New Endura/Pedal Power development team

Posted on November 26, 2010 by admin

I saw an article on British Cycling’s website this week about a new development team backed by Endura and the Pedal Power shop in West Calder.

Gary Hand (2nd from right) and Jordan Stokes (far right).
Picture by @iancoupar

This is great news for 18-23 year old Scottish road racers, who have the chance to get a spot on a well-supported team with a professional set-up, with Look bikes, Endura Equipe kit and a race programme that will include some national and international events.

Former Endura Racing riders Gary Hand and Davie Lines will mentor the young riders- these two guys having left the main Endura team as it steps up another level for a continental campaign in 2011.

The team is as follows:
Manager: Jonathan McBain
Assistant Managers/Riders: David Lines (32) Gary Hand (29)
Scott Macrossan (18)
Jordan Stokes (18)
Robert Hassan (19)
Dougie Young (21)

Dougie Young riding, and winning, the Stirling BC hill climb in 2009

Dougie Young and Robert Hassan are strong riders who come from Glasgow Wheelers, and Hassan especially made a big impact on the Scottish race scene last year. The Wheelers might be the losers in this equation but the fact is- there are plenty of good club cyclists but not so many stepping stones for talented riders to make the leam from the amateur ranks to UK domestic teams or Continental teams. It’s great that we have this now, and that clubs like Glasgow Wheelers can send their best young riders up to the next level. Something I hope a clubmate of mine, Jack Barrett can manage to do in the future.

Robbie Hassan, 5th Scottish Championship Road Race 2010
Image: GraniteCity RT

Endura/PedalPower team in new Equipe kit
Pic: Davie Lines

More Endura rumourmongering!

Posted on August 22, 2010 by admin

This morning I saw another piece about Endura Racing from French blog Velochrono, which seems to be more good news, this time about Alexandre Blain.

After a period of time considering a change of team, Alexandre Blain will continue his stay at Endura Racing in 2011. The former Cofidis rider joined the Briditsh squad at the start of the season. Elsewhere, he fell heavily during a slightly stupid incident that he recounts to Velochrono: “It was an unlikely coming together with Iker Camano (new Spanish teammate). We were quietly talking, side by side, when he swerved a little and unbelievably, our pedals, stuck on the same cadence, got caught around each other. He finished his race on the grass and I got flattened on the road. Result: three days of enforced rest, compulsory session at the osteopath and wounds to think about for a little while. But no big concerns, the goal remains to be performing at the top in three weeks, to shine at the Tour of Britain.

I’m not sure if the translation of the part about the pedals is right, but I’m asking some of my French friends to check it.

Alex Blain's profile on Enduraracing.com

Hopefully reposting this stuff won’t annoy anyone but it’s a good chance to show off my French translation skillzz. As Endura grow in stature they will have to deal with more media speculation so putting up with blogger twerps like me could be good practice.

Source: Velochrono

New rider for Endura?

Posted on August 21, 2010 by admin

I noticed a good tweet from one of the French news sites about Endura. I try not to focus on news on this blog, because I don’t have the time to be up-to-date with everything, and there are many other sites, forums and social media services that do that very well already. But on this occasion I found a juicy snippet that is pretty interesting for Scottish race fans.

Not retained by AG2R La Mondiale, René Mandri has found a new team. Velochrono has learned that the Estonia is going to sign for Endura Racing in the next few hours. At the heart of the British squad, he will find the Frenchman Alexandre Blain, but also Iker Camano (new Spanish signing) or Jack Bauer. (?) Mandri finished the Vuelta 24th in 2007.

So if the rumour is true, Endura continue to bolster their squad with European riders. Hopefully the best Scottish guys will still get the opportunity to ride. Healthy competition for places will be a good thing and should see the level raised another notch or two. But it might also mean fewer chances for guys on the edge of the squad- we saw Gary Hand riding “unattached” at the recent Billy Warnock Super Six race, so he looks to be leaving the team. Good luck to him in the future.

There were two pictures of René Mandri tagged on flickr. One is not very flattering, but the above is pretty good- pic by doevos.

Source: Velochrono

Pic of the day: winning Wilkinson’s awesome celebration

Posted on June 1, 2010 by admin

Ian Wilkinson of Endura crossed the line looking he was about to explode with elation on Friday at the National Series elite circuit race in Dumfries last Friday.

OK, so he’s a Englishman, but a win in Scotland, against some of the country’s best riders (including Dean Downing and Ed Clancy), for Scottish team Endura was a big result. Endura Racing’s report here.

Picture courtesy of British Cycling. Full report of the Dumfries Elite Criterium here.

There is also a shot somewhere of James McCallum pumping his guns crossing the line in Plowman Craven kit- I’ve scoured the internet but can’t find it- if anyone knows where it is, let me know.

Pic of the day: Evan Oliphant, Sam Robinson RR

Posted on May 26, 2010 by admin

I found a nice picture by Emma of the Granite City RT (click the link for the full set).

It shows former Scottish Road Race champion Evan Oliphant crossing the line at Balfron to win the Trossachs road race, also known as the Sam Robinson memorial. It is run by the Glasgow Nightingale Cycling Club.

Lammermuirs road race

Posted on September 14, 2009 by admin

Ben Greenwood of Rapha Condor won the Lammermuirs road race, which was also run as the ESCA Championships (East of Scotland Cycling Association).

Ben attacked on the final five mile section of the race after 5 and a half laps of the Gifford circuit, a loop to the south of Haddington. He soloed up to the finish line at Redstone Rigg, a climb with two sections with gradients of up to 17%.

Endura RT’s Evan Oliphant and Callum Wilkinson came 2nd and 3rd, with Stirling Bike Club’s Robin Wilkins 4th.

Stirling also enjoyed a particularly strong ride from young junior Jack Barrett.

I hung on to the bunch for about 4 laps, and was feeling the pace pretty badly. I carried on, determined to finish and limped up the climb second last, but there were plenty of abandonments!

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