Russell Downing Wins Richmond GP

 

May 27, 2007, North Yorkshire
A Premier Calendar Event
Report and photos from Andrew Kennedy

(thanks to Motorbike pilot: John Greatorex)

 

Russell Downing (HealthNet-Maxxis) was today's winner of the Richmond Grand Prix, the seventh round of British Cycling's Premier Calendar series. Downing rode into the finish 20 seconds ahead of second placed rider Dave Clarke (BC Private Member), with third placed Gordon McCauley (PlowmanCraven-Evans) a further 24 seconds behind.

Richmond GP podium. Left to right Gordon McCauley 3rd, Russell Downing 1st and Dave Clarke 2nd.

Report
Russell Downing (HealthNet-Maxxis) was a worthy winner of the Richmond Grand Prix after a hard fought battle on the Yorkshire Moors high above this historic town. A group of six riders, which had included his brother Dean Downing (Rapha-Condor), Gordon McCauley (PlowmanCraven-Evans), Dave Clarke (unattached), Robin Sharman (KFS Special Vehicles) and Richard Wilkinson (Rapha-Condor) were still together with 20km to the finish when an attack by Dave Clarke up the steep climb towards Hipswell Moor split the leading group. Russell Downing was able to counter the attack, and the two riders pulled clear.

 

As the leaders rode through the pouring rain towards the finish at Richmond their lead quickly grew to around 40 seconds. American based rider Russell Downing was aware his breakaway companion Clarke, a formidable climber, could take the win on the steep climb near the finish line and attacked Clarke with 3km to go. Downing rode hard and established a short lead on the twists and turns into Richmond which he kept until the finish line.

 

Afterwards he told us, “It was hard out there today, very windy on the moors. The break was working well together and I thought anyone of us could get the win. When Gordon McCauley and Richard Wilkinson caught the break, Richard put in an attack up a short climb. Dave Clarke was able to follow it and put everybody on the limit. I just chased hard to stay with them. I felt OK and wanted to give myself a good workout, this is a great win and I’m very pleased”

 

How the race unfolded

The race rolled out of Richmond at 12.0 on this cold, blustery and wet Bank Holiday Sunday for 135km of racing around the moors and tank training grounds surrounding Richmond and Catterick Garrison. No sooner was the neutralised section flag dropped when Richard Wilkinson (Rapha-Condor) attacked.

 

At the back of the field riders,were answering the call of nature, removing gilets and race capes when suddenly gaps appeared in the line. Within two miles of the race beginning,the weather conditions worsened and riders were faced with pouring rain and howling winds. The race was on, and for some it was about to end very quickly. 100 riders had lined up in Richmond Town Centre and at the finish over ¾’s of the field would have retired.

 

Tony Gibb (PlowmanCraven-Evans) leads the race past Bourlon Barracks, Catterick as the sun breaks through for a few moments.

 

The 9 mile run-out through Lower Swaledale took the riders through Downholme and climbed high onto the tank training ground of Hipswell Moor, with a prime line and feed zone at Waitwith Bank. Gordon McCauley (PlowmanCraven-Evans) had an early mechanical problem and was stood at the roadside awaiting service, his team mate Brian Briggs dropped to the back of the peloton and within minutes McCauley was back into the safety of the main field.

 

One of the pre-race favourites Gordon McCauley (PlowmanCraven-Evans) had mechanical problems early in the race.

Over the early part of the race,splits occurred on the climbs with many new faces trying their hand at Premier Calendar racing feeling their energy sapping as they lead the race for a few moments.  At the 40km point a large break of over 28 riders moved clear including many of the major contenders for the win and Premier Calendar point hunters. Robin Sharman (KFS Special Vehicles) lead the group from Tom Barras (Merlin RT), 30 seconds behind Malcolm Elliott lead a group of 6, with a huge gap back to what remained of the main field.

 

As the leaders climbed towards the prime at Waitwith Gordon McCauley moved clear of the group taking the prime points and opening a small lead of about 10 seconds. Over the top he was joined by Lee Davis (Pinarello RT) and 2nd cat rider Matt Jennings (Websters Cycles). This small group were quickly back in the main field as they descended from the moor towards Richmond.

 

The beginning of the decisive break, Russell Downing is joined by Dave Clarke, Robin Sharman and Neil Swithenbank as the field splits behind.

 

Mid point in the race and the Downing bothers decided to warm things up, with Dave Clarke, Robin Sharman and Neil Swithenbank (ABC Centreville) they moved clear and opened up a sizeable gap. This small group of five were working well together with Clarke stretching the others on the climbs. Robin Sharman was organising the short line of five and some discussions could be heard about single line riding or through and off into the wind. Dave Clarke was obviously getting warmed up as he decided to remove his race cape, but sensibly remained covered from head to toe in gloves, arm, leg warmers and overboots.

 

 

Back with the main group 35 seconds behind Mike Harrison (Sigmasport RT) was leading the chase with Ian Wilkinson (SIS-Trek) and John Tanner (Sportscover-PlanetX).

 

Ian Wilkinson (SIS-Trek) failed to make the break at Richmond and spent much of his time trying to make contact with the Downing brothers and limit his Premier Calendar points loss. With two laps of the main circuit remaining, the gap to the leaders was reduced to just 13 seconds, and with a distinct lack of PlowmanCraven-Evans riders at the front of the bunch, the chase was left to Tom Barras, Malcolm Elliott and Mark Thwaites (Kinesis UK) who were putting in heroic turns at the front to bring back the Downings and their breakaway companions.

 

Gordon McCauley and Simon Gaywood (PlowmanCraven-Evans) were talking to the Pinarello riders and as they climbed Waitwith Bank for the prime. The Downing break had increased its lead to 35 seconds. Gordon McCauley, Ian Wilkinson and Malcolm Elliott were amongst riders having difficulty up to the prime and feed zone. The day was almost over for Neil Swithenbank as he was dropped by the Downing group on the climb to the feedzone and was quickly swallowed up by the chasers as the gap between the two groups reduced to just 20 seconds.

 

Richard Wilkinson (Rapha-Condor) launched an attack that helped Downing and Clarke move clear of the leaders

 

At the bell on the final circuit Gordon McCauley and Richard Wilkinson (Rapha-Condor) bridged the gap to the leaders, with McCauley doing all the work,  Wilkinson had a relatively easy ride up to his team mate Dean Downing. After a few words with Dean Downing, Richard Wilkinson launched an attack up a short sharp climb taking Russell Downing and Dave Clarke with him.

 

Robin Sharman, Dean Downing and Gordon McCauley were unable to respond and the Wilkinson break quickly gained an advantage of 13 seconds. This trio increased their slender lead and by the time they’d reached the top of the prime climb for the last time they had a lead of 25 seconds. Wilkinson paid for his efforts and on the windswept moor top he was dropped by Russell Downing and Dave Clarke.

 

On the descent towards Richmond with only 8km remaining Downing and Clarke negotiated the slippery cattle grids and road furniture with practised ease. Working well together they knew the win was within their grasp. On the final run-in to the town centre Downing attacked Clarke on a sharp corner and kept the pressure on, a small gap appeared and Downing kept his head down fearful that ace climber Clarke might steal the win on the short climb with just 500 metres to go. Downing had nothing to fear, Clarke was unable to draw any further energy from his tired limbs and couldn’t catch the South Yorkshire man.

 

Russell Downing (HealthNet-Maxxis) rides to a great victory in the Richmond Grand Prix.

 

At the finish commentator Mike Smith had the large crowd shouting encouragement as Russell Downing came into view for what was a lap of honour up and down the main street. Downing saluted the crowd as he cruised across the line with a clearly despondent Dave Clarke just 20 seconds behind.

 

Russell Downing takes the win at Richmond.

 

Organiser Geoff Lloyd was delighted with his clubs promotion of their first Premier Calendar event, he told us afterwards " the weather has been a great disapointment, but orgainsing an event of this stature has been an eye opener for me and the Richmond Cycling Club,  hopefully we will be given the chance to run the event again next year. We will sort out the finish, we have had some concerns about it today and next year it will be different. I'd like to thank all the people who have helped put this event on, we couldn't have done it without the team, also I'd like to thank the riders for turning up and riding the race, they are a quality field and it's good to have a Yorkshire man as the winner"

 

Plowman Craven/Evans Cycles RT had this to say in a press release after the race ...

McCauley, who won the Premier Calendar in 1999 before going on to race on the Continent and in America, now lies in joint third place in the Premier Calendar series with Ian Wilkinson (SiS) 

 

“I’m back in the race to win the series”, remarked the combative 35-year-old Kiwi after the event. “Although I was in fourth place before Richmond the points gap was significant, but now only six points separate the top four riders, and I’m confident that with five events left in the series I’ve got a good chance of coming out on top.”

 

McCauley’s third place at Richmond was all the more impressive for the fact that the entire Plowman Cravens Evans Cycles squad were suffering the after effects of food poisoning from the night before, with McCauley himself up until the early hours. “I’m not one for making excuses,” explained McCauley, “but the fact is I had a chest infection just before the Lincoln and food poisoning this weekend, so I know I’m capable of improving on third and second places. I was chasing and gaining all the way to the line at Richmond and a Premier Calendar race victory can’t be that far off - with the series so close it could all be decided in the last few events.”

 

McCauley’s Plowman Cravens Evans Cycles team mate and Archer GP winner Simon Gaywood worked tirelessly for almost two laps to close the gap on the leaders and get McCauley back into contention. With two laps to go on the climb up to Waitwith, McCauley, accompanied but not assisted by Richard Wilkinson whose Rapha Condor team mate was up the road, powered away from the chasing group and by the bell on the final circuit they had caught the leaders. Benefiting from his easy ride up to the front Wilkinson almost immediately attacked, taking Russell Downing and Dave Clarke with him.

 

Next weekend the Plowman Craven/Evans Cycles riders will be competing in divisional road race championships across England and Scotland.

 

RESULT
1. Russell Downing, HealthNet-Maxxis 3:21:44
2. David Clarke, Private Member @ 20 secs
3. Gordon McCauley, Plowman Craven – Evans Cycles @ 44
4. Robin Sharman, KFS Special Vehicles – Sunday B @ 57
5. Richard Wilkinson, Rapha Condor RT Same time
6. Dean Downing, Rapha Condor RT @ 59
7. Lee Davis, Pinarello @ 1:54
8. Malcolm Elliott, Pinarello @ 2:00
9. Matthew Stephens, Sigmasport RT @ 2:06
10. Dave Collins, Scienceinsport-Trek @ 3:02
11. Tom Barras, Merlin Racing team Same time
12. Andy Roche, Pinarello @ 3:05
13. Richard Kent, Scienceinsport-Trek Same time
14. Simon Gaywood, Plowman Craven – Evans Cycles @ 3:06
15. Matthew Kipling, Inkland MTS Cyclesport Racing @ 3:08
16. Neil Swithenbank, ABC Centreville @ 3:09
17. James Sampson, Kinesis UK Same time
18. Gary Hand, KFS Special Vehicles – Sunday B @ 3:12
19. Alex Higham, Bike & Run London – Maximuscle @ 3:14
20. Matt Jennings, Websters Cycles @ 3:16
21. Kit Gilham, Clifton CC @ 3:33
22. Gareth Hewitt, KFS Special Vehicles – Sunday B @ 8:11
23. Stephen Adams, Merlin Racing Team @ 9:49
24. Kevin Dawson, Pinarello @ 10:27