Otley Town Centre Races
June 26, 2008; Otley (West Yorkshire)
Report and images: Andrew Kennedy for British Cycling
Briggs storms to victory in Otley
Above: In rain and darkness at Otley, Graham Briggs (Rapha Condor Recycling) gets the verdict over Russ Downing (Pinarello RT) and Tony Gibb (Plowman Craven)
The Otley Town Centre races are firmly established in the summer cycling calendar and attract huge crowds to the Yorkshire town sat at the foot of the famous Otley Chevin. For 2008 the Otley races were under new management, and Jonny Clay, Graeme Collin, Dave Beckwith and Giles Pidcock were probably hoping their first event would be held in glorious mid-summer sunshine.
In fact the crowds arriving for the 23rd annual races were welcomed with torrential rain and roads flooded with water. Heavy rain had set in during the afternoon and continued through all the races. However the rain failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the riders with the organisers reporting only a few failing to sign on. Tour de France rider Bradley Wiggins (Team High Road) was one of the stars who failed to show, but it was generally accepted he would be quite literally keeping his powder dry for this weekends National Road Championships and the Tour de France.
The three dominant teams in the Elite Circuit series are Rapha Condor Recycling, Pinarello RT and Plowman Craven and they came to Otley to try and control the race. Rapha Condor Recycling have Dean Downing at the head of the series standings and with Simon Holt and Graham Briggs also on good form they were looking to take victory at Otley. Pinarello RT were not prepared to wait around for a sprint and started a series of attacks with Tom Murray the first rider to try and break up the race.
Above: Yorkshiremen Graham Briggs, Tom Murray and Tom Barras on the front line of the grid
Above: Gently does it, the first corner into Burras Lane
The race settled down into a very fast procession through the streets of Otley. Race commentator Mike Smith was explaining to the crowd that the conditions had little effect on the lap speeds. The 1st lap of the elite race was faster than the last lap of the support event, with the elite intermediate laps only a couple of seconds slower than previous years. The crowds huddled under umbrellas along the circuit were enjoying the racing and shouting out encouragement to the riders.
Above: Early in the race and the riders negotiate a tricky corner
Above: Evan Oliphant (Plowman Craven) endures the conditions
Above: On form Russell Downing (Pinarello RT) was at the head of the race and looking to take another victory in his superb season
Above: George Atkins (Pearl Izumi-PlanetX-High5) and Simon Holt Rapha Condor Recycling) have a serious dig off the frontAbove: Followed by Russell Downing (Pinarello RT)
Above: Ian Stannard (Landbouwkredit) home from Europe for the National Championships was prominent throughout the race at Otley
Above: Local boy Tom Barras (Plowman Craven) lines out the bunch along Bondgate in pursuit of Atkins and Holt
Above: James McCallum (Plowman Craven) displays the Elite Circuit Champions jersey which he won at Otley last year
Above: Russell Downing rode the whole race in the front 10
Above: With four laps to go Alex Highman (Plowman Craven) kept the speed high on the front of the bunch, the main field was in a long line stretching back along the finish straight, it was a difficult job for any rider to move up just a couple of places with the main teams of Plowman Craven, Pinarello and Rapha Condor Recycling controlling the front of the race
Above: Two laps to go and Peter Williams (Pinarello RT) attacks and with a lead of 6 seconds stretches the field out behind him
Above: Simon Richardson and Tony Gibb (Plowman Craven) lead the chase for Williams with Russ Downing (Pinarello RT) keeping out of trouble at the front
Above: At the bell Peter Williams has been caught and Malcolm Elliott accelerates down Bondgate with the whole field just behind him
Above: Tony Gibb and Russ Downing keep the speed high on the bell lap
Lining up for the finish Tony Gibb and Russ Downing lead the main bunch of riders out of Bondgate for the final lap, with the whole field behind them and all the attacks brought back it was going to be a massive sprint finish at Otley. Into the final corner with a packed crowd outside race sponsor Chevin Cycles shop it was Russell Downing leading followed on the inside line by Graham Briggs, with a small gap back to the bunch led by Tony Gibb. With the taped line washed away by the rain the riders had the finish gantry to aim for, and Downing and Briggs surged towards it side by side. To close to call the crowd had to wait for the photo-finish giving the win to Graham Briggs.
Speaking after the finish Graham Briggs said, "Hopefully I've got that, into the last bend I took the inside line and managed to get past Russ, at the bell I was in the top 10 trying to stay out of trouble, the guys were keeping it fast at the front so the race didn't bunch up, I was watching the Pinarello's I was following Malcolm (Elliot) I knew he would be up there at the finish and he was a good wheel to watch, I managed to get on Russ's wheel into the last bend and had a good clean run to the finish, I'm pleased, just hope the photo shows me winning."
Above: Rapha Condor Recycling riders Dean Downing and Graham Briggs celebrate a fine victory
Above: Job done for the three dominant teams in the Elite Circuit series Otley podium, Russ Downing 2nd, Graham Briggs 1st and Tony Gibb 3rd
Results
Elite Circuit Race
1. Graham Briggs (Rapha Condor Recycling)
2. Russell Downing (Pinarello RT)
3. Tony Gibb (Plowman Craven)
4. Jon Mozley (Pearl Izumi-Planet X- High 5)
5. Jeroen Janssen (Pearl Izumi-PlanetX-High5)
6. Dean Downing (Rapha Condor Recycling)
7. Simon Holt (Rapha Condor Recycling)
8. Ian Stannard (Landbouwkredit-Tonnistein)
9. Ian Wilkinson (Science in Sport)
10. Gary Adamson (F P Mailing)
11. Tom Barras (Plowman Craven)
12. Sam Webster (Pinarello RT) 1st U23
13. Stephen Adams (Pearl izumi-PlanetX-High5)
14. Steve Lampier (Team Bowkantoor Lippens)
15. Marc Perry (Sports Beans/ Willer)
16. Tom Murray (Pinarello RT)
17. Ian Bibby (Science in Sport)
18. Daniel McLay (Leicestershire RC)
19. Simon Gaywood (Plowman Craven)
20. Malcolm Elliott (Pinarello RT)
PRIMES
Prime 1
1. Ian Wilkinson
2. Tom Murray
3. Simon Richardson
4. Peter Williams
Prime 2
1. Graham Briggs
2. Malcolm Elliott
3. Kristian House
4. James McCallum
3/4 Support Race
1. Alistair Wood (Aire Valley RT)
2. Chris Nicholson (Manx Road Club)
3. Richard Kipling (MTS Cyclesport-Inkland RT)
4. Scott Thwaites (Crosstrax)
5. Jamie Rogers (Scunthorpe Poly CC)
6. Richard Sutcliffe (York Cycleworks)
7. Joe Richards (Wheelbase.co.uk)
8. Joseph Martin (GS Surosa)
9. Matthew Hartley (Sheffield Phoenix)
10. Tom Moses (SSC-Cyclesport)
RELATED LINKS
2008 Preview
