East Yorkshire Classic
August 3, 2008; A Premier Calendar Event
Report & pictures Larry Hickmott
A Hull Thursday RC Promotion; Premier Calendar Home Page
Russell Downing sprints to victory ahead of Kristian House ...
Latest: Photo albums now available. Pinarello's Russell Downing may be dominating the British Cycling Premier Calendar but the racing is still as exciting as it has ever been as these photo album's show. In the narrow lanes and up the long climbs of East Riding, the attacks came thick and fast and if anyone was in any doubt as to how hard this sport is, just look at some of the faces! Albums from Larry Hickmott and Andy May. Go to the top of the page and click the Gallery button.
_________________________________________________________________
After a break of a few weeks, the battle for the British Cycling Premier Calendar series resumed in East Yorkshire and the big question was whether Dean Downing would repeat his success of Friday night or would another rider, another Downing even, triumph in Beverley. The answer to that question came after 98 gruelling miles around the historic town of Beverely when Russell Downing (Pinarello) outsprinted Kristian House (Rapha Condor) to win the 2008 edition and the Premier Calendar series.
In Brief
The race started at 10 am and after a short neutralised section, the racing began with a flurry of attacks that went on for well over an hour before a break start to form as the road went upwards. Despite never having much of a gap, and some concerted chases from the likes of Matt Stephens, Rob Hayles and Tom Southam, the break was never in danger of being caught. It included Kit Gilham, Dean Downing, Russell Downing, Ryan Bonser, Ben Greenwood, Robin Sharman, Simon Richardson, and Marcin Biablocki. Kristian House realised it was 'the one' and crossed to it on his own.
A few attacks on the final main climb saw three of the break get dropped including Dean Downing. Dean however, sick twice during the race, made it back to the break and it was on the finishing circuit that Russell Downing attacked and took with him Kristian House. The Rapha rider was under orders not to work to try and bring it together for Dean Downing but Russell Downing put his head down and even in the sprint, still had enough to beat House with Dean Downing winning the sprint for third.
POST RACE REACTIONS
Russell Downing(Pinarello): On the fact he had to do all the work, Russell shrugged his shoulders and replied “That’s bike racing. When you have won as many races as me, people will try anything to try and beat you. Things like that though just make me ride harder to be honest but it was good to still have had it in the tank as it was a hard day out there”.
“You forget how hard these roads are being so dead and I was going for the King of the Hills because I felt right isolated there with four Rapha riders in the break. Later on though I could see they were all hurting. I thought there was another climb and I am not sure if they have taken one out. I was going to go hard on it but we ended up going straight onto the circuit which gave me time to chill a bit.”
“I then got away with Dean and he did a hard turn and then turned left and Kristian rode away quite hard.”
On the fact it took a long time for the break to really get established and out of danger, Russell explained “I think early on we wanted to work hard but Kristian was coming across and so Rapha didn’t want to work. I think for a long time us in the break and the peloton were riding at the same speed.”
“On those roads though it is hard to get something back and although they were getting tired and we were getting tired, if you have a minute advantage its always going to be hard to pull that back”.
“At the start of the year the goal was to win races and the Premier Calendar series has fallen into place. I’m now in a big training block. I did four hours yesterday and although the legs were struggling it’s all about the Tour of Britain now and hopefully finishing the season off there with a stage.”
On how he felt after the crash on Friday night, he said “I was really stiff and had a stiff neck and I could have quite easily stayed in bed yesterday morning but I got myself out and did four hours – that’s why I win races, I train hard.”
Kristian House (Rapha Condor/Recycling.co.uk): “It wasn’t the result I wanted. It wasn’t a bad race though and initially we had three guys in the race and we thought, the break wasn’t far away so I’ll give it a go to get across and I attacked on a climb and rode across to give us four there. “
“Everything was going well and Dean did a great ride getting over the climbs and in the finale I was following Simon Richardson and Russ quite a lot because they were one-twoing us but when that last group got away with four of us in it, Dean was there and he made the perfect move and I thought it was going to come back together but then Russ went again and the two of us were away.”
“I had to sit on him. At the end of the day he is faster than me in the sprint, and I was told to sit in and you feel bad doing it but he’s the fastest guy in the country right now. So second is good but winning is always better.” On the course, “it is a great course. There are some really small narrow roads and even when we got away, the peloton was holding us at a minute for a long time.”
Dean Downing (Rapha Condor/Recycling.co.uk) : “I felt terrible in that race” he said as he was cleaned up after coming third. “I was struggling on all the climbs – look at me, I had some serious flem going on out there after Friday night. I was sick twice during the race and I have never done that on my bike before.”
“We rode well again as a team today. Russell is still going strong and we’re disappointed we didn’t win the race but we tried everything but Rus was the strongest rider again. It was a great result for me and a great weekend – but I’m buggered now though!”
John Herety (team manager, Rapha Condor/Recycling.co.uk) : “I thought tactically we rode very well today as a team. Since the Saschen Tour, we have come on in leaps and bounds and it bodes well for the Tour of Britain and the Tour of Ireland.”
“I am pleased with the way the boys rode. Russell is on a different level on the domestic scene and with his sprint and the type of rider he is, he’s very difficult to beat. I gave instructions for Kristian not to work and that is tough on Russ but he’s won a lot of Premier calendar events and with two riders in the chase group, it was the right thing to do. If Russell wanted it badly, he was going to have to do the work for it to give us even half a chance.”
“It has been a good weekend for the team as well with Dean winning on Friday night. I’d just like to say what a fantastic job this organisation has done. All the helpers that have come out to help and it’s great to see Beverley in such good shape after its trials and tribulations last year and I’m glad the races have come back. Its been one of the best Premier Calendar’s of the year.”
PHOTO REPORT
Thanks to John Greatorex, my pilot for the race as he is for all Premier Calendar events, we were able to see all the key moves in the race and here is a picture by picture report of the race....
The flag is dropped by one of the races VIPs and 98 miles lay ahead of the riders.
The riders have almost 3 miles of neutralised riding
First attacker is Raphael Deinhart of Pearl Izumi
Field is lined out as Tom Murray chases a break ahead of Mark Lovatt and Kevin Dawson.
Raphael Deinhart gets company with the arrival of Craig Stevenson
The break grows to three with the added help of a Kinesis rider
Simon Gaywood of Plowman Craven gets a chase going
The break comes back...
Kit Gilham was another who tried and after a mile or three of freedom is brought back.
Pinarello's Tom Murray then has a dig
A new break forms lead here by Simon Gaywood.
As one break fails, another is started, this one by Andy Tinsley.
And as that break fails one of the York Cycles riders attacks...
Kevin Dawson leads a group away
The road is climbing, a King of the Mountains sprint is looming and Russell Downing is preparing to launch just behind Kit Gilham
The pressure from Gilham and Downing sees a small group get away led here by Simon Richardson with Robin Sharman and Ben Greenwood also making the split.
Russell Downing crosses the sprint line for the King of the Mountains and the winning break has formed.
Robin Sharman drives the break with the peloton in the back ground. The break at this time included Kit Gilham, Dean Downing, Russell Downing, Ryan Bonser, Ben Greenwood, Robin Sharman, Simon Richardson, and Marcin Biablocki.
Kristian House attacks the peloton with Liam Holohan on his wheel.
And the peloton is at sixes and sevens and no chase is being organised.
Two Rapha riders drop back to help Kristian make contact with the break.
Tom Southam attacks out of the peloton to try and get a chase going.
After Southam's attempt fails, his Halfords Bikehut teammate Rob Hayles, the British Road Race Champion, attacks to try and escape, drawing three riders away.
Even after half an hour of riding, the break was still in sight of the peloton. Ben Greenwood leads.
More chasers take up the challenge to bring the break back.
More bad luck for Russell who was already on his training bike after break his race bike on Friday night. Here he has a front wheel puncture but fast work by his team saw him back in the break in a few minutes. First his Pinarello team car came to the front of the break and stopped and the wheel was changed. The break came past and by the time the wheel was changed, the convoy was only a short sprint up the road for the Rotherham rider.
A chase group forms with Mark Lovatt, Matt Stephens and two Rapha riders including Graham Briggs
If at first you don't succeed to get the bottle ....
.... have a second helper to get you another... Rider is Matt Stephens.
Russell Downing and Kristian House appear to be on a club run!
.. only a few minutes later it was grimaces not smiles as Russell Downing went on the attack
... leaving his big brother helpless off the back
After his first one failed, Russell tried again through a village. That failed too.
Simon Richardson had a dig only to look back and see Dean Downing come back though the cars after a long chase.
Finishing circuit and Russell Downing is attacking and attacking ....
and when that fails, attacking again...
....and splits start to happen in the break as Dean Downing leads Robin Sharman, Russell Downing and Kristian House.
Before the others can get on, Kristian House goes through the finish area and Russell Downing reacts as thr big crowd cheers them on
Dean Downing makes the split and drives the leaders along
Dean however soon goes backwards and that leaves Russell Downing and Kristian House for company
And it was Russell who sprinted to victory ahead of Kristian House ...
.. and after a few seconds, Dean Downing ...
and then a real tight sprint for fourth...
First Under 23, Peter Williams, Kristian House, Russell Downing and Dean Downing
RESULTS
1. Russell Downing, Pinarello
2. Kristian House, Rapha Condor/Recycling.co.uk
3. Dean Downing, Rapha Condor/Recycling.co.uk @ 14 seconds
4. Robin Sharman, Sigam Sport @ 17 seconds
5. Marcin Bailblocki, Sport Beans/Wilier
6. Ben Greenwood, Rapha Condor/Recycling.co.uk
7. Simon Richardson, Plowman Craven,
8. Peter Williams, Pinarello RT @ 4 mins
9. Matt Stephens, Sigma Sport
10. Kit Gilham, Kinesis UK
11. Evan Oliphant, Plowman Craven
12. Sybrandy Wouters, Sigam Sport
13. Graham Briggs, Rapha Condor/Recycling.co.uk
14. Tom Murray, Pinarello
15. Tom Barras, Plowman Craven
16. Richard Sykes-Popham KFS Special vehicles
17. Lee Davis, Pinarello RT
18. Mike Harrison, Sigam Sport
19. Will Bjergfelt, Felt Racing
20. Liam Holohan, Pearl Izumi
RELATED LINKS
Premier Calendar Home Page
