5th for Sport Beans/Wilier in Messenger

 

Story posted May 7, 2008
Chas Messenger 2-Day Premier Calendar,
Source: Clive Richardson; Images: Team Sport Beans
 

Sport Bean/Wilier rider Marcin Bialoblocki is on Dean Downing's wheel during stage 2 of the race.

 

All the boys took part in what was our toughest test yet, a Two-day Premier Calendar Stage Race. The Chas Messenger kind of suggests that the man himself, 95 years young, is no longer with us - far from it! Chas is a leading light in cycling in this country and continues to be so. Set around Winslow in Buckinghamshire over rolling roads and for once, a hint of the approaching summer on both days - the scene was set.
 
Battle commenced on Saturday morning with an opening Prologue Time Trial, a short, sharp effort to get some time gaps between riders and to get someone into the Yellow Jersey of Race Leader. The 5km effort saw Olympian, World Track Champion and World Class Pursuiter Rob Hayles taking the honours, with specialist Tony Gibb following in 2nd place. Russ Downing, current  Premier Calendar Leader, showed he was no slouch against the clock and took 3rd place. Marcin Bialoblocki, Sport Beans - Wilier's super-strong Pole, took a very fine 6th place to leave him only 18 seconds off the pace.
 
A break of about an hour to relax and refuel out in the car park at the HQ in the warm sun was the order of the day before the day's main course, five laps of a 25 kilometre circuit around the picturesque villages in the area. Rolling roads with few hills held little fear for the Elite riders though, and despite repeated attacks it was a case of gruppo compatto as the bunch went through the bell with a lap to go, and a big bunch sprint looked likely. That's not to say the stage was without incident though, the increasingly bad state of the roads with the accompanying potholes, saw to it that there were many punctures, with Sport Beans - Wilier having more than their fair share!

 

Dino Perry went down a large one and with the aid of his potholer's helmet, saw that he had impact punctures to both his very expensive tubs. Gary in the Team Car came to his aid but was soon in action again with Grant. Later on, Grant had punctured yet again and for good measure, Mark Thwaites as well. They had their work cut out getting back on the bunch as the speed was consistently high.

 

However, back to the final lap and Premier Calendar leader Russell Downing (Pinarello) and a small group had got itchy feet -  Matt Higgins (Corley Cycles), Evan Oliphant (Plowman Craven), Simon Holt (Rapha - Recycling), Matt Cronshaw (Kinesis) and Ian Wilkinson (Science in Sport - Trek). With around half a lap to go, they jumped away just as the bunch was breathing heavily after a high speed uphill section of road. Rob Hayles (Halfords - Bikehut) saw the danger and used his World Class Pursuiting skills to bridge the gap before it became too large.

 

The mould was set as the leaders approached the finish line. Downing attacked the group within the last km and came in for a solo win. The bunch was led in by Tony Gibb 19 seconds later, with Marcin taking a fine 3rd place for 10th on the stage, leaving him lying in 7th place overall overnight - a very fine ride indeed in such exalted company.

Mark Thwaites in action for the Sport Beans/Wilier racing team

 
The weather forecast showed more of the same, and so it was, that Sunday would be warm and muggy, a welcome change from the classically chilly, wet and windy April weather that seemed to have persisted throughout  the whole preceding 5 weeks or so, and that, preceded by snow! Day two’s stage comprised 150km of fairly flat but very pretty Buckinghamshire countryside.

 

The bunch was all together on the first of six ascents of the prime at Pitchcott Hill with Matt Clinton (KFS Special Vehicles) taking the honours at the top of the climb. Three riders headed up the climb on the second lap with a clear lead over the main field - Matt Talbot (Glendene CC), Tony Gibb (Plowman Craven) and Freddie Johansson (Pinarello) had gone clear.

 

Johansson’s only motive of course, was to protect the lead of team mate Russ Downing and the Swedish International sat in while the Gibb and Talbot shared the pace. Lap 3 came and went with no change, the leading trio gaining a maximum of just over a minute as Gibb and Talbot put the hammer down to take advantage of the flat, wind assisted sections. Russell Downing's Pinarello team eventually decided they'd had enough and began to reel in the leaders with two laps to go, injecting such speed into the pursuit that they pulled back the remaining 40 second lead in just a few frantic miles. Although Gibb had secured the Points Jersey prize during the escape, he fell back after the junction was made, putting Marcin up one place in the overall GC stakes.

Mark Perry sitting comfortable in the bunch for Sport Beans/Wilier

 

The gallop started round the final bend and 19 year old Tom Last (Kinesis) took on the more experienced legs which included Malcolm Elliott (Plowman Craven), Hayles and the Downing brothers. Elliott hit a ridge in the road but managed to keep upright, his chances dashed though - Russell Downing came off Hayles’s wheel to hunt Last down in the final 100m and went the long way around to cross the finish line first.

 

Hayles showed his pure strength by holding on to take third and Dean Downing followed him home in fourth spot. Marcin was well in the hunt again and took an excellent 6th place on the Stage, his sprinting prowess seeming to improve with every week. With his 2 placings the previous day, and Kristian House's  (Rapha - Recycling) overnight sickness, Marcin moved up to a final 5th place overall, his best performance of this year and his best Premier Calendar performance to date!

 

A strong overall Team performance too, saw Dino, Ben, Dave and Grant all finishing within around 2 minutes of the Race Winner.
 
Next week sees the boys travelling up to Lincoln for the Lincoln Grand Prix, the 2nd Premier Calendar in as many weeks. They'll be sharing a car with David Duffield so I'll be hopefully peppering next week's report with a bit of their witty banter - watch this space!

 

RESULTS:
Stage 1, 5 km TT
1. Robert Hayles (Team Halfords-Bikehut)  06:37
2. Tony Gibb (Plowman Craven) @09
3. Russ Downing (Pinarello) @00:13
4. Matthew Higgins (Team Corley) 00:15
5. Kristian House (Rapha  -  Recycling) 00:16
6. Marcin Bialoblocki (Sport Beans - Wilier )  00:18

 

Stage 2, 120 km
1. Russell Downing (Pinarello)  2.51.05
2. Matt Higgins  (Corley Cycles) @ 7 seconds
3. Evan Oliphant  (Plowman Craven)  
4. Simon Holt  (Rapha - Recycling) 12 sec
5. Matt Cronshaw  (Kinesis)
6. Rob Hayles  (Halfords Bikehut)
7. Ian Wilkinson  (SiS/Trek)
8. Tony Gibb  (Plowman Craven) @19 seconds
9. Graham Briggs  (Rapha - Recycling)
10. Marcin Bialoblocki  (Sport Beans - Wilier)
 
Stage 3, 150km
1. Russ Downing (Pinarello)
2. Tom Last (Kinesis) 
3. Robert Hayles (Team Halfords-Bikehut)
4. Dean Downing (Rapha - Recycling)
5. Ian Wilkinson (SiS/Trek)
6. Marcin Bialoblocki (Sport Beans - Wilier)
 
Overall
1. Russ Downing (Pinarello) 6:36:35
2. Robert Hayles (Halfords-Bikehut) @:29
3. Matthew Higgins (Corley Cycles) @:29
4. Evan Oliphant (Plowman Craven) @:44
5. Marcin Bialoblocki  (Sport Beans - Wilier) @1:00

 

30. Dino  Perry (Sport Beans - Wilier) @1:31
35. Ben Luckwell (Sport Beans - Wilier) @1:41
37. Dave Coulson (Sport Beans - Wilier) @1:43
48. Grant  Bayton (Sport Beans - Wilier) @2:08

 

For more info visit www.sportbeans.co.uk/cycleteam