175 Riders Enter 53rd Lincoln Grand Prix
April 23rd 2008; Event May 11
Source: Race Press Release; VC Lincoln CC Promotion
Web: www.lincolngrandprix.org.uk
A British Cycling Premier Calendar Event
Related Item: Tribute to Brian Cossavella at Lincoln GP
Form Guide: Chas Messenger Two Day Premier Calendar
The 53rd Lincoln Grand Prix Cycle Race again brings top class cycle racing to the cobbled streets of the historic City with 175 entries on the programme.
Britain's top riders will face the challenge of tough foreign competition with teams and riders from Ireland, The Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Sweden and South Africa amongst the line up for the 86 miles race on Sunday May 11th.
Right: Dean Downing was King of the Castle in 2007- To show what this race means to the riders he said afterwards "Unbelievable. I am lost for words. The last time up the climb was amazing". You can be sure this years race is destined to be a classic with such a large field and a host of favourites.
The British teams and individuals represent the very best of the British riders and as always it is difficult to pick a winner. The Downing brothers from Rotherham have been on the podium twice in the last three years, the ever young Malcolm Elliott is back again along with other previous winners, Chris Newton, Mark Lovatt and Kristian House, but will we see a new up and coming name this year from the impressive list of top class riders.
Taking on the likes of Dean and Russell Downing, winners of the 2008 rounds of the Premier Calendar so far, is a surprise entry -- that of Dave McCann, seven times the Irish national road race champion and home for the weekend from his professional Giant Racing team based in Asia.
Dave has ridden the Grand Prix before and is hoping to improve on his previous best placing of 6th. Joining Dave, also from the Giant Asia team is Scotsman Alex Coutts who has a string of impressive foreign performances to his name already this season. Top internationals Rob Hayles and Tom Southam will also be in the line up. Whoever is first to cross the finish line in Castle Square will count The Lincoln Grand Prix as one of their best victories.
After the euphoria of winning all those gold medals on the track at the recent World Track Championships in Manchester, it is now the season for the road riders to show their ability to cover the difficult 8 mile circuit of very mixed terrain in under 20 minutes, an average speed of around 25 mph and a total time for the 86 miles of 3 hours 30 minutes. Considering this includes the cobbles of the 1 in 6 Michaelgate climb and Castle Square, the winding roads through Burton Village and the gradual ascent along Long Leys Road, this is no mean feat.
Map of the course....
It is of course Olympic year with all eyes turning east to Beijing in August. We can then look forward to London 2012 with the Grand Prix already well positioned with the East Midlands Development Agency supporting the race as part of its 2012 awareness programme in Lincolnshire.
Back in Lincoln for the fifth time is Cycling.TV who will again be recording the Grand Prix for showing both on their web site www.cycling.tv and on Eurosport television. Last years Eurosport coverage was excellent with great views of the City as the race progressed around the circuit, despite the constant rain. Full marks also go to the huge crowd of spectators who braved the poor conditions to witness a great event and a great win by Rotherham's Dean Dowing to add to that of his brother Russell in 2005.
The race starts from the Yarborough Leisure Centre at 10 am and covers 11 laps of the circuit before finishing in Castle Square at around 1.30 pm where the winners will be presented with their awards to the applause of the large and enthusiastic crowd. The 8 mile circuit takes the riders out of Lincoln, through Burton Village and its twisting tricky descent to the A57 and back towards Lincoln via Long Leys Road and West Parade before the difficult climb of Michaelgate to Castle Square.
The course includes Lincoln's tourist areas along Bailgate and passes through Newport Arch, Lincoln's 3rd century Roman Gateway and one of the few remaining examples of Roman architecture which is still open to traffic, but not on Sunday May 11th when the roads are closed for the safety of the riders in this classic race.
Organiser Ian Emmerson OBE watches the 2007 race unfold before him with Lincoln Castle in the background.
The Lincoln Grand Prix would not be possible without the support of its sponsors, councils, police, officials, marshals, mechanics, press and the co-operation of the householders and businesses on the circuit. These vital ingredients come together each year to make the Grand Prix Britain’s favourite one day cycle race.
Race Sponsors are Lincoln City Council, Jackson Building Centres, East Midlands Development Agency, Lincolnshire County Council, Lincolnshire Sports Partnership, British Cycling, Rick Hall Construction, Kingston Communications, NatWest Bank, Chattertons Solicitors, PKF Accountants, Impsport, Lincolnshire Co-operative, Holland Brothers Jaguar, Marshall Land Rover, C-Shop and James Oliver Conservatories.
Every race is unique and Lincoln is very special indeed as the race winds it way through the historic heart of this great city.
RELATED LINKS
PHOTO GALLERIES
| 2005 PHOTOS | 2004 PHOTOS | 2003 PHOTOS |
RIDERS FOR THE 53rd LINCOLN GRAND PRIX
1. Dean Downing Rapha Condor Recycling Rotherham
2. Chris Newton Rapha Condor Recycling Oldham
3. Kristian House Rapha Condor Recycling Cheadle
4. Rob Partridge Rapha Condor Recycling Wrexham
5. Graham Briggs Rapha Condor Recycling Doncaster
6. Dale Appleby Rapha Condor Recycling Pontyclun
7. Ryan Bonser Rapha Condor Recycling Ashton under Lyne
8. Ben Greenwood Rapha Condor Recycling Carnforth
9. Tom Slagter Ruiter Dakkapellen Wielerteam Netherlands
10. Dion Beukeboom Ruiter Dakkapellen Wielerteam Netherlands
11. Jody Tesselaar Ruiter Dakkapellen Wielerteam Netherlands
12. Germ van der Burg Ruiter Dakkapellen Wielerteam Netherlands
13. Sierd Steigenga Ruiter Dakkapellen Wielerteam Netherlands
14. Dennis Leliveld Ruiter Dakkapellen Wielerteam Netherlands
15. Eugene Moriarty MyHome.ie/BDBC/Cycleways Ireland
16. Stephen O’Sullivan MyHome.ie/BDBC/Cycleways Ireland
17. Alex Coutts Giant Asia RT Burntisland
18. David McCann Giant Asia RT Ireland
19. Alessandro Grandi Team Co Bo Italy Italy
20. Robert Willcocks Ajchva Limoux Melton Mowbray
21. David Miller API Metrow Cambridge
22. Darren Barclay Arctic-Premier Racing Team Brighton
23. Simon Wilson Arctic-Premier Racing Team Burnely
24. Jody Crawforth Arctic-Premier Racing Team Leatherhead
25. Oliver Graham Arctic-Premier Racing Team Redditch
26. Jon-Kris Mason Arctic-Premier Racing Team Ticknall
27. Matt Holmes Arctic-Premier Racing Team Gravesend
28. Neil Beasley Ashfield Road Club Chilwell
29. Scot Gamble Ashfield Road Club Selston
30. Owain Lovell Ashfield Road Club Newthorpe
31. Andrew Stuart Ashfield Road Club Newthorpe
32. Alex Peterson Awcycles.co.uk Thatcham
33. Martin Smith Awcycles.co.uk Milton Keynes
34. Tom Smith Awcycles.co.uk Winkfield Row
35. Philip Borrett Bikinmotion CC Sidmouth
36. Sam Ward Team Chevin Cycles Otley
37. Roy Chamberlain Team Corley Cycles Newport Pagnell
38. Mark Wordsworth Team Corley Cycles Doncaster
39. Matthew Higgins Team Corley Cycles Pelsall
40. Richard Cartland Team Corley Cycles Worcester
41. Martin Freeman Team Corley Cycles Glossop
42. Karl Freeman Team Corley Cycles Glossop
43. Tom Kirk Team Corley Cycles Headington
44. Tom Martin Team Corley Cycles Tamworth
45. Richard Lambert Cottingham Coureurs Rossington
46. David Shackleton Cottingham Coureurs Hull
47. Carl Dyson cyclingbargains.com Leicester
48. Paul Bell Doncaster Wheelers Rossington
49. Rob Watkinson Doncaster Wheelers Rotherham
50. Adam Weaver Doncaster Wheelers Rotherham
51. Adrian Bird Team Echelon Spiuk East Didsbury
52. Nicolaas Jansen van Rensburg Evans Cycles RT South Africa
53. Tim Elverson Felt Racing Fleet
54. Justin Hoy Felt Racing Lindford
55. John Wager Felt Racing Long Wittenham
56. Gary Adamson FP Mailing Scarisbrick
57. Neil Jones Gateway Cycles RT Abergavenny
58. Robbie Powell Gateway Cycles RT Ebbw Vale
59. Euan Pope Glasgow Coureurs Glasgow
60. Ben Thompson Glendene Cycling Club Woodford Green
61. Matt Talbot Glendene Cycling Club Streatham
62. Andri Joubert Glendene Cycling Club Brentwood
63. Matthew Charity Go Sportspex RT Nottingham
64. Wayne Webster Go Sportspex RT Hucknall
65. Jon Pain GWR Team Gloucester
66. Rob Hayles Team Halfords Bike Hut Hayfield
67. Tom Southam Team Halfords Bike Hut Cheadle
68. Dafydd Dylan KFS Special Vehicles Aberystwyth
69. Matt Clinton KFS Special Vehicles Coventry
70. Gareth Hewitt KFS Special Vehicles Shefield
71. Richard Sykes Popham KFS Special Vehicles Bury St Edmunds
72. James Stewart KFS Special Vehicles Ormskirk
73. Kieran Frend KFS Special Vehicles Burton on Trent
74. Gregg Roche KFS Special Vehicles Macclesfield
75. James Sampson Kinesis UK Huddersfield
76. Kit Gilham Kinesis UK Sheffield
77. Matt Cronshaw Kinesis UK Carnforth
78. Jack Pullar Kinesis UK Carnforth
79. Josh James Kinesis UK St Andrews
80. Tom Last Kinesis UK Bakewell
81. Leigh Cowell Kuota/Biemme/Spinergy Preston
82. Robert Orr Team Lacuna Leicester
83. David Clarke Team Lacuna Swadlingcote
84. Daniel Smith Team Lacuna Saltburn
85. Richard Williamson Team Lacuna Great Ayton
86. David McGowan Liverpool Mercury Liverpool
87. Harry Penn Mammoth Lifestyle Racing Team Lichfield
88. Jonathan Tiernan-Locke Mid Devon CC Plymstock
89. Paul Londors Team Milton Keynes Northampton
90. Mike Wragg Team Milton Keynes Aylesbury
91. Wayne Coombs VC Montpellier Winchcombe
92. Withdrawn
93. James Moss MTS Inkland Gosforth
94. Simon Baxter MTS Inkland Ormesby
95. Lewis Medows MTS Inkland Middlesbrough
96. Sean Poison MTS Inkland North Shields
97. Daren Tiffin MTS Inkland Gateshead
98. Ian Thomas Newport Shropshire Telford
99. Jimmy Finch Newark Castle Cycling Club Newark
100. David Robinson NFM Racing Team Durham
101. Christopher Moores Norwood Paragon Bath
102. Simon Warren Norwood Paragon London
103. Martin Bryant PCA/Ciclos Uno South Woodford
104. Ian Franklin PCA/Ciclos Uno Writtle, Essex
105. James Jackson PCA/Ciclos Uno Romford
106. Daniel Kogan PCA/Ciclos Uno Ilford
107. Daniel Patten PCA/Ciclos Uno Corringham
108. James Whatling PCA/Ciclos Uno Walthamstow
109. Jon Mozley Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High 5 Derby
110. Liam Holohan Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High 5 Leeds
111. Jeroen Janssen Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High 5 Netherlands
112. Stephen Adams Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High 5 Nottingham
113. Matthew Jones Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High 5 Milton Keynes
114. Raphael Deinhart Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High 5 Germany
115. Gary Hand Pedal Power Race Team Livingston
116. Gordon Murdoch Pedal Power Race Team East Kilbride
117. Paul Coatts Pedal Power Race Team Hamilton
118. Kevin Barclay Pedal Power Race Team West Calder
119. Scott Macrae Pedal Power Race Team Edinburgh
120. Malcolm Elliott Pinarello Racing Team Stannington
121. Russell Downing Pinarello Racing Team Rotherham
122. Freddy Johansson Pinarello Racing Team Sweden
123. Lee Davis Pinarello Racing Team Stonehouse
124. Tom Murray Pinarello Racing Team Huddersfield
125. Matthew Kipling Pinarello Racing Team Bishop Auckland
126. Peter Williams Pinarello Racing Team Croston
127. Andy Roche Pinarello Racing Team Isle of Man
128. Mark Lovatt Planet X Racing Team Leek
129. Simon Gaywood Plowman Craven RT Bedford
130. James Millard Plowman Craven RT Canvey Island
131. James Jackson Plowman Craven RT Romford
132. Simon Richardson Plowman Craven RT Bristol
133. Tom Barras Plowman Craven RT Keighley
134. Evan Oliphant Plowman Craven RT Edinburgh
135. Alex Higham Plowman Craven RT Lambourn
136. Tony Gibb Plowman Craven RT Ruislip
137. Geoffrey Beetham retrobike.co.uk Loughborough
138. Jamie Burgan Rutland Cycling Club Sheffield
139. Ian Wilkinson Scienceinsport-Trek Barnoldswick
140. Ian Bibby Scienceinsport-Trek, Preston
141. Richard Kent Scienceinsport-Trek Oldham
142. Richard Wilkinson Scienceinsport-Trek Sale
143. Tim Lawson Scienceinsport-Trek Blackburn
144. Matthew Stephens Sigmasport Crewe
145. Alex Wise Sigmasport Uppingham
146. Mike Harrison Sigmasport Sandbach
147. James Williamson Sigmasport Crewe
148. Neil Swithenbank Sigmasport Littleborough
149. Daniel Duguid Sigmasport Fleet
150. Andrew Bye Sigmasport Feltham
151. Robin Sharman Sigmasport Holbrook
152. Grant Bayton Sports Beans-Wilier Swindon
153. Marcin Bialoblocki Sports Beans-Wilier Langport, Somerset
154. Mark Perry Sports Beans-Wilier Bognor Regis
155. Mark Thwaites Sports Beans-Wilier Ilkley
156. Ashley Brown Sportscover Spluk Castleford
157. Gav Evans Sportscover Spluk Tibshelf
158. Dieter Droger Sportscover Spluk Barnsley
159. Nigel Haigh Sportscover Spluk Huddersfield
160. Bradley Johnston Sportscover Spluk Doncaster
161. Stephen Guymer Star Bikes RT Cottingham
162. Stephen Ward Star Bikes RT Driffield
163. Matt Jennings Websters Cycles Leicester
164. Andrew Griffiths Wielergroep Beveren 2000 Hornchurch
165. James Makepeace Wild Side Racing Team Worthing
166. Chris McNamara Wild Side Racing Team Worthing
167. Simon McNamara Wild Side Racing Team Worthing
168. Stephen Skuse Wild Side Racing Team Strood
169. Mark Sussex Wild Side Racing Team Burgess Hill
170. Alastair Kay York Cycleworks York
171. Simon Blythe Unattached Germany
172. Martin Ford Unattached Newcastle, Staffs
173. George Richardson Unattached Redditch
174. Peter Hawkins Usher Irish Road Club Ireland
175. Dave Coulson Team Sports Beans Wilier Sheffield
176. Phil Axe Sharrow Cycling Club Sheffield
PREVIOUS WINNERS
1956 Bob Eastwood Huddersfield Road Club
1957 Ron Coe Wilson Cycles
1958 Ron Coe Elswick Hopper
1959 Ron Coe Elswick Hopper
1960 John Perks Falcon Cycles
1961 John Perks Falcon Cycles
1962 Jim Grieves Helyett Cycles
1963 Albert Hitchen Viking Cycles
1964 Albert Hitchen Falcon Cycles
1965 Arthur Durham England
1966 John Clarey Woolwich Cycling Club
1967 Des Thompson New Zealand
1968 Doug Dailey Kirkby Cycling Club
1969 Pete Smith Clifton Cycling Club
1970 Tom Mullins Rockingham Cycling Club
1971 Dave Allen Birkenhead North End CC
1972 Phil Edwards Western Road Club
1973 Dave Vose Kirkby Cycling Club
1974 Steve Heffernan Archer Road Club
1975 Tony Gornall Clayton Velo
1976 Bill Nickson East Liverpool Wheelers
1977 Dave Cuming Kirkby Cycling Club
1978 Steve Lawrence VC Olympia Sport
1979 Geoff Taylor Liverpool Century
1980 Steve Joughin Manchester Wheelers
1981 Phil Thomas Liverpool Mercury
1982 Mark Bell Manchester Wheelers
1983 Malcolm Elliott Manchester Wheelers
1984 Neil Martin Angliasport
1985 Darryl Webster Manchester Wheelers
1986 Paul Curran Manchester Wheelers
1987 Paul Curran Manchester Wheelers
1988 Paul Curran Manchester Wheelers
1989 Mark Gornall Manchester Wheelers
1990 Brian Smith Velo Club d’Or
1991 Paul Curran Manchester Wheelers
1992 John Charlesworth Ace Racing Team
1993 Keith Reynolds Banana Energy Fruit
1994 Chris Walker Lex – Townsend
1995 Mark Walsham Tritech
1996 Kevin Dawson Optimum Performance
1997 John Tanner Controlware
1998 Chris Lillywhite Harrods
1999 Saulius Ruskis Team Oktos – MBK (France)
2000 Chris Newton Middridge Cycle Racing Team
2001 John Tanner Ribble – Pro Vision
2002 Huw Pritchard Angliasport
2003 Mark Lovatt Life Repair CRT
2004 David O’Loughlin Total Cycling (Ireland)
2005 Russell Downing recycling.co.uk
2006 Kristian House recycling.co.uk
2007 Dean Downing Rapha Condor Racing Team
