Elite Team Devil Scratch

Sporting a new look, Triple Olympic Champion, Bradley Wiggins was in great form on the track as was Olympic Champion Geraint Thomas and they took the opening event of the night.

The Pairing of Thomas and Wiggins took the first event of the Revolution proper in a thrilling opener, the Elite Team Devil Scratch. Think Madison + Devil + Bunch race and you're close. Following the elimination section, the teams continued to thin out due to the blistering pace. In the end, Hayles/Kennaugh was the only team able to put up a fight against the Wiggins/Thomas pairing. The biggest question is - How did Thomas and Kennaugh muster that sprint after the gruelling 200 lap 32mph Madison just 1 hour before?

1. Wiggins/ Thomas
2. Kennaugh / Hayles

Revolution Sprint 200m Time Trial

The 200m time trial was taken by Matt Crampton ahead a class field from the UK and France, but notably without recovering Chris Hoy. Further spice was added to the 200m TT with former 400 metre runner Iwan Thomas on a personal challenge to cut it as a track rider putting in a very respectable 13.079.

1. Matt Crampton 10.131
2. Jason Kenny 10.166
3. Jamie Staff 10.246

Future Stars 6 Lap Dash - Girls

Hannah Barnes streets her rivals in the first Future Stars Girls race of the evening.

The dash was more of a canter for first 5 laps until the bell tolled and Hannah Barnes jumped clear and took a classy victory. Indeed, it was an 'all Hannah' podium with Miss Manley and Layland taking 2nd and 3rd. The podium was also notable due to the absence of the series leader Ruby Miller. Perhaps the pocket rocket from Wales was keeping her powder dry for later in the evening?

1. Hannah Barnes
2. Hannah Manley
3. Hannah Layland
4. Penny Rowson

Elite Team 1 Lap Flying Time Trial

Ed Clancy and Steven Burke took top honours in yet another new Revolution flavour - an interesting event which continued the heavy Madison theme of the evening. The event went like this: The opening rider led out then hand slinged (or slung) the second into a flying one lap effort. Gibb and Murray were first up and it seemed that nobody could else could break the 14 second barrier and offer them a challenge. Their time stood for most of the evening, until first Newton and Rowe, then the irrepressible Clancy and Burke deposed them with a stunning 42mph ride.

1. Clancy/Burke 13.243
2. Newton/Rowe 13.745
3. Gibb/Murray 13.821
4. Thomas/Wiggins 13.983
5. Alex Dowsett / Russell Hampton 14.006
6. Harrison/McNally 14.061
7. Peter Kennaugh/Hayles 14.063
8. Andy Fenn/Erik Rowsell 14.072
9. Maclay/Whorall 14.087
10. Sandy King / Jon Mould 14.127
11. Jonny McEvoy/ Mark Christian 14.166
12. Muntaner/Elorriag 14.446
13. Tim Kennaugh/George Atkins 15.280
14. Tauler/Torrent 14.544

The night saw a presentation to event director Gordon Harling and his wife by velodrome manager Jarl Walsh.

Revolution Sprint - Round 1

The sprinters for sure kept us on our toes with photo finishes like this. Having seen Gregory Bauge (centre) in awesome form in Copenhagen last week, he was the sprint favourite but youngster David Daniell was having none of that and he pips the Team Sprint World Champion on the line with Olympic Silver sprint medallist Jason Kenny )also an Olympic champin no less!) in an unlikley position of third. 

An in-form Matt Crampton turned Mickael D'Almeida and Steven Hill into spectators in Heat 1, taking an easy victory. It was a different story in Heat 2 with Ross Edgar and Francois Pervis going to a photo finish, with Mitchell bringing up the rear.

The photo showed Pervis to be the winner by a mere 1cm. Staff came over the top of Lyte in Heat 3 to take the victory, with Tournant giving up the chase on the final bend. The final heat saw another close finish with Dave Daniell pipping Bauge on the line, to much comedy Gallic shrugging from Bauge! Kenny tried all sorts of moves on the final lap but left himself far too much to do.

Through to Semi Final
Matt Crampton
Francois Pervis
Jamie Staff
Dave Daniell

DHL Future Stars Boys - 5km Scratch

Picture says it all really for John Paul's victory!

John Paul took a great victory in the opening Future Stars Boys race, leaping clear of the field on the final lap of the 5km race and crossing the line with both arms raised. As in the Girls event, absent from the top four was series leader Simon Yates of the North West Region.

1. John Paul
2. Penrice
3. Chris Nicholoson
4. Patrick Galbraith

Elite Team 12.5km Points Race

Points race specialist Newton and young endurance rider Luke Rowe took a comfortable victory in the Elite Team 12.5km Points race. Newton and Luke Rowe were always going to be a classy pairing, with leg speed and guile to spare. And you certainly needed both in this 'points race with a difference'. The race was split neatly down the middle, with man one from each team riding the first half of the race before swapping with man two for the remainder. Add in sprints every 10 laps and you realise that to win this one you need to be chess-player, mathematician and athlete all rolled into one. Newton and Rowe ticked all the boxes.

1. Chris Newton / Luke Rowe
2. Bradley Wiggins / Geraint Thomas

Revolution Sprint - Semi Final

A standstill so it must be the sprint event! Jamie Staff and Matt Crampton entertain the crowd before getting on with the high speed action which Crampton won.

Heat 1 was between Jamie Staff and Matt Crampton, two men who could only be separated by 3/10ths of a second in the 200TT. The crowd were treated to trackstands and some cagey tactical riding before Matt Crampton hit the front and outdragged Staff.

Heat 2 saw Dave Daniell face to face with Francois Pervis. From the whistle Daniell led out, not fazed by the experienced Frenchman. Despite serious pressure down the backstraight, Kilo specialist Daniell showed he has some serious sprinting skills in his locker, taking the win and progressing to the final.

Frenchman Gregory Bauge has taken up the Tournant mantle of being the joker in the pack and 'red cards' David Daniell who has just beaten Bauge's country man Pervis in the semi final. 

Through to Final
Matt Crampton
Dave Daniell

DHL Future Stars Girls - 5km Scratch

All was quiet and cagey until Hannah Manley woke things up with an attack. Things steadied themselves again until 6 to go when a huge stack took out four riders including series leader Ruby Miller. All but one rider (including Miller) climbed back on and rejoined. With 4 to go Hannah Layland went clear and took Amy Roberts with her. However, they couldn't break the elastic and it all came back together. Another attack saw Harriet Owen hit the front, but she was overpowered a group containing hard as nails Ruby Miller who took another impressive victory, after being on the concrete only moments earlier. An awesome talent with courage to match.

Revolution Sprint - Keirin
In an interesting twist, the losers from the sprint went into a keirin to decide the minor honours. Tournant took first man behind the Derny with the towering Gregory Bauge in close attendance, and another Frenchman D'Almeida in third wheel. Could the Brits break through the wall of Gallic muscle to challenge for the top places? In the end it was just D'Almeida who remained from the French challenge, followed by the British freight train of Kenny, Lyte and Edgar.

Christian Lyte leads out the Keirin with D'Almeida coming around him and Jason Kenny biding his time behind express train Bauge.

1. Mickael D'Almeida
2. Jason Kenny
3. Christian Lyte
4. Ross Edgar

Future Stars Boys 20 Lap Points Race

Simon Yates stretched his lead in the Future Stars competition with a win in the Points race. Yates started as he meant to go on, timing his effort to perfection to take the opening sprint. Two riders immediately went clear, Josh Papworth and Ewan McDonald, with Papworth taking the five points just before the field reeled them in. Scott Woodhead came over the top and off the front but was swept up by the field prior to sprint 3, which was taken by Felix English. Adam Yates went and stayed away to take the final sprint. However it was another Yates, series leader Simon, who'd scored consistently throughout the race and took the victory.

1. Simon Yates
2. Josh Papworth
3. Adam Yates
4. Felix English

1km Madison TT

Despite a broken bone in his toe, Ed Clancy was still in top form as was Steven Burke who was in greta form in Copenhagen recently.

The 1km Madison TT ended in drama with Dave Daniell and Jason Kenny looking certain to beat Hoy and Tournant's long standing record, only for Kenny to lose his balance at the hand-sling and take a heavy fall on the home straight. A 12.5 opening lap from Daniell meant the record was on the cards, but it wasn't to be, with Clancy and Burke once again winning with another sub 55 second ride. Perhaps it was fitting that the retiring Tournant and absent Hoy's record should stand until next winter's Revolution season?

1. Ed Clancy / Steven Burke 54.779
2. Arnaud Tournant / Francois Pervis 58.150
3. Geriant Thomas / Bradley Wiggins 58.983
4. David Muntaner / Unai Elorriaga 59.742
5. Toni Tauler / Carlos Torrent 1:01.722
6. Jason Kenny / Dave Daniell DNF

Going too slow at the change over as Daniell rattled the Manchester boards saw Jason Kenny fall but being the nice lad he is, keeps his bike in the air to stop it from being damaged! He was we're glad to say, also unhurt and everyone enjoyed reliving the episode on the back of th ecamera!

Future Stars Girls Points

Ruby Miller sewed up the Future Stars Girls competition very neatly with another show of dominance in the points race. Scoring points in every sprint and winning the final sprint with a finely timed lunge, she looked every inch the champion. A huge talent in the making.

1. Ruby Miller 15 pts
2. Hannah Barnes 8 pts
3. Harriet Owen 6 pts
4. Laura Trott 5 pts

Future Stars Boys 6 Lap Dash

Josh Papworth showed he can cut in on the track as well as on the mud of the cyclo-cross course, taking the sprint ahead of the pack in the final event of the Future stars series. However, Simon Yates had done enough to take the overall victory in the Future Stars Boys series.

1. Josh Papworth
2. Adam Yates
3. Simon Yates
4. Rich Forrest

Revolution Sprint - Minor Final

Francois celebrates his victory over Jamie Staff who we haven't seen in a sprint battle for a while now but he showed great speed and lost in a photo finish.

Pervis vs. Staff. Staff took on the race from the front in a slow and cagey opening lap. Pervis came through to the front and got a big gap. Staff chased down and came close to rubbing shoulders with the Frenchman, but had to twitch right and avoid full contact, losing vital speed and eventually being pipped on the line

1. Francois Pervis
2. Jamie Staff

Future Stars Presentation

Before the climax of the Revolution Sprint, Future Stars winners Ruby Miller and Simon Yates were presented with their spoils by none other than Olympic Decathlon legend Daley Thompson. Daley symbolically passing the baton of stardom onto a new generation of tremendous athletes.

Daley Thompson and other VIPs with the Future Stars Girls of Laura Trott, Ruby Miller and Harriet Owen. 

Simon Yates (centre) was the winner of the Boys competition with brother Adam on the podium as well Chris Nicholson.

Revolution Sprint - Final

David at the bell takes up the running in the sprint and despite being the fastest on the track, Matt Crampton was unable to get round him in a photo finish.

Daniell vs. Crampton. What a showdown this was going to be? The two on form riders from the emerging younger generation of British sprinters. Daniell took the front from the start, never taking his eye of Matt. Crampton went high. Daniell still led at the bell but Crampton kept his height and dive-bombed into the space that Daniell opened up. Crampton came close on his final charge, almost clipping Daniell at the start of the home straight, in similar circumstances to the previous race, but he couldn't get round the outside of Daniell, who took the overall victory in the sprint competition.

1. Dave Daniell
2. Matt Crampton

Matt Crampton, looking up at the scoreboard to see who had won, congratulates David on his great ride.

Farewell to Tournant

The Revolution farewell for Arnaud Tournant saw the traditional 'avenue of wheels', with all of the night's elite riders wishing the 15 times World champion and Olympic Team Sprint champion a fond farewell. Sir Chris Hoy made a surprise appearance to wish his long time friend and adversary a heartfelt farewell. Tournant was presented with a specially commissioned glass trophy before a very tongue in cheek final lap, to the strident accordion of the Allo Allo theme!!

One final lunge for the line by the legend that is Arnaud Tournant. The measure of how much this rider is repected and liked by the crowd, riders and other people involved in the sport such as coaches is the standing ovation he got for his farewell and the speech by his great rival and friend, Chris Hoy.

Madison Event

If the Madison Championship was good, the Revolution madison was even better as Chris Newton and Luke Rowe fought off a big challenge from the Spanish team to win that race.

Peter Kennaugh and Rob Hayles were in attacking mode during the Madison but were unable to take the lap they wanted.

Team Sprint

Final event of the evening and after they did the business in Copenhagen, the Sky +HD team did the same at Revolution 24 beating off the strong challenge of the French team. L-R, Jason Kenny, Ross Edgar and Jamie Staff with Rowan from a modelling agency called EyeCandy I understand...

RELATED LINKS

Results: Revolution 24 Results (PDF file, 408kb)

Event Website: www.cyclingrevolution.com