Premier Calendar Action Resumes at Ryedale This Weekend
Story posted June 18
Event: June 24; Ryedale, North Yorkshire
Photo: Andrew Kennedy for British Cycling
The weekend of the 23/24 June sees a feast of cycling return to North Yorkshire’s Duncombe Park nestling in the picturesque market town of Helmsley. Styled now as the Ryedale Cycling weekend, the event forms the first weekend of the Yorkshire Festival of Cycling promoted by British Cycling’s Yorkshire Region. The two day format returns following on from the 2006 single day edition, where it was felt the venue was perhaps under-utilised.
Duncombe Park is one of Yorkshire’s jewels. The ancestral home of Lord and Lady Feversham, it sits within extensive parkland and is a ‘natural’ venue for the event. With Helmsley Castle next door and a host of close by tourist haunts, it makes for an ideal stop-over location.
The two day format was last seen in 2005 when the National Elite Road Race Championships came to town and winner of the last two Premier Calendar events in 2007, Russell Downing was the victor. On that occasion the Women’s Race filled the Saturday slot. For this year, Saturday sees the introduction of a brand new event The Ryedale Rumble Sportive (details below).
Ryedale Grand Prix (Sunday)
Evan Oliphant wins the race last year from a rider returning for 2007, Ben Greenwood. Photo: Andrew Kennedy for British Cycling
On Sunday, at 10.00am, the British Cycling Premier Calendar event, the Ryedale Grand Prix takes place. This, the 9th counter in the 12 event series, uses the same two circuit configurations as last years events. Each edition of the race so far has seen all out action from the drop of the flag.
The races on this course have been characterised by ever changing race patterns that help to make it one of the best races for spectators to view. It also features perhaps one of the best finishes on the calendar, the long uphill drag through the park land of the Duncombe Park estate, headed by a finish on the magnificent vista of the mansion house -- a great venue for the photographers.
Heading the race challenge will be series leader Chris Newton (Recycling.co.uk) who leads another on the start sheet for Ryedale, Dean Downing. The two are only separated by 9 points in the overall table.
Seventh in the latest Premier Calendar table after two victories and a third placing, is the younger Downing – Russell -- winner here of the National Championships in 2005 and currently kicking his heels on the UK scene after having VISA problems getting back into the USA to race with his American team, Healthnet. Both Russ and Dean have the explosive talent for this type of course.
Other riders in the programme include Neil Swithenbank, Scott Gamble, Ben Greenwood, Robin Sharman, Tom Barras, John Charlesworth, Malcolm Elliott, Gordon McCauley, Matt Talbot, Richard Wilkinson, Matt Rowe, Ian Wilkinson, Matt Stephens, Mark Lovatt, John Tanner, Wayne Randle and Rob Partridge who this week rode an Under 23 Tour in Germany for Great Britain.
With a wider spread of team strengths this year, the pattern of Premier Calendar racing has been more open. No single team has held control of the bunches and expect the battling to continue at Ryedale. Once again the race will incorporate the Peter Longbottom Memorial in tribute to the local Olympian who was tragically killed in a road traffic accident in 1998. Peter was a former employee of the Ryedale District Council who have themselves provided significant support in the planning and delivery of the weekend.
The 185km race is scheduled to finish a little before 3.00pm based upon an average speed of 23.5mph.
Premier Calendar Standings
1. Chris Newton, Recycling.co.uk
2. Dean Downing, Rapha/Condor
3. Robin Sharman, KFS Special Vehicles
4. Malcolm Elliott, Pinarello RT
5. Gordon McCauley, Plowman Craven - Evans Cycles Racing Team
6. Ian Wilkinson, Science in Sport-Trek
7. Russell Downing, Team Health Net/Maxxis
8. Andrew Roche, Pinarello RT
9. Richard Wilkinson, Rapha/Condor
10. Alex Dowsett *** 100% ME (1st Under 23)
Rider list is below or download programe here (2.4mb PDF >> Download)
Get Involved!
Supporting the Grand Prix will be the Ryedale Ride. A charity ride over 50km in aid of Cancer Research UK. This takes to the road at 10.15am. This will be followed shortly afterwards by the first of the events in the Ryedale Youth Challenge, an omnium of skills and racing that will feature British Cycling’s Go - Ride clubs in a Team Challenge. Duncombe Park is to be found in the middle of Helmsley, some 28 miles north of York. Local Accommodation can be obtained by contacting the tourist information centre at www.maltontic.btconnect.com.
Saturday – Cyclo-Sportive Time
British Cycling Yorkshire has in the last few years developed its own expertise in cyclo sportives with the successful sister promotion the Dales based White Rose Classic. The Rumble, however, takes to different roads through the North York Moors and Howardian Hills.
Event Director Bob Howden points to some fairly competitive banter with the White Rose Organiser Derek Boocock about which one is the hardest. Ever the diplomat Bob says “its more about the scenery than the difficulty” though not many who know him or the area would believe him.
The “scenery” includes three climbing monuments, Blakey Bank the ex national Hill climb course, Rosedale Chimney Bank, infamous for grinding continental pros to a halt in Tours of years gone by and finally The White Horse Bank at Kilburn. Bob can also point to some more interesting “scenery” along the way that is guaranteed to be a lung and leg buster.
There are three rides, 92km that features Blakey Bank, 131km that features Blakey Bank and White Horse Bank and the main 180km ride what takes in all three climbs.
Praised for their slick promotion of the White Rose Classic, the same BC Yorkshire team will again be on hand as Bob Howden says; “A sportive is a massive challenge not just for the riders but for the organisation too. Fortunately, we have a great team here that takes a great pride in delivering events. Long before the riders take to the road, a logistics team led by Matthew Payne will have travelled the route signing to a carefully chartered plan, building feed stations along the way”.
The riders are each equipped with timing transponders that “log in” at the start at each feed station and at the finish. This enables total and split times to be produced. As soon as the rider checks in at the finish the data transfers to a certificate printer.
Event Director Bob Howden makes a point in stressing that the sportives are both challenging and a buzz to organise. However, a significant factor comes with the funds raised. These are ploughed back into developing the Yorkshire Regions Youth Programme. Bob says “we are tremendously proud to be working at not only the high profile events but in the grass roots development of the sport.
Last year saw the introduction of the White Rose Youth League that became an instant success. From this we have established our Youth Squad that competed in the Isle of Man Youth Games. The process will continue and one day we hope that we will have a dedicated Regional facility to house our ambitions.”
The first riders begin to “Rumble” from Duncombe Park at 7.00am with riders free to choose their own start time and groupings. For further information and late entry follow the links from www.bcyorkshire.com.
RYDALE GP (PREMIER CALENDAR) RIDER LIST
RELATED LINKS
2005 British Cycling: Mens Road Race Championship
Yorkshire Cycling Festival 2007
