The Drum-Up

Steve McCaw in time trialling action

An image of former Scottish 25-mile and 50-mile champion Steve McCaw, who I wrote about recently, in time trialling action.

Image by Alan Martin / David Martin.

The Scottish Power Renewables / Scottish Cycling Sup6r Six is Scotland’s premier road race series. The first event at Gifford is keenly awaited by all the roadies who have been training hard over the winter and are keen to test their mettle.

The A race is for Elite to 3rd category racers, but I am more interested in the B race, which is a field comprising 4th Cat, Junior 4, V50, V60 and women. The 40 mile course is run over four roughly 8-mile laps around a circuit between Haddington and Gifford. The first KOM prime comes on lap 1, which will test the fields climbing legs and may see a break forming. Sprint primes on laps 2 and 4 will be contested by the fast men if they can prevent any escapees from staying away. The climbers have another KOM to go for on lap 3. The finish is 600m out of Gifford – there is somewhat of chicane as you come downhill into the village, before a left turn out of town leads the riders to the final straight. Being in the right place at these corners will be crucial.

The first thing that stands out on the start sheet is nearly 20 entrants from Edinburgh Racing Club. Presumably many of these are new racers (they’re largely not names I recognise) but if ERC have any organisation and team tactics it will be a difficult race for the rest.

Graham Barclay of Team Leslie Bikeshop-Right Move Windows may be in the V50 category but is potentially as strong as anyone in the field. He won last year’s bunch sprint finish with a well-executed lead-out from his teammates.

I have only part of a season under my belt so don’t know all the names. Please leave comments to give a mention to your own favourites/teammates for this race.

Gary Cross of Falkirk BC was in bold mood on a recent reliability ride: “I have one thing on my mind for Gifford- top ten”. There are a number of riders from the Glasgow Nightingale, with a sprinkling of other well-known clubs also represented such as the Glasgow Couriers, Glasgow Wheelers and Sandy Wallace Cycles.

Junior Jack Barrett of Stirling Bike Club has been going well over the winter, riding with scratch groups reliabilities. Jordan Stokes seems to be the only other junior listed, but riding with Pedal Power RT will surely have given him good preparation. Jack Mclaren (if it’s who I think it is) is a stong rider from Falkirk BC, who may be a junior but is not listed as such.

Veteran Alan Hay, a former winner of the overall series in the Vets category is back after a quiet 2009, riding for Rock and Road this year.

Gifford RR course

photo © James Ruskin, used with permission

Today’s pic is me in last September’s Lammermuirs Road Race, which I blogged about at the time.

I took an absolute pasting that day but managed to stay in the bunch for 4 laps of 5 before being dropped. I limped up the brutal climb to Redstone Rig as second last finisher but proud not to have abandoned and to have lasted so long with pros in the field (Evan Oliphant and Callum Wilkinson of Endura, and winner Greenwood of Rapha). This shot captures how difficult I found it- apart from the look on my face, you can see the follow car behind.

The photo is by James Ruskin, who took some great shots on the day. James is a freelance sports photographer dividing his time between Edinburgh and Loughborough. Click on the image for his website.