International Cycling Comes to Abergavenny
Monday 16th June - Sunday 22nd June 2008
Abergavenny International Festival Of Cycling
Website: www.abergavennyfestivalofcycling.co.uk
This coming weekend in Abergavenny, (Wales) is a feast of cycling for everyone from youth riders to Elite professionals to those who prefer to ride along at a more leisurely pace. The week has already kicked off with some events on Monday and the Festival reaches a peak next Sunday with the Robert Price International Grand Prix of Wales.
Friday Night -- 90 minute circuit race for Elite and Professional riders
A good night in 2007 for Plowman Craven's Simon Gaywood with victory in the dark at Abergavenny.
The first of the International cycle races takes place on Friday evening around a twisty and testing course in the centre of Abergavenny. Unlike last year, this year the event is a UCI one with UCI points on offer as well as a rich purse including £1,500 pounds for the winner! I can see some riders riding over their rivals for that one….
Taking part will not only be the best British teams such as Plowman Craven, Rapha Condor, and Pinarello but also a host of other international teams including the Great Britain Cycling Team’s Olympic Academy riders, Pezula Racing from Ireland, plus riders from Lithunia and Italy.
With the likes of the best of British based riders competing plus those from overseas around this tight circuit for 90 minutes is a mouth watering prospect and will really be a stiff test for everyone. Taking part are world class road riders like Ben Swift and Jonny Bellis (World Championship Bronze medal in 2007 World Road Championships – Under 23) along with renowned road riders David O'Loughlin, Ciaran Power and Kieran Page. They’ll be taking on the likes of the Downing brothers, Rob Hayles, Tom Southam, Malcolm Elliott, Chris Newton and many others capable of winning the event. A list of riders is below…
The twisty section past the pub is narrow and cobbled and uphil!
Down hill and a left hander into the town centre... tricky!
Abergavenny Town Centre Cycling Programme
18:30 2nd-3rd men, women and junior riders
19:00 under 14 and under 16 race
20:00 Abergavenny Criterium International
Youth Racing -- Details here
Iron Mountain Sportif
On Saturday, the UCI Iron Mountain Sportif takes place with 25, 50 and 100-mile distances. The Sportif will be run over a similar route to the GP of Wales which is based in Bailey Park (town centre) which is host to a range of activities for all the family. While the Sportif is out of town, families/friends can be left with a clear conscience as there is plenty to enjoy during their stay in Abergavenny.
This includes bicycle magic and extreme stunt shows and the Welsh Cycling schools development team and the Dirt Crits for youngsters. All this followed by a Bar-B-Q (included in the Sportif entry) and the climax to the day is the evening concert of six bands which includes the return of Abergavenny's own Elvis. Further info
The Robert Price International Grand Prix of Wales (Sunday 22nd June)
2007 and Russell Downing rides up along the barriers as he's cheered on by the big crowd.
Coming a week before the British Cycling National Road Race Championships, this race will be the perfect warm-up for riders and fans alike. Over a distance of 110 miles including the three mile climb up the infamous Tumble Mountain, the race will finish with eight laps of a small finishing circuit just as the British Road Race Championship did last year.
Not only will the course give the strong riders the chance to make their mark on the race, but it will also give the spectators a chance to see the race unfold at the business end of the day as the riders race around closed roads on the finishing circuit. And with a big pay packet at the end and UCI points, some tough racing is expected and a bunch finish is not in the script!
A field of more than 130 riders will be a great sight as they head out of Abergavenny and into the surrounding roads heading for the major obstacle of the Tumble, a climb steeped in the history in cycling and one that comes after two hours of racing – not what you want with tired legs!. The key thing about the race is the fact the teams only have six man teams, some less, and that will make the race hard to control, making the race a very open affair where a little bit of luck will come into play in choosing the right break to go with.
Riders to look out for are plenty in number and include:
Ben Swift, winner of two races in Italy recently, ‘Swifty’ has some great form and remember he won the King of the Mountains in the Tour of Britain last year and so the Tumble will hold no fear for him. Lets hope his crash last week hasn’t damaged that form.
Jonathon Bellis, Third in last years World Road Race Championships for Under 23’s it was the best result for many a year on the road for a British rider and after a second place in a German Stage last week, Bellis is also in form.
Simon Richardson; The Plowman Craven rider had some good results in the recent Irish RAS and will probably be the leading rider for the men in pink.
Penzula Racing: the team come to Wales after having won the other British international race, the East Midlands Classic (Ciaran Power) and with Power,
David O'Loughin, Kieran Page, and Cameron Jennings in the line up, they will have a number of cards to play. After East Midlands, I doubt anyone will let this team get away enmass like they did in the Rutland event.
Geraint Thomas: After the way he rode in London recently, should this talented Barloworld rider indeed take to the start, he will be a key rider in the race. Not only is he Welsh racing on Welsh roads, he just finished the Tour of Italy as well as a training camp in Italy. Geraint won a World title in March and broke the World Record for the Team Pursuit so a talented rider indeed!
Pinarello: Like a lot of the teams, Pinarello have a number of riders in their line up who could take this race and none more than Russell Downing. Russell has won many races already this year here in the UK and others in Europe as well. He has the likes of Malcolm Elliott, Tom Murray and Peter Williams in the team to back him up and the race will be a key part of his final preparation for the National championships the following week on a circuit where he won the prestigious title in 2005.
Halfords/Bikehut: Riding in a mixed team, Rob Hayles and Tom Southam showed last weekend in the North East they have some good form at the moment winning both the big pay packets for the weekend and will again be among the favourites in Abergavenny.
Rapha Conder/Recycling.co.uk: Just back from a Canadian stage race, the boys in black will have plenty of racing miles in their legs and it only remains to be seen how fresh they are for this big race. Three of the team’s big hitters are in the team including Dean Downing, Kristian House and Chris Newton.
Best of the rest: In a field this big, there are always going to be some dark horses and none more in the foreign teams whose names are pretty unknown here. Not unknown though are the likes of Polish rider Marcin Bialoblocki, Matt Stephens and Robin Sharman. In last years British championships on a similar course Matt Stephens was in the thick of the action all day until a crash took him out and who knows, this may be the race he finally gets that big win this year.
COMPETITORS
Below is the start sheet for the Elite events.
Criterium International (Friday Night)
Great Britain
1. Swift Ben GBR
2. Tennant Andew GBR
3. Bellis Jonathon GBR
4. McNally Mark GBR
Plowman Craven
5. McCallum James GBR
6. Gibb Tony GBR
7. Gaywood Simon GBR
8. Oliphant Evan GBR
100% ME
9. Hampton Russell GBR
10. Dowsett Alex GBR
11. Kennaugh Peter GBR
12. McEvoy Jonathon GBR
Penzula Racing IRL
13. O'Loughlin David IRL
14. Power Ciaran IRL
15. Fox Morgan GBR
16. Page Kieran GBR
Wales
21. Appleby Dale GBR
22. Partridge Rob GBR
23. Lloyd Rhys GBR
24. Rowe Matt GBR
Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High
25. Mozely Jon GBR
26. Janssen Jeroen NED
27. Adams Stephen GBR
28. Jones Matthew GBR
West Regional GBR
29. Leavy Grant GBR
30. Finn Ashley GBR
31. Dewey Doug GBR
32. Bialoblocki Marcin GBR
K.F.S. Special Vehicles/Sunday Bicyles GBR
33 Dylan Dafydd GBR
34 Clinton Matt GBR
35 Sykes Popham Richard GBR
36 Stewart James GBR
Rapha Condor/Recycling
37. Briggs Graham GBR
38. Downing Dean GBR
39. House Kristian GBR
40. Newton Christoper GBR
Regional GBR
41. Hayles Rob GBR
42. Southam Tom GBR
43. Ford Martin GBR
44. Borrett Philip GBR
Pinarello RT GBR
45. Downing Russ GBR
46. Elliott Malc GBR
47. Williams Pete GBR
48. Murray Tom GBR
Ulan Cycling Team (Lithuania) LTH
49. Kruopis Aidis LTH
50. Kondrotas Simas LTH
51. Bagdonas Gediminas LTH
52. Mockus Algirdas LTH
Katay Cycling Team (Hungry)
53. Torosantucci Davide ITA
54. Carlettei Marco ITA
55. De Mobile Ivan ITA
56. Loria Domenico ITA
SUNDAY -- The Grand Prix of Wales
Great Britain
1. Swift Ben
2. Tennant Andew
3. Bellis Jonathon
4. McNally Mark
Plowman Craven
5. Richardson Simon
6. Higham Alex
7. Barras Tom
8. Oliphant Evan
9. Gaywood Simon
10. Coleman Neil
100% ME
11. Hampton Russell
12. Dowsett Alex
13. Kennaugh Peter
14. McEvoy Jonathon
Penzula Racing
15. O'Loughin David
16. Power Ciaran
17. Page Kieran
18. Jennings Cameron
19. Fox Morgan
20. Connor Ryan
Wales
27. Thomas Geraint
28. Appleby Dale
29. Partridge Rob
30. Lloyd Rhys
31. Rowe Matt
32. Jones Neil
Arctic Premier
33. Axford Danny
34. Dobbin James
35. Mason Jon-Kris
36. Graham Oliver
37. Dewey Doug
Ajchva Limoux
38. Willcocks Robert
39. Griffin Edward
40. Yetman Joshua
41. Stockdale Ben
42. Tiernan-Locke John
43. Holmes Adam
Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High 5 GBR
44. Mozely Jon
45. Janssen Jeroen
46. Adams Stephen
47. Jones Matthew
48. Holohan Liam
49. Deinhart Raphael
Sports Beans / Wilier GBR
50. Perry Marc
51. Bialoblocki Marcin
52. Thwaites Mark
53. Bayton Grant
54. Coulson Dave
Sigma Sport
55. Stephens Matt
56. Sharman Robin
57. Williamson James
58. Bye Andrew
59. Duguid Daniel
60. Swithenbank Neil
Team Corley Cycles GBR
61. Chamberlain Roy
62. Wordsworth Mark
63. Kirk Tom
64. Illingworth Adam
K.F.S. Special Vehicles/Sunday Bicyles GBR
65. Dylan Dafydd
66. Clinton Matt
67. Sykes Popham Richard
68. Hewitt Gareth
69. Stewart James
70. Frend Kieran
BC Eastern Region GBR
71. Norris Adam
72. Whitehorn Edward
73. Hedden Will
74. Pochee Ben
75. Skipper Joe
76. Kilroy Sean
Rapha Conder Recycling.co.uk GBR
77. Greenwood Ben
78. Briggs Graham
79. Downing Dean
80. Bonser Ryan
81. House Kristian
82. Newton Christopher
West Regional
83. Leavy Grant
84. Finn Ashley
85. Bendal Ian
86. Bird Adrian
87. Powell Rob
88. Sutcliffe Ian
Pinarello RT
89. Downing Russ
90. Elliott Malc
91. Johansson Freddy
92. Murray Tom
93. Williams Pete
94. Roche Andy
South Regional
95. Parry Colin
96. Lovell Owain
97. Bjerefelt Will
98. Standen Paul
99. Chambers Scott
100.Hine Karl
Team Lacuna
101. Clarke David
102. Orr Robert
103. Williams James
104. Collier Thomas
105. Fostun Matthew
106. Baxter Simon
South Regional
111. Hayles Robert
112. Southham Tom
113. Ford Martin
114. Lovatt Mark
115. Williams Nigel
116. Richardson George
Ulan Cycling Team (Lithuania) LTH
117. Bagdonas Gediminas
118. Kruopis Aidis
119. Kruopis Algirdas
120. Balciunas Linus
121. Kondrotas Simas
122. Juodvalkis Egidijus
Katay Cycling Team
123. Torosantucci Davide
124. Carletti Marco
125. De Nobile Ivan
126. Loria Domenico
127. Autka Uladzimir
128. Zampilli Rino
Kalev Sport Team
129. Lebedev Andri
130. Krzywy Krzysztof
131. Utar Urmo
132. Martikainen Tommi
133. Ao Silver
RELATED LINKS
