Cycling Reports |
the Archer international Grand Prix(UCI 1:5 and Premier Race Calendar Event) By Gerry McManusEmail: gerrymcmanus@yahoo.comGordon’s Premier WinNew Zealander Gordon McCauley (RDM Flanders) won the Archer International Grand Prix in Buckinghamshire for the second successive year on Sunday 7th April. McCauley out-sprinted his breakaway companion Kevin Dawson (Compensation Group RT - GB) as the two finished 51 seconds ahead of a chasing group of 12 riders. Dawson’s teammates John Tanner and Mark Lovatt took 3rd and fourth respectively again proving their domination of the domestic race scene in the UK. The 118-mile race was completed a little over 4h 43 minutes on a bright sunny day but with a sharp easterly wind keeping temperatures down for the race contestants. An attack went on the first of three laps of the big circuit. The group of ten riders containing Martin O’Loughlin (Team Ireland), Aaron McCaffrey (Sigmasport RT) and Denis Easton (Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games B) but with the main race favourites still in the bunch, they were reeled after 45 minutes. As they reached the smaller finishing circuit seven riders had forged a 45 second lead over the long Woodrow climb and McCauley was setting the pace at the front again. With two Danes, Lovatt, McKenzie and Anthony Malarczyk (Atom Elite) sharing the work, the break should have lasted longer than it did but as they came up the hill to Penn Street, Tommy Evans launched an attack that set up a successful chase group including local Colin Roshier (Team Quest – The Bike Shop) Gary Baker (Angliasport / Condor) and Russell Downing (iTeamNova.com). With around two laps and 14 miles to go, McCauley attacked again taking Kevin Dawson with him, steadily building up a lead on a 12-man chase group. The Compensation Group RT tactics could be brought into question as the sprint result was correctly predicted by the majority of knowledgeable spectators who felt that Tanner would have been stronger competitor to McCauley in the final 200 metres. Tommy Evans (Team Ireland) came seventh in his last race before he starts the Tour of Majorca with the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games team on Wednesday 10th April. “The race went according to plan”, said Tommy: “To do nothing until the finishing circuit and I felt pretty good but with Tanner, Dawson and Lovatt you were never going to be able to do much. As soon as the two boys got away I kept digging to get after them but Tanner and Lovatt just wanted to nullify the whole thing.” “When we were chasing the earlier break Dawson was with us and he got a free ride across. My form is OK and I had wanted to at least finish in the top ten and have a go at the win if it was possible so I’m not too disappointed.” Martin O’Loughlin finished in front of the bunch in 23rd place and Eddie O’Donohue and Timmy Barry finished comfortably in the bunch. Eddie Keogh (Carrick Cidona) retired early after a completing 60 miles with the field but guest rider Paddy Moriarty finished in the bunch. The Northern Ireland manager Gerry Beggs was happy with the Commonwealth Games performance. David McCann retired early after a lively first lap but pulled out so as not to over things prior to the tour Of Majorca and having a slight throat infection. “I am happy enough,” said Gerry: “It was a very tough race and the finishing circuit was much harder than anybody expected. The races at home are only about 70-miles long and we managed to get seven finishers. We are off to Majorca next week with Brendan Doherty, Tommy Evans, Jonathan Dempsey and David McCann.” Stephen Gallagher finished in 22nd place as the top NI team rider. Ex-patriot Rory Wyley continued his fine form this season finishing in 13th place. This follows the Waterfordman’s second place overall in last week’s Tour of the Border in the UK and third place in the recent Oxonian hilly TT behind Michael Hutchinson. The 34-year-old is now resident in Maidenhead and rides for www.sdeals.com and rode for the Carrick Wheelers when he lived in Dungarvan.
Cycling Ireland Team
2 Teams from Northern Ireland
O'Loughlin and McCaffrey lead an early break
Evens in the chasing group
McCauley too strong for Dawson in the sprint
Tanner takes the bunch sprint
Paddy Moriarty
Eddie O'Donoghue finishing in bunch
ARCHER INTERNATIONAL GP - UCI 1:5
Buckinghamshire, UK - 7th April 2002
Official result
Race Preview - the Archer international Grand PrixAmersham, Buckinghamshire, Sunday April 7th
2002 The second counting event in the British Cycling Premier Calendar takes place on Sunday April 7th in Buckinghamshire. The 118-mile event again has a 1:5 UCI status with international visiting teams from Holland, Australia, Denmark, Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland. The inclusion of the iTeamNova.com squad sees Aussie professionals David McKenzie and Bret Lancaster riding with Britain’s Russell Downing in the six-man team managed by former professional Sean Yates. Holland and Denmark teams are largely unknown but Dane Peter Gaarde was a prolific winner at home last year and expected to be team leader. The four-man team from Ireland sees Tommy Evans seeking to improve on his third place of last year along with Timmy Barry and Eddie O’Donohue who have not been out of the placings at home this year. Martin O’Loughlin is the other in the line-up. He has just returned from riding in the Tour of Saudi Arabia and should benefit from riding at altitude. Eddie Keogh and Paddy Moriarty are the only two riding for the Carrick-Cidona team following the upgrade to Team Ireland for O’Loughlin, O’Donohue and Barry. Last years winner New Zealander Gordon McCauley is back with the Belgium based RDM- Flanders team and is said to be keen to make the race difficult for his opponents. The new British team of Compensation Group sees John Tanner, Mark Lovatt and Kevin Dawson riding together and just about winning everything at home this year and well as taking the first three overall places in the recent Tour of Munster in Ireland. Northern Ireland is fielding two teams with this race forming part of the calendar being used to select the road team for the Commonwealth Games in July. Senior Irish road champion David McCann rides for the ‘B’ team before travelling to the Tour of Majorca the following week with Brendan Doherty and Tommy Evans. All of the riders are expected to seek to impress the selectors and discover the standard of event and competition that would face them if they were successful. With over forty riders having their entries returned, this looks like the strongest field for many years, however local riders Paul Crook (Sigmasport RT), Colin Roshier (Team Quest) and Rory Wyley (www.sdeals.com) are expected to use their excellent recent form to put up a challenge. Roshier was forth in last year’s event and knows the local roads intimately. The race is on two circuits with the first being a 20-mile lap that takes in the long climb of Longdown and the short steep climb at Great Missenden. After three laps, the race proceeds onto seven laps of the finishing circuit with a climb up to Penn Street village every time. It is here that the race-winning move is likely to be made. The race starts at 11:00 from the Hazlemere HQ and will be neutralised until they reach the circuit proper. Results will be appearing on Sunday night. Pictures Copyright Gerry McManus 2002 |
