Photos from Larry Hickmott
Photos from Richard Robotham & Gillian Granger
East Midlands International CiCLE Classic
Sunday 29th April 2007; Leicestershire
Report from Larry Hickmott
Pictures from Richard Robotham & Larry Hickmott
| Photos |
British Cycling had the Rutland-Melton international cycle race event covered from start to finish with photographers Richard Robotham, Gillian Granger and Larry Hickmott covering it from many an angle.
Right: John Greatorex doing his bit for the 2007 East Midlands International CiCLE Classic carrying British Cycling's photographer around the race.
At the top of the page are nine (9) galleries containing many hundreds of photographs from the race -- click a Gallery button to display where you can view the images one at a time or in a slide show. There is also a button for the results.
British Cycling would like to thank motorcycle pilot John Greatorex for his help in us capturing this unique event.
| Report |
At 45, Malcolm Elliott is still able to beat the best as he powers to a great victory in Melton Mowbray.
The 2007 East Midlands International CiCLE Classic has been won by Malcolm Elliott (Pinarello) at the end of a grueling 100 miles around the lanes of Leicestershire. With the 160 rider field tackling some of the roughest and toughest lanes in the area around Oakham and Melton Mowbray, it came down to a 12 rider group sprint with Elliott winning the contest ahead of Girvan winner Ian Wilkinson (SiS/Trek) and Michael Skelde (Denmark) in third.
Riders and managers had the maps out at the start.
With the road through the town shut by police, the riders wait as Alan Duncan MP starts to wave the race away in Oakham.
The race
Two hours before the race was even due to kick off, the car park at the start headquarters was already getting busy. Walking around and talking to the riders, the bikes were pretty much the same as normal with only different tyres being used, 25’s a popular choice and as neutral service told us, tyre pressure was going to be crucial to avoid impact punctures on the rough sections. There was also much studying of maps because the route for this race takes some time to understand and team managers and riders seemed to be spending a lot of time talking and discussing where the race goes.
As the organiser Colin Clews told us, the race is getting bigger and better each year and many I spoke to afterwards agreed. The start in Oakham high street, the main road through the town which now has a bypass to avoid shutting down the local roads, was packed with people, including local VIPs such as the mayor and the local MP.
At 10.45am the riders lined up while Hugh Porter spoke to various people including Commissaire President for the race Miriam van Es from Holland, star rider Mark Cavendish and the local VIPs. At 11am, the race got underway but it was an inauspicious start as it went the wrong way and as we waited at Kilometre 0, the race had gone another way. Oh well! With the help of the police who were running a rolling road closure, we finally caught up with it on the far aside of Rutland Water and the race was still together but the European riders were making an impact as they strung the race out.
The early break starts to form from a lone attack by one of the European riders.
Police stop the cars for a rolling road closure and volunteer marshalls guide the riders around the course.
Half a lap later and a break of a dozen riders was trying to force its way clear only be brought back and another break got way. The break included Roy Chamberlain (Team Corley), Matt Talbot (Rapha Condor), Preben Kristensen (Sparebanken Vest), Daniel Booth (East Midlands Development Agency), Daffyd Dylan (KFS Special Vehicles), Kasper Schjonnemann (Glud & Marstrand Horsens), Matt Stephens (Sigma Sport), Matthew Higgins (Team Corley) and Jan Sipeky (Dukla Trencin Merida).
This group stayed clear until the riders were around halfway through the race and on the third big loop they passed through Burrough-on-Hill. Behind them, chasers were coming up quick and then as we sat behind the break, the call came from the commissare for following cars to get out and let the bunch through which it did in single file and at speed along the gravel strew lanes whilst Rapha Condor rider Matt Talbot punctured from the break and had to wait as the chasers and bunch flew by. "I couldn't have picked a worse place to puncture, having just chased up to the break and then being spat out the back of everything so hard." he recalled later.
The early break led by Matt Higgins of Team Corely Cycles.
A chase groups starts to form lead by Elliott.
Stygate for the final time and Gordon McCauley attacks the break.
Through the special section at Somerby for the first time, there was one lone rider clear and then the beginning of the break started to form. The bunch were not far away but nor were punctures and at the spot we stood at the end of the special section, rider after rider came through looking for a new wheel. It was mayhem!
The break included last years winner Robin Sharman, Matt Stephens, Malcolm Elliot, David Clarke, John Charlesworth, Alex Dowsett, Richard Wilkinson, Gordon McCauley, Liam Holoham, Ian Wilkinson, and a host of continental riders. The lead to start with was slender but even through the pace up front wasn’t visually frantic, the peloton was fragmenting in the bid to get them back.
What only a few miles ago had been a long line of riders, after the second time over Somerby, the race was in pieces and behind the break, a small chase group had formed including Chris Newton, Simon Richardson, Mark Lovatt, and Alex Atkins.
Meanwhile up front, for the umpteenth time, Gordon McCauley attacked around Whissendene and for a while, was opening up a gap but Elliott wasn’t letting anything go and the rest also soon brought the Plowman Craven rider back into the fold.
The final section, Sawgate road, saw David Clarke driving hard and splitting the group but back on the A606 and 2k to go, the riders regrouped and it was in the sprint, that the 45 year old Elliot used his vast experience from years racing in the Worlds biggest races to dominate the sprint despite starting to cramp.
Podium: Skelde, Elliott and Wilkinson.
Afterwards we spoke to the riders:
Malcolm Elliott (Pinarello): “Its been a target to win a race like this and however improbable it might have seemed, I would have been thrilled to make the top three here to today. It’s a dream come true for me to win this today.”
On his attacking the break despite being one of the faster sprinters in it, the fastest as it turned out, the Pinarello rider said “I sensed there was the potential to split that race even more because there were a lot of people in that group that were lingering around down the back and the closing down of splits were being left to the same handful of riders. So there seemed to be a lot of people getting an easy ride there. So when it got a bit grippy or the rough stuff, I was going with every attack.”
“That did though took it toll on my sprint and so when I did open it up for the line, I wasn’t as strong and as fast as I would normally be. But that is what you get after 80 miles of attacking and constantly being on the front. And it was a hard chase to get back on after the puncture.”
“I punctured within half a mile of the same place I did last year. It the dip on the special section at Somerby and I punctured the front and had to ride it for a good mile, mile and a half on the rim until I was able to get a wheel”.
On how close the break was to being caught at one stage, Malcolm says “to be honest, I wasn’t paying attention to the race behind. The race was happening all in front and you can’t be looking behind in a race like today’s. There is too much going on in front.”
On the Premier Calendar series, he explained “our intention is to do most or every Premier Calendar race and most if not every Elite Circuit race series race within reason depending on how they fit in with whatever else we have planned. We’re not targeting it because in some ways it can spoil the season when you’re riding for an overall. It can spoil the enjoyment and the way you race on the single days. We’re out to win races and the overall will take care of itself.”
The special section at Somerby first time round and a lone break is chased by a fragmenting field.
Ian Wilkinson (SiS/Trek) (2nd): “The race was very hard to break today. The elastic remained in tact for a long time which was incredible with so many riders. I think there was a real depth to the field. On the road to Burrough-on-Hill, we went down a little lane back towards Owston, and that was where it split twice and that was really hard, they were really grippy roads.”
“We seemed to be going so slow but it just split. And then it came back together and split again and last time round that was the selection. We didn’t seem to be going overly hard but the course is that tough, you just couldn’t afford to. The new finish section was superb around Whissendene and Sawgate. The little drags and that made it quite attacking.”
Talking about the final special section, Ian explained “that was a superb little section, a great launch pad but everyone was well aware and although it did split a little bit, I don’t think anyone had the legs to go from there. It was a fantastic race, mega.”
On the Premier Calendar, Ian had this to say “I messed up at the Tour of Reservoir because I changed my shoes and pedals which was a bit unprofessional and I got some real bad cramps. It was shame to miss the Archer as it’s a superb race. I’ll now be trying to do well at Lincoln. The team is going mega now and we have the smart one gels and we’re going for gold with them now.”
Asked why he had different looking tyres back and front (one red, one black) (so I asked did he puncture) , Ian explained “this was a tactical move, Conti gator skins, 25 on front, 23 on back. Riders apparently use them in Paris Roubaix and they seemed really good. As far as punctures go that is the luck of the draw.”
Dave Clarke leads Elliott on the last special section.
Robin Sharman (last years winner, KFS Special Vehicles): “It was a tough day. I think it was faster with it being an international field which made for a good race definitely. A lot more positive that the recent Premiers have been. It was grippy day though. You could see towards the end it was getting quite slow. Malcolm is quite unbeatable in a sprint like that. I had a couple of digs with 5k to go but couldn’t get away or force a split. It wasn’t too bad.”
Alex Dowsett (100% ME): In the top 20, were at least three young British riders, first year senior Liam Holohan (Merlin) (12th) place, Alex Atkins from Glendene (20th) and Alex Dowsett who was 6th and still at school! It was his best result in a Premier aside from third on a stage of the Bikeline. The rider who was a junior last year, made the break which had previous Premier Calendar winners in it such as Sharman and McCauley and in the sprint to the line, wasn’t that far away from winner Elliott.
Talking about his race, he told us “I got across to the first break and that was caught and then eventually on the hard bits, a load of us got clear. There was just a load of attacking and no working together with the foreigners doing what they do best and attacking.”
“I think I did a bit too much. First of all, I got across to the break with Matt Talbot (who punctured we think later on in the race) and that was pulled back. And then people started chipping off the front and the break sort of formed from that. We didn’t have much of a gap for ages and then we suddenly pulled away. I didn’t think it was going to stick but then finally we looked around and there was no-one there.”
Asked who were the strong riders in the break, Alex says “Malcolm was very strong. He was always attacking, always up the front. Dave Clarke was really strong, Ian Wilkinson and Gordon McCauley were putting in a few attacks. Sharman was putting in a few digs too. Some of the foreign guys would spend a lot of time trying to get clear and we’d just hold them at 50 metres for ages and then pull them back. But they were fairly active as well.”
“I’m pleased with the result, its nice to be up there. This is the best overall result I have had in a Premier. I am annoyed at my finish though. I went with 500 metres to go. Gordon had just come back from his attack with a K to go and everyone started to ease up so I just used the speed to hit them hard but I think they must have seen the danger and they got me back and obviously I was pretty wrecked for the sprint.”
On his teammates in the Academy doing well in Italy, he says, “the boys are doing well and working really well as a team and I can’t wait to get out there and be part of it to be honest.”
Speaking after the race, Gordon McCauley said: "That was a tough race, more like a war of attrition, but it’s a great event. The speed never dropped on the off-road sections and a lot of dust and stones were thrown up, but at least it was dry. Once you get a mechanical problem on a course like this it’s game over and classic race tactics really go out of the window. I tried to keep as near to the front as I could, especially on the off-road sections and got into the decisive breakaway with 35 miles to go. With about 10 miles to go we were back on tarmac and I decided to take my chance, gaining 10 seconds on the group. But they worked well together to reel me in and when I went a second time it was perhaps too soon after my first attempt and they caught and passed me."
RACE IN PICTURES
The NEG Escort group who were there to protect the riders in the race.
A NEG marshall helps to protect the race which had police protection too with a rolling road closure.
The roads around Owston were the riders said, very grippy despite the gravel!
The convoy saw lots of action as riders were constantly being dropped and fighting their way back.
The early break with some reinforcements such as Mark Lovatt, Elliott, Simon Richardson, Gordon McCauley and others.
Matt Talbot is stopped by a puncture and has to watch as the bunch passes by. "I couldn't have picked a worse place to puncture, having just chased up to the break and then being spat out the back of everything so hard" Matt said afterwards.
The feedzone was a very busy place despite the cool conditions.
One of the foreign riders attacks from the break chased by another and Alex Dowsett.
A chase group behind the leaders.
Matt Stephens and Matt Talbot lead a big group trying to get away.
Early stages and the peloton are in within reach of the break.
The first pictures posted yesterday
Attacks from the break in the final 30k.
The 160 plus field through Edith Weston at the start of the race today.
Matt Stephens takes a look to see where the peloton is during the early stages of the break.
The first main break which last until around halfway led by Roy Chamberlain.
Attacks going all the time to get to the front break.
Results
1. ELLIOTT Malcolm Pinarello Racing Team (GBR) 3:58:15
2. WILKINSON Ian Science in Sport (GBR)
3. SKELDE Michael Glud & Marstrand Horsens (DEN)
4. SCHJONNEMANN Kasper Glud & Marstrand Horsens (DEN)
5. OVAC Maros Dukla Trencin Merida (SLK)
6. DOWSETT Alex VC Meudon (GBR)
7. SHARMAN Robin KFS Special Vehicles / Sunday
8. IPEKY Jan Dukla Trencin Merida (SLK)
9. KRISTENSEN Preben Sparkenbanken Vest
10. CLARKE David Sportscover / Planet X (GBR)
11. HOLOHAM Liam Merlin Racing Team (GBR)
12. MCAULEY Gordon Plowman Craven / Evans Cycles @09
13. CHARLESWORTH John Reserves @ 16
14. ROCHE Andy Pinarello Racing Team (GBR) @26
15. STEPHENS Matthew SigmaSport - (GBR) @27
16. NEWTON Chris Recycling.co.uk (GBR) @1:14
17. LOVATT Mark Sportscover / Planet X (GBR)@1:27
18. WILKINSON Richard Rapha -Condor BR19791027 @1:38
19. OLIEVKA Pavol Dukla Trencin Merida (SLK) @1:53
20. ATKINS Alex Glendene CC / Biketrax (GBR)@ 1:59
21. ORTVEIT Sondre Sparebanken Vest (NOR)) @ 2:42
22. DAVIS Lee Pinarello Racing Team (GBR) @2:44
23. RICHARDSON Simon Ashfield RC/ GoSports /Trek VW/ @ 2:47
24. VAN DER BERG Germ Ruiter Dakkapellen Wielerteam @4:44
25. BARRAS Tom Merlin Racing Team (GBR)
26. CHAMBERLAIN Roy Alpha Team Corley Cycles
27. CAVENDISH Mark Isle of Man National Team (GBR) @5:21
28. YBOR Patrik Dukla Trencin Merida (SLK)
29. DOWNING Dean Rapha -Condor
30. TALBOT Matt Rapha -Condor
31. BIBBY Ian Science in Sport (GBR)
32. THOMPSON Ben Glendene CC / Biketrax (GBR)
33. HOLT Simon Recycling.co.uk (GBR)
34. MURRAY Tom Team Kinesis Đ Bike&Run (GBR)
35. SAMPSON James Team Kinesis Đ Bike&Run (GBR)
36. NAES Tom Andre Sparebanken Vest (NOR))
37. HOLMES Matthew Arctic/ Shorter Rochford RT (GB
38. BEETHAM Geoff BC East Midlands/Development Ag
39. TANNER John Sportscover / Planet X (GBR)
40. BOOTH Daniel BC East Midlands/Development Ag @5:53
41. HEWITT Gareth KFS Special Vehicles / Sunday
42. CAMBRIDGE James BC East Midlands/Development
43. MCNAMARA Chris Wildside RT / Ewhurst Control @6:24
44. KIPLING Matthew Heron Cyclesport Đ Inkland @8:49
45. CLINTON Matt BC West Midlands (GBR) @11:12
46. HAYLES Robert International composite Team @15:08
47. HENRY Ryan BC East Midlands/Development Ag @15:51
48. STEWART James KFS Special Vehicles / Sunday
49. MMLER Julian PZ Racing Aachen (GER)
50. ADAMS Stephen Merlin Racing Team
51. RANDLE Wayne Sportscover / Planet X (GBR)
52. BONSER Ryan Recycling.co.uk (GBR)
53. CRONSHAW Matthew Science in Sport (GBR) @16:43
54. ROL Raymond Ruiter Dakkapellen Wielerteam
55. UND Anders Sparebanken Vest (NOR))
56. KIRK Tom Alpha Team Corley Cycles (GBR)
57. ACHAR Branislav Dukla Trencin Merida (SLK)
58. SIJM Hugo Ruiter Dakkapellen Wielerteam
59. MOZLEY Jon Merlin Racing Team @22:09
60. GAYWOOD Simon Plowman Craven / Evans Cycles
61. HAND Gary KFS Special Vehicles / Sunday
62. MCLEAN David Heron Cyclesport Đ Inkland
63. DYLAN Daffyd KFS Special Vehicles / Sunday
64. MUIR Ross Rapha -Condor
65. WILSON Simon Arctic/ Shorter Rochford RT
66. TUNE Christian SigmaSport @36:37
RELATED LINKS
Preview: Rutland Cicle Classic
Last Year: Rutland - Melton Classic
Other Premier Calendar Race Reports
Related News Items
Premier Calendar Most Open in Years
2006 Premier Calendar Event-by-Event
