Tag Archives: amateur racing

Tour Doon Hame day 2

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Another round up of tweets, pics, links and thoughts from day 2 of the highest profile stage race in the UK after the Tour of Britain. It’ll be a brief one as I wasn’t able to follow proceedings in detail, but here’s what I’ve been able to dig up. No free-to-use photos unfortunately, and no time to get permission but click the links- there is a wealth of stuff from pro snappers on today’s stage.

The race coverage
From the reports and photos, Raleigh were chasing the breaks, as they were obliged to do, to protect their man in the lead Matt Cronshaw– this is proper stage racing.

At first glance the result does not tell the full story- a bunch sprint won by Jonny McEvoy of Motorpoint from Zak Dempster (Rapha Condor) and Magnus Backstedt (UK Youth).

But there were breaks galore, one of which looked like it might have stayed away, but it was caught with not long to go. Once again the twitter updates were top notch.

The amateurs
Glasgow Couriers were depleted but still had Jamie Kennedy in the race. If I have a grumble about the coverage, it is that the ams have not had much of a look-in with regards to race photos. However, I noticed this one of Couriers’ Alan Thomson, who finished safely today.

Lots of amateurs finished in the bunch, so hats off to Eddie Addis and Rob Wilkins of Velo Ecosse, Peter and Gordon Murdoch of composite club team “Second Helpings”, and Craig Adams (Falkirk / “Second Helpings”).

Young riders Jordan Stokes and Liam Cowie of Endura / Pedal Power finished some way back but are still in the race and live to fight the third and final day. Their teammate Scott McCrossan, whose superb ride I missed yesterday also finished in the bunch. He is 2 seconds behind the best-placed 2nd cat rider, Gruff Lewis of Magnus Backstedt’s Team UK Youth squad, who is at 01:26 from yellow jersey leader Cronshaw. Team captains/mentors Gary Hand and Davie Lines will also be there tomorrow to guide their teammates through the final stage, with Robbie Hassan still well placed at 1:10.

Harsh luck on Velo Ecosse’s Finlay Young who has a broken/dislocated elbow. Sounds like a sore one that will see him out for a while- get well soon. Ali McNicoll of Bicycleworks.com / “Second Helpings” missed the cut after the rough day conditions on day 1 took their toll- well done for completing 2 days though.

Links
British Cycling report
Full results on Tour Doon Hame website
Rob Wilkins view from inside the bunch

Photos
BC photos by Andy Whitehouse
Endura Racing’s Day 2 gallery by Larry Hickmott of Velouk.net
Lary Hickmott’s own flickr photos

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Racing: Tour Doon Hame

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The Tour Doon Hame emerged from the ashes of The Girvan, which was a 3-day stage race raced from 1968-2009. The race history is still online for anyone not familiar. The Girvan stopped in 2009 due to logistical problems, but the Doon Hame’s first edition in 2010 was a big success.

It’s a big race: the highest-profile event in the UK outside of the Tour of Britain. Cav won a stage in 2004 and ahost of big names have competed: Boardman, Kelly, Robert Millar, Brian Smith. I won’t preview the route in detail but suffice to say it is a very tough, hilly 270 miles around Ayrshire, with big climbs like the Mennock Pass.

Last year’s weather was rotten, and New Zealand Champ Jack Bauer, new boy for Scottish outfit Endura Racing launched a solo breakaway with 15 miles of stage 3 to go but couldn’t quite get enough time out of Rapha’s Chris Newton to take the win. I’m far from a pundit, but Bauer doesn’t seem to have shown much so far this year- either he has been hiding it in the build-up for this race or doesn’t have the same form. Zak Dempster of Rapha has been winning but I don’t know if he’d be suited to a hilly stage race. Ian Bibby maybe? Who to pick…

Jack Bauer, Tour of Britain through Edenfield Continue reading →

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Jack Barret: early season and Belgium

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A junior clubmate of mine is heading out to Belgium in a week to do a Junior Stage race near Liege, followed by the Junior Isle of Man Tour. Both races incorporate prologue TTs and he was looking to borrow time trial kit – a helmet and some wheels. I took the opportunity to find out some more information from him about the trip, so I can share it in a blog post. TT helmets are easy to come by but the wheels could be a big ask, anyway you never know.

Borrow some Zipp 808s? Probably a big ask!

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The weekend’s racing

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I’m well late with this preview but there’s another good weekend of racing ahead in Scotland. Apologies for this hastily ‘cobbled’ together post but I thought it would be good to keep up the momentum after my first ‘preview’ post of the year which seemed to go down well. Results will be found on the Braveheart forum, there might be a post-race interview or digest piece done by Veloresults and personal reports will appear on club websites so it’s nice to offer something different.

The Dunfermline Road Race incorporating the Jack Murray Junior Trophy is run by Dunfermline CC and is held over 10 laps of a hilly course tomorrow (Saturday). To the complacent, the parcours doesn’t look too hard but over 10 laps it will wear you down if you are not fit and ready. A 3/4 field means there will be some strong riders, which I have found to my cost in the past two years, getting badly dropped both times I competed. The Fife circuit tends to be pretty blowy, and with some sharp corners, you often find yourself suddenly in the wind. There aren’t many hiding places.

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Scottish Road Race Championships 2011

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Publicity poster for the 2011 Scottish Road Race Champs in May, thanks to Colin Bark for sending it to me and misterworthington did the design. There’s no need to repost all the info as it’s all there on the poster!

The champs are also being discussed on a thread on the Braveheart forum, with more details about what is happening on the day. Good support from the town of Balfron. The roads are even being resurfaced!

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“Scottish” Cyclist: Jimmy Saville

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Sir Jimmy is not Scottish but he wears tartan trousers and loves our country, so is in some ways an honourary Scot.

Some may not know he was a semi-pro rider and rode the 1951 Tour of Britain, the year Ian Steel won. His nickname was The Duke, and after he stopped racing he continued to be involved in cycling, and loves the sport to this day.

The Duke etc.

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Great weekend of racing ahead

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It may be Milan-San Remo this weekend, a mouth-watering prospect in itself, but I am equally enthused by the events closer to home. A quick post then- there are three major events on, giving something for various levels and disciplines of rider.

The Dick Longragon Road Race in Aberdeenshire, run by Granite City RT is one for the stronger riders, with a couple of Elites and plenty of cat1 and 2 riders in the field. The onus will be on Endura / PedalPower with a strong team as in the first Super 6. It’s not a course I have ridden or seen, but from the pictures, I gather it is tough- more of a climber’s terrain.


image- Granite City RT

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Gifford: 1st race 2011

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I did my first race (and maybe last for a while) after a winter of training as efficiently as I could with limited time. Last year I bombed, even after a hard winter of riding with the fast boys, so this time I was relatively happy to hang almost until the end, getting dropped and cramping on the last climb. It was won by Ross Green, a junior rider from Stewartry Wheelers.


image courtesy of Derek Reid, Edinburgh RC

Although there were the inevitable crashes in the B race, I managed to stay near the front and avoid them. Despite these, which tend to happen when nervous, twitchy and sometimes inexperienced bunch, I found the race to be safe and really well marshalled – thanks and well done to organisers Edinburgh Road Club.


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