group he retained third place overall. More >>>
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