Preview: 2010 Circuit Race Championships

Preview: 2010 Circuit Race Championships

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Preview: 2010 Circuit Race Championships

Story posted July 15, 2010; by Larry Hickmott | Event Website |

This Friday night in Beverly (East Yorkshire) will see the biggest and most tasty town centre cycle race of the year when the best British riders assemble on the cobbles for the 2010 Circuit Race Championship. With town centre racing more popular than ever, winning this championship is also taken on a new level of importance and those travelling to Beverly to watch will surely see a classic event.

Since the middle of May, cycling has been taken to the people around the country with three different series of events, the Nocturne Series, the Tour Series and the British Cycling Elite Circuit Series. With so many major events being circuit races nowadays, and so much money being put into the sport by sponsors, the pressure on riders to win the champion's jersey for their team is immense and no doubt, it won't do a rider’s bargaining power any harm when it comes to contract time!

The winner of the Elite Circuit Race Championship on Friday night will not only have the glory of winning in front of a huge crowd but will also receive the British champion’s jersey to wear for the next 12 months. Such a jersey means that in events that follow, such as the Elite Circuit Series races in Blackburn and York next week, the crowd and the other riders, will easily see who the champion is, as will those watching on TV.

Make no mistake, much of the talk on Wednesday evening in Colne was about the championship and anyone looking to be entertained on Friday night, head for Beverly! The Circuit race championship is part of a packed weekend of events including the Big G Cyclosportive and the East Yorkshire Classic Premier Calendar Road Race.

The Circuit Race Championship evening will be kicked off again by some running races.

Friday Nights Schedule 
      18.00 Beverley Town Centre 5k Running Race - 4 laps
      18.35 Swanland Mortgages, 10 Rider - 1 lap invitation time trial
      18.50 Keith Jordan Memorial Support Race - 25minutes + 3 laps
      19.40 National Circuit Race riders presented at line
      19.45 National Circuit Race Championship - Race start - 70minutes + 5 laps
      21.05 National Circuit Race Championship presentations.

Last year the winner was Sky Professional Russell Downing who has had only one opportunity this year to wear the jersey, that being the Edinburgh Nocturne. The field this year though is packed with riders who will no doubt be racing in Britain next year which will give spectators the opportunity to see the champion racing in front of a home crowd.

Picking a possible winner is not easy and even the riders themselves are unsure who will come out on top. There is though a select group of riders who have shown this year they are on top of their game in the circuit races and the big favourite has to be Ian Wilkinson of Endura Racing. The stats alone make him the favourite – three wins in the Elite Circuit Series and two second places out of the five race so far! As his manager at Endura says, Rob Hayles, Ian has come into his own in the races where team tactics like the Tour Series no longer hold a rider back.

Ian though knows it won’t be easy and one of his main rivals will be former champion (2002/208) Dean Downing. The Rapha Condor Sharp rider has won on the course before (2008) and showed his form has arrived special delivery with a victory on Wednesday night in Colne. Downing also has a strong team although like Ian and Endura, a lot of his teammates from outside of the UK will not be eligible to race.

Last year the race was graced with the prescence of Jeremy Hunt who this year is rather occupied in the Tour de France.

Endura showed on Wednesday night how to close a break down for the benefit of Wilkinson but Rapha also have the fire power to break the race up on a course with no hills but plenty of cobbles and twists and turns.

The Motorpoint Marshals Pasta team who won the Halfords Tour Series will also have a very strong team for the championship led by a World and Olympic champion no less, Ed Clancy. He won in Stafford a few weeks ago on a very tight circuit and while he has played down his chances saying he doesn’t recover that well, Clancy has seemingly got stronger and faster as the year has gone on.

He is backed up by plenty of other possible winners such as Malcolm Elliott who made the break on Wednesday night showing his form is more than okay. One can only hope that should the ever popular Sheffield rider win the championship, any thoughts of retirement would be put on hold because the sport needs you Malcolm and also needs to see that jersey being raced!

The odds are in favour of a winner coming from these teams but championships are funny races and the pressure and desire from riders to win such a major event could mean riders from other teams upsetting the form book and winning the stripes on offer. So many other teams have been in there battling all year and it would not be out of the question for a rider from Pendragon Le Col Colnago, Kuota Roads CC, Sigma Sport Specialized or Cycle Premier Metaltek to get one of their riders across the line first.



The circuit
The venue for the championship is a very special place which is perhaps one reason why it is being held there again. The circuit is plan flat which means unlike some courses, the riders capable of winning it are numerous. The roads are also quite wide in the main which gives riders space to move up which is useful if they find themselves at the back of the grid!

The focus point for the circuit will be the cobbles though. It’s where the start finish is, the huge crowd and as anyone knows who has raced on cobbles, the bouncing up and down can also take it out of a rider’s legs as much as anything else in the race. The course does have some narrow twisty bits too which will please the crit specialist who can duck down low and throw their bikes through the corners quicker than the bigger roadman type rider.

Do not be surprised if the race ends in a big bunch kick which is always great for a crowd to witness  as is the suspense of whether a break can stay clear long enough to contest the victory sprint. Whatever the outcome, the big winner will be the sport of cycling which will be yet again be showcased in a town centre packed with eager spectators.

British Cycling will be there and a report will follow after the race has finished.

CHAMPIONSHIP RIDERS

1  Will Bjergfelt  BigMaggies/Wilier  Elite
2  Simon Gaywood  Corley Cycles  Elite
3  Steven Higgins  Corley Cycles  2nd
4  Jamie Newall  Corley Cycles  2nd
5  Ashley Cox  Corley Cycles  1st
6  Jake Hales  Corley Cycles  2nd
7  Nathan Wilson  Cottingham Coureurs  2nd
8  Richard Lambert  Cottingham coureurs  1st
9  Julian Gromett  Cottingham Coureurs  2nd
10  Dan Booth  Cult Racing  1st
11  Tony Gibb  CyclePremier.com - Metaltek  Elite
12  Jason White  CyclePremier.com - Metaltek  Elite
13  Andy Magnier  CyclePremier.com - Metaltek  Elite
14  Simon Wilson  CyclePremier.com - Metaltek  Elite
15  Richard Hepworth  CyclePremier.com - Metaltek  Elite
16  Robert Smail  CyclePremier.com - Metaltek  1st
17  Robert Partridge  Endura Racing  Elite
18  Robert Hayles  Endura Racing  Elite
19  Scott Thwaites  Endura Racing  1st
20  James Moss  Endura Racing  Elite
21  Dave Lines  Endura Racing  Elite
22  James McCallum  Endura Racing  Elite
23  Evan Oliphant  Endura Racing  Elite
24  Ian Wilkinson  Endura Racing  Elite
25  Gary Hand  Endura Racing  Elite
26  Justin Hoy  Felt-Colbornes RT  Elite
27  Josh Gosselin  Guernsey Velo  1st
28  Stuart Reid  Herbalife/Wheelbase.co.uk  2nd
29  Jack Pullar  Herbalife/Wheelbase.co.uk  1st
30  Lewis Craven  Herbalife/Wheelbase.co.uk  2nd
31  Adam Duggleby  i-ride.co.uk  1st
32  Jon Mozley  Kuota - Road CC  Elite
33  Andy Tinsley  Kuota Road CC  Elite
34  Martin Smith  Kuota- Road CC  Elite
35  Dan Davies  Kuota-Road.cc  1st
36  David McGowan  Kuota-Road.cc  1st
37  Cam Austin  London Dynamo  1st
38  Ian Biby  Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta  Elite
39  Steven Burke  Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta  Elite
40  Edward Clancy  Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta  Elite
41  Malcolm Elliott  Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta  Elite
42  Jonathon McEvoy  Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta  Elite
43  James Sampson  Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta  Elite
44  Andrew Tennant  Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta  Elite
45  Peter Williams  Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta  Elite
46  Daniele Santoni  MSTina  Elite
47  Matthew Kipling  MTScyclesport  Elite
48  Peter Middlehurst  OCTAGON VC  2nd
49  Dean Shannon  Orbea-FGS  1st
50  Marcel Six  Orbea-FGS!  Elite
51  Adam Norris  Orbea-For Goodness  Elite
52  David Clarke  pendragon  Elite
53  Steve Lampier  Pendragon le col  Elite
54  George Richardson  Pendragon Le Col  1st
55  Yanto Barker  Pendragon Le Col Colnago  Elite
56  Dave Clarke  Pendragon Le Col Colnago  Elite
57  Rhys Lloyd  Pendragon Le Col Colnago  Elite
58  Chris Opie  Pendragon Le Col Colnago  Elite
59  George Richardson  Pendragon Le Col Colnago  1st
60  Richard Tanguy  Pendragon Le Col Colnago  Elite
61  Dean Downing  Rapha Condor Sharp  Elite
62  Chris Newton  Rapha Condor Sharp  Elite
63  Graham Briggs  Rapha Condor Sharp  Elite
64  Kristian House  Rapha Condor Sharp  Elite
65  Matt Cronshaw  Rapha Condor Sharp  Elite
66  Jonathan Tiernan Locke  Rapha Condor Sharp  Elite
67  Lee Allen  RVO Racing  2nd
68  Ian Field  Scienceinsport.com  1st
69  Tim Lawson  Scienceinsport.com  1st
70  Gary Adamson  Scienceinsport.com  1st
71  Alistair Rutherford  ScienceInSport.com  1st
72  Ian Field  ScienceInSport.com  1st
73  Gary Adamson  ScienceInSport.com  1st
74  Tim Lawson  ScienceInSport.com  1st
75  Matthew Lawson  Sigma Sport - Specialized  Elite
76  Simon Richardson  Sigma Sport - Specialized  Elite
77  Tom Last  Sigma Sport - Specialized  Elite
78  Tom Murray  Sigma Sport - Specialized  Elite
79  Kit Gilham  Sigma Sport - Specialized  Elite
80  James Williamson  Sigma Sport - Specialized  Elite
81  Stephen Adams  Sigma Sport - Specialized  Elite
82  Gareth Montgomerie  Sigma Sport - Specialized  Elite
83  Peter Johnston  Southfork Racing  1st
84  Blake Pond  Southfork Racing  Elite
85  Gary Chambers  Southfork Racing  1st
86  Chris Daddy  Star Bikes  2nd
87  Dale Appleby  Team Raleigh  Elite
88  Tom Barras  Team Raleigh  Elite
89  James Stewart  Team Raleigh  Elite
90  Liam Holohan  Team Raleigh  Elite
91  Ben Simmons  Team Wiggle  2nd
92  Simon Holt  UC Bergamasca  Elite
93  Daniel Smith  Velo29 Cycling Team  2nd 

Former Winners

Our thanks to Jim Hendry MBE (Honorary Archivist, British Cycling)
Note: All Senior Championships became open to amateur and professionals in 1996

OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
1996: Bury St. Edmunds – 73.3 km
1. John Tanner, 2. Mark Walsham, 3. Jon Clay

1997: Bury St Edmunds – 72 km
1. Simon Cope, 2. Joe Bayfield, 3. Mark McKay

1998: Haverhill – 72 km
1. Chris Walker, 2. Chris Williams, 3. Dan Smith

1999: Bury St Edmunds – 60.6km
1. Chris Walker, 2. Rob Reynolds-Jones, 3. Chris Lillywhite

2000: Birmingham – 62.4 km
1. Rob Hayles, 2. John Tanner, 3. Anthony Malarczyk

2001: Newark  60 km
1. Chris Newton, 2. Dean Downing, 3. Bryan Steel

2002: Newport, Wales  -  60 km
1. Dean Downing, 2. Mark Kelly, 3. Neil Swithenbank

2003: Llandudno – 51 km
1. Russell Downing, 2. Dean Downing, 3. Bryan Taylor

2004
Hillingdon 80 km
1. Colin Roshier, 2. Greg Sandy, 3. Rob Enslin

2005: Otley, West Yorks -  47 km
1. Mark Cavendish,  Russell Downing,  Ian Wilkinson

2006  Horwich. – 64 km
1. James Taylor, 2. Tony Gibb, 3. Adam Blythe

 
2007: Otley – 1 hour
1. James McCallum, 2. Ed Clancy, 3. Matthew Cronshaw

2008: Beverely -- 1 Hour plus five
1. Dean Downing, 2. Rob Hayles, 3. Tony Gibb

2009: Beverley
1. Russell Downing, 2, Jeremy Hunt, Rob Hayles

PROFESSIONAL

1979: Milton Keynes – 90 km
1. Sid Barras, 2. Ian Banbury, 3. Jack Kershaw

1980: Telford – 90km
1. Bill Nickson, 2. Sid Barras, 3. Barry Hoban

1981: NOT HELD

1982: Newport, Gwent – 80 km
1. Phil Bayton, 2. Phil Corley, 3. Bill Nickson

1983: Stockton on Tees - 81 km
1. Keith Lambert, 2. Dudley Hayton, 3. Steve Jones

1984: NEC, Birmingham – 90 km
1. Malcolm Elliott, 2. Bill Nickson, 3. keith Lambert

1985: Hull
1. Dave Miller, 2. Malcolm Elliott, 3. Steve Fleetwood

1986: 1. Paul Sherwen, 2. Steve Joughin, 3. Phil Thomas

1987: 1. Tim Harris. 2. Chris Lillywhite, 3. Mark Walsham

1988: Leek – 100 km
1. Mark Walsham, 2. Jon Walshaw, 3. Nick Barnes

1989: Cardiff – 90 km
1. Paul Curran, 2. Mark Walsham, 3. Chris Lillywhite

1990: Worksop – 100 km
1. Rob Holden, 2. Hilton McMurdo, 3. Adrian Timmis

1991: Cardiff – 80 km
1. Rob Holden, 2. Hilton McMurdo, 3. Mark Walsham

1992: Cardiff – 100 km
1. Neil Hoban, 2. Dave Baker, 3. Keith Reynolds

1993: Crystal Palace – 66 km
1. Chris Lillywhite, 2. Spencer Wingrave, 3. Simon Cope

1994: Milford Haven – 58 km
1. Neil Hoban, 2. Dave Rayner, 3. Bernie Burns

1995: 1. Jon Clay, 2. Mark Walsham, 3. Chris Lillywhite

AMATEURS

1993: Wigan – 70 km
1. Roger Hammond, 2. Jeremy Hunt, 3. Mark McKay

1994: Gorleston – 70 km
1. Dave Williams, 2. John Charlesworth, 3. Matt Stephens

1995: Bury St. Edmunds – 75.4 km
1. Sam Quinn, 2. Roger Hammond, 3. Jimmy Jones

Related Links

Elite Circuit Series
Round 1: Dumfries Bikefest
Round 2: Otley Town Centre Races
Round 3: Stafford Grand Prix
Round 4: Get Connected Wales Circuit races

Round 5: Colne Grand Prix

Halfords Tour Series 
Edinburgh Nocturne 
Smithfield Nocturne