Evan Oliphant (Endura RT) added the Billy Warnock Memorial Road Race to his list of successes for 2010 when he edged out Robbie Hassan (Glasgow Wheelers) after a race long duel.
The race, organised in exemplary fashion by Craig Moffat and his colleagues at the Falkirk Bicycle club, was contested in ideal conditions. It was the final event in the Scottish Power Renewables Super Six Series for A riders, and also incorporated the Mid-Scotland Trophy.
The field rolled out from Grangemouth Rugby Club under cloudy skies but by the time the riders passed through Airth for the first time the pace and the temperature had started to rise. Junior series leader Andrew Leith (Dooleys RT) saw his hopes of producing a big performance to follow a recent win in Belgium dashed when he took a tumble approaching Throsk. He was transferred to hospital in Stirling but was later released.
There were several unsuccessful attempts to break clear during the second circuit but the main group remained intact. That situation had changed and a group of nine had moved off the front by the time Hassan pipped Alex Coutts (Giant Asia) to take the first sprint prime at Cowie.
Others in that breakaway included Oliphant who was joined by his team mates Callum Wilkinson and Davie Lines, the top two in the Super Six standings at the start of the day.
Approaching the end of the penultimate lap, Oliphant and Hassan seized the initiative and soon forged a sizeable lead that continued to stretch throughout the closing circuit and peaked at just over a minute. The Endura man launched repeated attacks but was unable to shrug off his determined rival and the pair were locked together as they hit the long straight to the finish. Hassan made a bold bid for glory, but Oliphant matched his effort then found an extra surge of pace to take the win by half a wheel.
"It was always going to be tough because it's so flat - there's so many more people in contention. It makes it a much better race but it's harder for me than something like the Sam Robinson", explained Oliphant, who credited Hassan for his efforts, adding, "I tried to jump him a few times on the hills towards the end but he rode very well and he covered me every time. I was quite confident I could beat him at the end."
For his part, the Glasgow Wheelers rider said, "I was quite happy that I got away and I just rolled through the whole way round. Evan had a few digs but I just hung on. I didn't know the finish but I saw the crowd and thought that must be it, so I just hammered it. But it was a good ride by him and he was just a bit stronger."
The duo had a 27 second advantage over Jack Pullar (Herbalife/Wheelbase), who won the sprint for third place from Gordon Murdoch (East Kilbride).
Having started the day in third place overall, Oliphant's 100 point haul in the Super Six competition was enough to leapfrog both Lines and Wilkinson to secure the overall title.
Meanwhile, Neil Cameron delivered some silverware for the host club when he clinched the Mid-Scotland title with a ninth place finish.
The support race was the penultimate event in the Super Six B Series. Contested over three laps of the same circuit, it followed the pattern of most races in the competition, with attacks quickly reeled in. That created a final gallop featuring more than 50 riders and Martin Lonie (Dooleys RT) emerged victorious by a tyre's width from Ramsay Muirhead (Johnstone Wheelers), with Falkirk's Bruce Fullerton completing the top three, while Jenny Stanning (Edinburgh RC) won the women's prize.
The Falkirk club earned universal praise for their efforts, which produced two competitive races over a well-marshalled route. There were also thanks for the all-important sponsors which included Scottish Power Renewables, Ian Warnock, Malcolm Allen Butchers and Solid Rock Cycles.
More photos from the event can be found here on the granite city racing team website. All credit for them go to Emma Parsons, for an excellent looking set of photographs.
Results
A Race
1 Evan Oliphant Endura Racing Elite 02:56:38
2 Robert Hassan Glasgow Wheelers 1st U23 same time
3 Jack Pullar Herbalife/Wheelbase 1st 27
4 Gordon Murdoch East Kilbride RC 1st same time
5 Richard Bott Herbalife/Wheelbase 1st 40
6 Ian Sim Glasgow Couriers - DB Developme 2nd 52
7 Stephen russell East Kilbride RC 3rd same time
8 David lines Endura Racing 1st same time
9 Neil Cameron Falkirk BC V2 same time
10 Gary Hand Unattached Elite same time
11 Eddie Addis Stirling BC/Flying Fox Bikes 2nd same time
12 Craig Adams Falkirk BC 2nd same time
13 Greg Brown Dooley's Cycles RT Junior 2nd same time
14 Jack Barrett Stirling Bike Club Junior 3rd same time
15 Steven robertson East Kilbride RC 3rd same time
16 Franco Porco Falkirk BC 3rd same time
17 Derek Walker East Kilbride RC 2nd same time
18 Paul McDonald Johnstone Wheelers 3rd same time
19 Alister Watt Granite City RT 1st Vet same time
20 Grant ferguson Dooley's Cycles RT junior same time
21 andrew davies Thebicycleworks.com V3 same time
22 Grant Stevenson Glasgow Wheelers 2nd same time
23 Stuart Hendry Herbalife/Wheelbase 2nd same time
24 Andrew Brierley Team Leslie Bike Shop / Right M V3 same time
25 Calum McLean Stirling Bike Club 2nd same time
26 Alex Coutts Giant Asia RT Elite same time
27 Tommy Murray Glasgow Wheelers 2nd same time
28 Callum Wilkinson Endura Racing Elite same time
29 mark skilling Ayr Roads / Harry Fairbairn CC 3rd same time
30 Richard McDonald Stirling BC 3rd same time
31 Neil Taylor Edinburgh RC 3rd same time
32 Aidan McIlroy Edinburgh RC 3rd same time
33 Jason Roberts Glasgow Wheelers 2nd same time
34 stuart macgregor Dooley's Cycles RT V2 same time
35 Chris Bown Stirling Bike Club V3 same time
36 James Daly Johnstone Wheelers CC V3 same time
37 Andrew Matheson Musselburgh Roads CC 2nd Vet same time
38 David Lindsay www.thebicycleworks.com 2nd same time
39 Alan Thomson Glasgow Couriers - DB Developme 2nd same time
40 Bruce Wallace Hawick C.C 3rd same time
41 Scott Newman Inverclyde Velo 3rd same time
42 Alastair McNicol www.thebicycleworks.com 3rd U-23 same time
43 James McPake Falkirk BC 3rd same time
44 Kenneth Armstrong Ayr Roads / Harry Fairbairn CC 3rd same time
45 Ross Crook Edinburgh RC same time
46 Nicky Cronin Glasgow Wheelers 3rd same time
47 Barry McGurk Glasgow Couriers - DB Developme 3rd same time
48 Scott McCrossan Pedal Power RT Junior 3rd same time
49 Kristoff Aksnes Glasgow Wheelers 3rd U23 same time
50 Craig Holmes Glasgow Nightingale CC 3rd same time
51 Brian McGhee Chryston Wheelers CC 3rd same time
52 paul newnham Team Leslie Bike Shop / Right M 2nd same time
53 Owen Jefferies Velo Ecosse 2nd same time
54 Tom Anderson Falkirk BC 3rd 58
55 peter murdoch East Kilbride RC 2nd same time
56 Robin Wilkins Stirling Bike Club 2nd same time
57 Euan Pope Glasgow Couriers - DB Developme 2nd same time
58 Charles Fletcher Cairngorm CC 3rd same time
59 Finlay Young Equipe Velo Ecosse junior 3rd 01:14
60 Jeremy Greengrass Vortex RT/Conquest Bikewear/Mil V3 01:54
61 Gavin Shirley Nevis Cycles RT 3rd 03:04
62 Jamie Kennedy Glasgow Couriers - DB Developme 2nd 04:34
63 Barry Crumlish Glasgow Couriers - DB Developme 3rd same time
B Race
1 88 Martin Lonie Dooleys Cycles RT 4th 01:55:49
2 127 Ramsay Muirhead Johnstone Wheelers CC 4th same time
3 112 Bruce Fullerton Falkirk BC 4th same time
4 108 Cameron Stewart Edinburgh RC Vet 4th same time
5 159 Jonathan Buckley West Lothian Clarion 4th same time
6 135 Jordan Stokes Pedal Power RT Junior 4th same time
7 129 Michael Henderson Moray Firth CC 4th same time
8 151 Malcolm Gibson Stirling Bike Club 4th same time
9 134 Kamil Pompe Pedal Power RT 4th same time
10 117 Keith Laird Glasgow Couriers - DB Developme 4th same time
11 152 John Johnstone Team Icarus V same time
12 109 Gary Cross Falkirk BC Vet 4th same time
13 130 Lindsay Gordon Musselburgh Roads CC same time
14 111 gerald grant Falkirk BC 4th same time
15 131 callum gough onimpex rt V50 same time
16 126 Steven Hazlett Ivy Cycling Club V3 - 50+ same time
17 83 Trevor Wilson Dales Cycles RT 4th same time
18 148 William Bowers Stirling Bike Club 4th same time
19 155 Brendan Roe Team Leslie Bikeshop - Right Mo 4th same time
20 132 Andy Douglas Pedal Power RT 4thV same time
21 84 William McMillan Dales Cycles RT 3rd V60 same time
22 142 scott patterson Sandy Wallace Cycles 4th same time
23 128 Mark Murray Moray Firth CC 4th same time
24 99 Dougal Allan Edinburgh RC 4th same time
25 156 Scott Boyd Team Starbikewear 4th same time
26 98 Jenny Stanning Edinburgh RC Lady same time
27 87 paul mcskimming Dooleys Cycles RT 4th vet same time
28 138 David Blockley Rapha Condor CC 4th same time
29 118 Gianfranco Bianchini Glasgow Couriers - DB Developme4th same time
30 104 Matthew Allen Edinburgh RC 4th same time
31 106 Eric Easton EdinburghRC 4th vet same time
32 149 Ian King Stirling Bike Club Vet v40 same time
33 92 John Milligan Dundee Wheelers CC 4th vet same time
34 137 Brian Hamilton Pedal Power RT 4thV same time
35 146 Jake Bown Stirling Bike Club Junior 4th same time
36 81 Robert Kelly Ayr Roads / Harry Fairbairn CC 4th same time
37 105 matthew ansell Edinburgh RC 4th same time
38 116 Grant Johnstone Chryston Wheelers CC 4th same time
39 110 Michael Paton Falkirk BC 4th same time
40 101 Colin McLellan Edinburgh RC 4th same time
41 121 Duncan Mcintyre Glasgow Nightingale CC 4th same time
42 123 Malcolm Paterson Glasgow Nightingale CC 4th same time
43 140 Steve Beech Sandy Wallace Cycles V60 same time
44 115 Andrew Kilpatrick Fife Cycling 2000 4th vet same time
45 89 John Paterson Dumfries CC 4th same time
46 157 George Roberts VC Glasgow South Vet same time
47 102 Angus Elliott Edinburgh RC 4th same time
48 90 Neil Crawford Dundee Thistle RC 4th same time
49 144 Derek McMillan St.Cristophers CC 4th same time
50 145 Jane Barr Stirling Bike Club 3rd Lady same time
51 153 Jim Meek Team Leslie Bikeshop - Right Mo 4th same time
52 113 Katie Wylie Falkirk BC 4th Lady same time
53 96 Georges Avraam Edinburgh RC 4th V50 same time
54 147 Owen Philipson Stirling Bike Club 4th same time
55 82 Alex McAllister Ayr Roads / Harry Fairbairn CC V50 same time
56 103 Bill Wilkie Edinburgh RC 4th 02:27
57 114 Stephen Dickson Falkirk BC 4th 02:36
58 141 Sandy Wallace Sandy Wallace Cycles V 03:55
59 120 scott glasgow Glasgow Nightingale CC 4th 08:57
60 95 Graeme Small East Kilbride RC 4th 11:05
61 133 David Hamill Pedal Power RT 4th 13:15
62 124 David Lang Glasgow Wheelers CC V3 O/60 14:36
