PHOTOGRAPHS BY LARRY HICKMOTT
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANDY WHITEHOUSE
PHOTOGRAPHS BY SARAH BROOKE PHOTOGRAPHY
East Midlands International CiCLE Classic
April 27, 2008; East Midlands
Report & pictures by Larry Hickmott, Sarah Brooke & Andy Whitehouse
Britain's Classic Road Race from Oakham to Melton Mowbray via Rutland Water
Note: Report now available and galleries have been added from Larry Hickmott, Andy Whitehouse and Sarah Brooke.
Big Win for Ciaran Power
Power wins the 2008 East Midlands Classic in front of a huge crowd in Melton Mowbray.
The sun shone on the East Midlands for the running of the 2008 East Midlands Classic which this year was a 1.2 UCI International road race. After having driven through heavy rain out of Manchester, thankfully as I got further South and East of Manchester the weather started to clear up. As I wandered around the car park at the race headquarters, many commented on how warm it was! Perhaps summer had at last come to us although only some parts of England if the pictures from the Cheshire Classic are anything to go by.
I was again to be on the back of a motorbike piloted by John Greatorex who was running in his new Triumph in this demanding road race. All I had to figure out was how to get onto to it! With the weather fine and a great race in prospect, it was a day to look forward. As the race depart time approached, the riders made their way to the start where Hugh Porter was announcing the teams as they signed on using the British Cycling podium truck. The VIPS were then presented to the packed crowd in Oakham and Malcom Elliott made a presentation to one of them before the riders rolled out.
With the help of the police and the National Escort Group, the race was given a rolling road closure around the streets as the 180 riders filled the road out of Oakham and headed towards Rutland Water. Riders from Pedal Power were the first to have a few digs at the front before there was a serious attack from Pezula rider Cameron Jennings . The Australian opened up a gap and proceeded to race along as the bunch ignored his effort and slipped further and further into the background.
Not long after this, there was a big crash in the peloton where around 20 riders went down. One of them, Rhys Lloyd was still by the side of the road the next lap, his bike and helmet wrecked as he waited for a ride back to the finish -- his race was over. Later he explained it by saying “a few switched left and there was a touch of wheels in the middle of the bunch. Some of the guys looked hurt bad but I landed on someone so was alright although my helmet and bike are in pieces.”
Three leaders make a break for freedom on the first lap around Rutland Water -- Jan Bos (who finished second), Kevin Van den EEKKHOUT & Ryan Connor.
Perhaps spurred on by the twitchiness in the bunch, two riders then attacked to go across to Connor, Kevin Van den Eekkhout and eventual second placed Jan Bos, a former speedskater. It didn’t take long before four more riders made their move and Sierd Steigenga, Daniel Patten, Matej Vysna, and East Midlands rider Matt Jennings went clear. The two groups however took almost two laps of Rutland Water to eventually link up and by that time others had joined them including Keiran Page in only his second race of the season, David O’Loughlin who took Ciaran Power with him to the break.
Despite the bunch only being 15 seconds or so behind them, no-one else bridged to it and the break which looked like being caught, opened up the gap again. They dominated the race and as Malcolm Elliott said later, there were two races going on – one at the front in the break dominated by foreign riders and the one in the bunch. And that was pretty much it until the last 20 kilometres. By that time, punctures and pressure by O’Loughlin and Power had reduced the numbers in the break to only four with three of those being Pezula riders.
Behind, the chasing peloton was much reduced, half the size but still a group of a 60 or so. A chase group of five did manage to get away at one point but it wasn’t until Malcolm Elliott attacked with 15 to 20k to go that the first serious threat to the break started emerge. Elliott was repaying his team for the hard work they had put in around the lanes as Pinarello drove the race along to try and bring the gap back down. If only they (and other teams) had done that around Rutland Water when the gap was so small and the break were looking over their shoulders, maybe the race would have been so different.
Elliott however managed to get the gap on the bunch and with help from two others, Dean Downing and Michael Berling from Denmark, they caught all but two of the break by the end of the race. The two riders they failed to catch were Jan Bos who had been out front all day and Ciaran Power who was not only pleased to win the race as he tries to prove his worth to the Irish and hopefully a spot at the Olympics, but Ciaran was also a delight afterwards to work with, happy to pose for pictures and talk to the press.
Third in the race was Elliott who despite being a forty something, 46 apparently, he managed to win the sprint for third in what looked like from the back of the motorbike a super ride in a very competitive race. Dean Downing was fourth across the line but was none too pleased in the car park after being disqualified for what we think was taking pace in the convoy. One of two riders to be disqualified in the race.
Power looks across at Bos and sees the race is his in front of a huge crowd in Melton Mowbray -- Picture Andy Whitehouse.
The two leaders on the final gravel section -- Bos leads Power. (photo Sarah Brooke Photography)
... and the chasers close in on the leaders but ran out of distance to get to them before the finish. (photo Sarah Brooke Photography)
Afterwards we spoke to some of the riders.
Ciaran Power from the Pezula racing team: “We were dying a death near the finish and knew three riders were coming up fast. The team doesn’t race as much as some teams but that means we’re really motivated for every race we do and wanted to win and get something out of it.”
“I am trying to get a place in the Olympics so the more placings I can get the better. I am very motivated after being 13th in Athens (Olympics).”Asked if he has done a race like this before, he replied “I started Paris-Roubaix but didn’t have any success like this. This was a really good race. We did some research on it during the week and so we’re delighted we came over.”
“We went out and wanted to race aggressively and individually got into the break and when we got there, we put our heads down and made it hard for everyone to get back up to us. We’re getting ready for the RAS and that’s a bit of a crazy race where its attack attack attack until you can’t attack anymore.”
Race organiser Colin Clewes with Power and Keiran Page.
Keiran Page (Pezula): “I broke my hand in a training accident so its been a long couple of months on the turbo and I’m just missing that last final bit at the moment. If I hadn’t been playing with these motorbikes, I probably would have been alright. Those boys are so strong and if you’re not on top of your game to go and play with David and Ciaran, it’s not fun! At the same time it is really motivating and helped me step up that little bit quicker.”
“The form is coming and I have to be patient. The new team is really good and a change of scene after four years. The opportunity came along to join a high quality team and I thought why not. I can stay in France to live and train so I have the best of both of Worlds.”
Elliott beats Dean Downing to the line for third place. Downing was later disqualified, he said, for illegal use of a team car.
Dean Downing of Rapha Condor/Recycling.co.uk: “I rode my heart out to get back after a second puncture and to get to the finish line only to get to the line to be told I had been disqualified. I was in the convoy getting towed back and took a bidon which everyone does and the commissiare came up to me after the race and told me “I had got back to the peloton too fast – I would not call 15k in the convoy too fast but that’s bike racing.”
“It was a strange race and once that group got away, nobody in the peloton wanted to work. It was a very easy race. I had two punctures in the sections. There was a lot of negative riding in the peloton which is annoying. I have Chas Mesenger next week and then the Lincoln. I have some good condition coming out of the French race despite crashing hard. I had to work hard there to hang on after my crash but we’ll see how we do in that.”
Asked how it will be going into the Lincoln after having won it last year? “It will be a strange feeling on the day. It had always been an ambition to win the Lincoln since the days I’d go and watch it as a junior. Winning it last year was fantastic and it was probably my best win ever. It would be nice to repeat it but as we saw today, anything can happen.”
He then confirmed that next week at the Chas Messenger in Buckinghamshire, that his challenge for the British Cycling Premier Calendar competition starts again where he is up against his little brother Russ in the Pinarello team. “The racing in the Premier’s has been good so we’ll resume battle next week”.
Elliott makes his move with around 15 kilometres to go and starts his chase of the leaders.
Pinarello’s Malcolm Elliott, winner last year explained that in the group towards the end, there were a lot of attacks going on but only by the same few people. “It was a strange race today really. I really disliked those first two laps because it made the race bizarre where moves go and it was a mistake to let O’Loughlin take off. In the end three of us got way, Dean and one of the Danish riders and it was bloody killing me but the leaders were coming back to us quickly.”
Asked if he was pleased with such a strong ride despite finishing third, the Pinarello rider replied “absolutely. The first result of the year. At this time of the year I do seem to come good but this year, I haven’t felt anything like I should and I didn’t expect that ride today. I’m still behind where I would like to be and should be. Third place though is way more than I was expecting this morning”.
“That break, there were really no British based riders there (only one we know of until the Somerberg section) and that was making the race behind really kind of weird as the British guys all watched each other while the foreigners went off and left us. It was like there were two races going on.”
Rob Hayles (above) (Team Halfords Bikehut): “I am quite pleased. I really wanted to do a good ride in this but then what with the last month, it was a bit early for me. I would like to have been able to go with Malcolm and Dean at the end and I just hesitated a bit and had a word with Russ (Downing) and I just couldn’t go when he went on the last little hill. So I just had to wait. I had quite good legs but didn’t feel great and haven’t done so in the last two races I have done.”
“I am happy with that and finally got to the end of this race. It was a good warm-up for the Lincoln as that will be the same as this today with such a big field. I had no problems with the bike (his Chris Boardman one). I had these big Vittorias that the girls have been using in Flanders and so on lately. They were good and the bike was too. Well happy”
FIRST PHOTOS
With a rolling road closure, the big peloton make full use of the road. Picture Andy Whitehouse.
National Escort motorcyclist Graham Harper warns riders of the road furniture -- picture Andy Whitehouse.
O'Loughlin breaks away to chase the break down.
A break of four go in chase of the three leaders on the Rutland Water loops. Sierd STEIGENGA, Daniel PATTEN, Matej VYSNA, Matt JENNINGS,
Power shows who's boss through Somerberg for the second time.
The gravel at Owston was slippery and tricky. Here Malcolm Elliott leads Simon Richardson. Right: Punctures were a normal hazard for this race. (photo Sarah Brooke Photography)
Irishman Power celebrates a big win in the heart of England
Colin Clewes is all smiles before the start of his race.
The VIPs were out in force including MP Alan Duncan.
Last years winner Malcolm Elliott presents one of the VIPS with the lucky horse shoe!
It was a massive field of 180 riders who rolled out of Oakham.
The police were everywhere to help keep the race safe. Rob Hayles on the final gravel section (photo Sarah Brooke Photography)
The second attacker of the day.
Paul Oldham came off at high speed and was understandably an unhappy rider afterwards. Right: Riders come in Owston (photo Sarah Brooke Photography)
This is how close the bunch got to the break but with a mile or two, the gap had grown to 30 seconds and it kept growing....
This was the moment, crucially, that O'Loughlin and Power went across to the break.
A big crowd in Oakham for the mid race sprint.
Slovak rider goes for the king of the hills sprint points.
The break race through a packed Owston. (photo Sarah Brooke Photography)
Second half of the race and Russell Downing starts to drive at the front.
Pinarello start to bring the gap down.
Jan Bos punctures but gets back and finishes second.
First time through Somerberg and O'Loughlin drives the break through, splitting it as he does so.
Russell Downing and Simon Richardson lead the bunch through Somerberg first time.
Puncture for one of the many who did so in Somerberg
The dust was incredible...
The type of tracks the race goes over in Somerberg
O'Loughlin gets a bottle in the latter stages of the race.
The final four who looked like going all the way to the finish before being caught -- only two did, Bos and Power. Three Pezula against the lone Dutchman wasn't good odds.
Hayles wins the bunch sprint.
Teams were presented on the British Cycling podium truck prior to the start. Fittingly, here we see the KFS team -- KFS Special Vehicles were the builders of the special truck.
RESULTS
1. POWER, Ciaran Pezula (IRL) 04:03:08
2. BOS, Jan Ruiter Dak Kappellen (NED) s.t.
3. ELLIOTT, Malcolm Pinarrello Racing Team (GBr) 04:03:38
4. BERLING, Michael Glud & Marstrand Horsens (DEN) s.t.
5. DOWNING, Russell Pinarrello Racing Team (GBr) 04:04:07
6. O'LOUGHLIN, David Pezula (IRL) 04:04:13
7. HAYLES, Robert Felt Racing/Planet X/Halfords Mixed (GBr) 04:04:24
8. HORTON, Tobyn Mixed Team (GBr) s.t.
9. WILKINSON, Ian Science in Sport (GBr) s.t.
10. BRONIS, Roman Dukla Merida Tren. (SVK) s.t.
11. BOOTH, Daniel Felt Racing/Planet X/Halfords Mixed (GBr) s.t.
12. Matthew Higgins, Team Corley Cycles st
13. BOGAERT, Ward Profel - Prorace (BEL) s.t.
14. GAYWOOD, Simon Plowman Craven (GBr) s.t.
15. ONGENA, Thomas Profel - Prorace (BEL) s.t.
16. KILHAM, Kit Kinesis UK (GBr) s.t.
17. DEINHART, Raphael Pearl Izumi-Planet X (GBr) s.t.
18. KOVAC, Maros Dukla Merida Tren. (SVK) s.t.
19. RICHARDSON, Simon Plowman Craven (GBr) s.t.
20. BJERGFELT, William Felt Racing/Planet X/Halfords Mixed (GBr) s.t.
21. BARRAS, Tom Plowman Craven (GBr) 04:06:16
22. OLIPHANT, Evan Plowman Craven (GBr) s.t.
23. GRIFFITHS, Andrew Glendene (GBr)-Beveren 2000 s.t.
24. JENNINGS, Cameron Pezula (IRL) s.t.
25. ADAMS, Ross BC West Midlands (GBr) s.t.
26. STEPHENS, Matthew Specialised-SigmaSpt. (GBr) s.t.
27. CARTLAND, Richard Team Corley Cycles (GBr) 04:06:18
28. BLUEKENS, Jan Profel - Prorace (BEL) 04:06:23
29. NIELSEN Kim Marius Glud & Marstrand Horsens (DEN) 04:06:40
30. BIALOBLOCKI, Marcin Sports Beans/ Wilier (GBr) 04:08:05
31. JOHANSSON, Freddy Pinarrello Racing Team (GBr) 04:09:49
32. LAST, Tom Kinesis UK (GBr) 04:10:56
33. SIPEKY, Jan Dukla Merida Tren. (SVK) s.t.
34. VAN DE VELDE Tom Profel - Prorace (BEL) s.t.
35. CRAWFORTH, Jody ARCTIC-Premier Racing Team (GBr) s.t.
36. HATCHER, Graeme Mixed Team/Isle of Man (GBr) s.t.
37. PATTEN, Daniel PCA/Ciclos Uno/Whyte Mixed (GBr) s.t.
38. CLINTON, Matt BC West Midlands (GBr) s.t.
39. LAMPIER, Steve Mixed Team (GBr) s.t.
40. WILLIAMSON, James Specialised-SigmaSpt. (GBr) s.t.
41. COLEMAN, Neil Plowman Craven (GBr) s.t.
42. CHAMBERLAIN, Roy Team Corley Cycles (GBr) s.t.
43. SAMPSON, James Kinesis UK (GBr) s.t.
44. JAMIESON, Duncan Felt Racing/Planet X/Halfords Mixed (GBr) s.t.
45. VYSNA, Matej Dukla Merida Tren. (SVK) s.t.
46. MORIARTY, Eugene International All Stars Mixed s.t.
47. WILLCOCKS, Robert BC East Mids Devel. A (GBr) 04:11:21
48. OLDHAM, Paul International All Stars Mixed 04:11:58
49. PERRY, Marc Sports Beans/ Wilier (GBr) 04:12:33
Out of time limit (5%)
50. JANSSEN, Jeroen Pearl Izumi-Planet X (GBr)
51. TIFFEN, Darren Inkland/MTS-Kuota/Biemme Mixed (GBr)
52. MACRAE, Scott Pedalpower.org.uk (Scotland)
53. WILLIAMS, Peter Pinarrello Racing Team (GBr)
54. MURRAY, Tom Pinarrello Racing Team (GBr)
55. MASON, Jon-Kris ARCTIC-Premier Racing Team
56. VAN WEL, Ruud Ruiter Dak Kappellen (NED)
57. SYBRANDY Wouter Specialised-SigmaSpt. (GBr)
58. KNORR, Christian Glud & Marstrand Horsens (DEN)
59. LOVATT, Mark Felt Racing/Planet X/Halfords Mixed
60. MURDOCH, Gordon Pedalpower.org.uk (Scotland)
61. BARRETT, Matthew BC East Mids Devel. A (GBr
62. BYE, Andrew Specialised-SigmaSpt. (GBr)
63. STEIGINGA, Sierd Ruiter Dak Kappellen (NED)
64. COULSON, David Sports Beans/ Wilier (GBr)
65. FORD, Martin BC West Midlands (GBr)
66. JAMES, Josh Kinesis UK (GBr)
67. HEMMANT, Tom Cycling Bargains RT Mixed Team (GBr
68. SLAGTER, Tom Ruiter Dak Kappellen (NED)
69. HAND, Gary Pedalpower.org.uk (Scotland)
70. TULLET, Allister ARCTIC-Premier Racing Team (GBr)
71. JENNINGS, Matthew BC East Mids Devel. A (GBr)
72. CLARKE, David Team Lacuna
73. THWAITES, Mark Sports Beans/ Wilier (GBr)
74. FREND, Kieren KFS Special vehicles (GBr)
75. HUMPHESON, Sam Mixed Team (GBr)
76. WHENMAM, Billy-Joe Sports Beans/ Wilier (GBr)
77. MASON, Richard Cycling Bargains RT Mixed Team (GBr
78. KIRK, Tom Go-Sportspex RT/Ashfield RC Mixed (GBr)
79. WILKINSON, Richard Science in Sport (GBr)
80. BRIGGS, Graham Rapha - Recycling (GBr)
81. JONES, Matthew Pearl Izumi-Planet X (GBr)
82. LINES, David Pedalpower.org.uk (Scotland)
83. KOGAN, Daniel PCA/Ciclos Uno/Whyte Mixed (GBr)
84. WHATLING, James PCA/Ciclos Uno/Whyte Mixed (GBr)
85. HOLMES, Matt ARCTIC-Premier Racing Team (GBr)
86. MARTIN, Thomas Mixed Team 2 (GBr)
87. ADAMS, Euan BC West Midlands (GBr)
88. ZACHAR, Branislav Dukla Merida Tren. (SVK)
89. SMITH, Luke PCA/Ciclos Uno/Whyte Mixed (GBr)
90. COOMBS, Wayne Mixed Team 2 (GBr)
91. FLYNN, Warren Mixed Team/Isle of Man (GBr)
92. BEETHAM, Geoffrey BC East Mids Devel. A (GBr)
93. MILLARD, James Plowman Craven (GBr)
94. SPENCE, Warrick International
95. SEATON, Matt Go-Sportspex RT/Ashfield RC
96. WILSON, Ben Inkland/MTS-Kuota/Biemme Mixed
97. JONES, Neil Mixed Team/Isle of Man (GBr)
RELATED LINKS
2008 Race Preview