Abergavenny International Criterium
June 20, 2008; Abergavenny (Wales)
Report & Pictures Larry Hickmott
REPORT
In one of the most brutal circuit races this year in Britain, it was a home based rider, Russell Downing who showed his class to win the Abergavenny International Criterium (UCI 1.2). Russell beat fellow Rotherham rider Ben Swift in a two up sprint to win the big prize in front of a big crowd in Abergavenny town centre.
The evening’s entertainment of cycle racing didn’t get off to a great start when due to the barrier trucks not being able to get on to the circuit to seal it off from traffic, the first race for 2/3/4 and Women had to be cancelled as the riders sat on the line waiting. This left the remaining races of two for Youth riders and the International Criterium.
Once the circuit was deemed safe after a commissaries inspection, the first of the youth races was held for Under 14/16 followed by the one for the Under 12’s. We’ll bring you the results of these races when we get them. What followed was a short session for the Elite riders to warm up with many electing to spend the 15 minutes firmly planted on the start line to hold their position. This plan didn’t work to well for them as riders simply came up and positioned themselves on the front.
Riders don't have time to smell the meat cooking on the barb-e-que as they sprint by around the twisty section through the twon centre.
That was how it stayed and once all the riders had been briefed, the new mayor of Abergavenny dropped the Welsh flag and the race was on. The first hour was full gas around the kilometre long twisty circuit and the 50 plus field was soon in bits with a selection of riders of half that number left to contest the final part of the race.
The length of the race may have had something to do with it, but the pace of the race towards the end did drop off and although there were attacks off the front, the breaks didn't smash the field up like the early ones did. In the end it was sheer class that shone through at the front and after a break from Malcolm Elliott failed, teammate Russell Downing and Ben Swift got away and were never seen again. Swift had been a little bit eager early on and had to be reminded it was a long crit but still found himself off the front several times.
In the end though, the two Rotherham riders, Downing and Swift, just had too much in the tank for the rest and using his experience and undoubted speed, Russell Downing was far too quick for Swift who is no slouch himself. Alex Dowsett, more known for his TT prowess, showed he could ride a crit as well and went off the front of the bunch to take third before Malcolm Elliott finished the race off in style for Pinarello by winning the bunch sprint.
Podium with an Italian Points winner and the top three in the race, Alex Dowsett, Russell Downing and Ben Swift.
Afterwards, Pinarello’s Russell Downing was as ever in good form saying “that was a great win on a great evening with a good atmosphere here. The legs are coming back so I am happy. It was on for the first hour and then I think it was me and Andy Tennant who got away and I looked back and it was really strung out and I said to him, keep it on because there were bodies everywhere.”
“When it started to calm down, that was when people started to go and there were a few attacks and I went and I didn’t realise it was so close to the end and I thought we had ten minutes to go. Ben came with me and I thought hopefully we can stay away. Then it was about who was going to get the finale.”
Eating on the run by Russell Downing
“I know Ben a little bit” he said with a just a hint of understatement, adding “I train with Ben during the winter and have been to a few parties with him and he’s doing great out there and good to have another local boy doing so well. In the break it was even stevens. Each of us would do one straight and a couple of corners and no-one was soft tapping and then I think we worked until the top of the climb and then Ben slowed it down for the last corner, and I got the jump out of the corner, maybe on too little a gear but by then I had already gapped him a little bit.”
On it being more brutal than normal, he explained, “there were more guys filling the gaps, and with Rapha, Pinarello and Plowman attacking each other there was always a GB guy or an Italian guy going over the top so it was constantly hard and it wasn’t a negative race as some can be. A Brilliant race.”
Ben Swift in an early attack with Dean Downing.
Ben Swift: “I could not have lost to a better person so I am pleased with the race. The first Crit in three years and I forgot how much they hurt. I think I got a bit excited at the start and in the first ten minutes I was off the start and I was thinking to myself what am I doing off here, and I could see Rod at the side of the road going ‘easy, easy”.
“I just looked at the average speed and I don’t remember them being that fast when I used to do them. Out of the corners in a crit is something we’ve missed in Italy! To get that average speed with all that stop start on this course, we must have been averaging over 50k an hour most of the time.”
“It gives me confidence for Sunday to see where I am with these guys even though Sunday will be a totally different race.”
Alex Dowsett (100% ME): “I am over the moon with that result. We race out in Italy and this completely different. In the first 15 minutes, I thought I am never going to finish this and completely out of my comfort zone. In Italy the corners are smooth hairpins and you come here and you’re having to dive into the corner which took some getting used to.”
“At the end I saw an opportunity, where it was one of those where I didn’t even think about it, I just went and had a gap and made the most of it. This result has shocked me after the national 10 a few weeks ago and had a bit of a disappointing result and come to a crit and one of my weakest areas and I get third.”
“Early on I was trying to dive bomb people but I was just making hard work for myself. Sometimes you would let the wheel go because sprinting to keep on would take more out of me. It was so easy round here to spend a lot of effort and get nowhere”.
“The first corner was a bit dodgy, off camber, and then there was the corner before the hill on the course and that got faster and faster with each lap. The hill was nasty as you had to accelerate out of the corner and up hill and the chicane was fine although I got airborne a few times through it.”
“Over the finish straight I think was the hardest part where you’d be doing your best to hang on to the wheel. With the result, I did enjoy it but only post race. It was nice to get away from the cut and thrust of Italy.”
Italian Points winner
The field assemble behind, on and in front of the start line.
Elliott wins the bunch sprint.
Downing and Swift get the bell.
Simon Holt strings them out.
The riders for the support race line up only to be told their race has been cancelled.
The Under 16's get under way
Great Britain riders Jonny Bellis and Andy Tennant were to the fore in the race along with Ben Swift
Russell Downing gives it everything as he and Ben Swift do their best to stay clear of the peloton in the background.
Malcolm Elliott tries his luck near the end of the race.
Andy Tennant strings them out.
Elliott lines them out up the start/finish hill.
Puncture for Rob Hayles who waits to be let in to the race
Simon Gaywood leads the chase for Ben Swift early on
Start of the Elite race
Italians all smiles
Winner of the Under 12's race.
Winner of the under 16's race
Kieran Page back in the UK
Albums to come next week.
PROVISIONAL
Please note that due to rider sheets on the start sheet, the following result is subject to change when the official results are available which they were not after the race.
1. Russell Downing, Pinarello
2. Ben Swift, Great Britain
3. Alex Dowsett, 100% ME @ 5 seconds
4. Malcolm Elliott, Pinarello
5. Jonathon Bellis, Great Britain
6. Dean Downing, Rapha Condor/Recycling
7. Lori Domenico, Katay Cycling Team
8. Andrew Tennant, Great Britain
10. Pete Williams, Pinarello
11. Marcin Bialoblocki, Sport Beans Willier
12. Tom Murray, Pinarello
13. James Stewart, KFS Special Vehicles
14. Jeroen Janssen, Pearl Izumi
15. 39
16. Jon Mozely, Pearl Izumi
17. Mat Jones, Pearl Izumi
18. Kieran Page, Pezula
19. Doug Dewey, West Regional
20. 59
RESULTS
Coming ...
RELATED LINKS
Preview of the Abergavenny Cycling Festival