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The Maxgear.co.uk Road Race League 2010

Story posted August 23, 2010 | by Ian McVety

The CDNW Oakenclough Road Race on Sunday was won by Andy Tennant (Motorpoint Marshals Pasta) in a thrilling race over the rolling hills on the edge of Preston. The Oakenclough circuit overlooks Beacon Fell Country Park and in the far distance is Blackpool Tower.

The road race on Sunday followed the Blackpool Nocturne on the Saturday evening and so saw some entrants from further a-field to the usual participants. Swiss rider Rubens Bertogliati (Androni) former Tour de France stage winner in 2002 and wearer of the Maillot Jaune, having competed in the preceding nights spectacle of the Rapha Blackpool Nocturne decided to give the Lancashire roads a try.

 An initial move soon got underway with Kit Gillham (Sigma Sport Specialized) and Ashley Finn (Cycle Premier Metaltek) making an early break. They were soon joined by Stuart Henry (Team Herbalife/Wheelbase.co.uk) who later retreated back to the main peloton. The duo worked well together, but on such long and hilly terrain it was inevitable that they would eventually be caught.

It wasn't until lap 3 though when on the long drag up Bleasdale Lane that riders started to come across to them, eventually reaching them over the top of the Oakenclough climb itself. David McGowan (Kuota / GSG / Spinergy), Andrew Hawdon (Team Herbalife/Wheelbase.co.uk), Grahame Sumner (Great Britain Fire Service) were all seen to be working hard as they summitted the brutally steep Oakenclough climb to then begin the frenetic descent towards Oakenclough Mill.

This move fired up the peloton and with the increasing pace and hills, riders were scrambling to bridge the gaps. Initially, a larger group of 16 riders formed with Motorpoint Marshals Pasta, Sigma Sport Specialized, Rapha Condor Sharp, Team Raleigh and Team Herbalife Wheelbase all represented. Included in this were the initial escapees who were joined by Andy Tennant, Ian Bibby and Johnny McEvoy (all Motorpoint Marshall’s Pasta) and Dave Clark (Pendragon Le Col Colnago) who were keen to see this break succeed after missing out last week on a victory.

Also in the break were Tom Barras and Mike Cuming (Team Raleigh), Alistair Rutherford (Science in Sport.com) and Andy Coupe (Team Wallis CHH) who won the CDNW road race league last year and has had another consistently well placed season. This group was clearly going to be too big to last the race and as lap 3 turned into lap 4, it was Clark who attacked just before the finishing area, causing a group of six riders to go clear.

The lead group soon pulled out a convincing lead on the remnants of this initial 16 and as the race progressed, these were split in to smaller groups again as the hills took their toll. By lap five, the six break away riders had 1’30” on the chasers and this only increased as each lap went by. Clarke, having made the break, rode strongly on the front, eager to establish their lead.

On the final ascent of Delph Lane, the pressure was increased. Barras and Rutherford, having been in the leading break were no longer able to match the pace and slipped off the back leaving the survivors to make the short ascent of Telegraph and then the long gradual descent to the finish. As they came in to view, it was Doug Petty that held up the chequered flag to Andy Tennant who took the win in a thrilling final sprint.

Speaking later Andy Tennant was surprised but obviously pleased with his win. After a stage race in France and then one in Spain, the Motorpoint Marshall’s Pasta team only arrived back in the UK a few days ago and have been recovering from their foreign travels and were, he said, “Still feeling a little tired”. When asked about the two break-away riders Andy commented that this kind of circuit did not lend itself to such an early break and he had not been too concerned.

Once they came back, there were several breaks trying to establish themselves and Andy was confident in the team covering each move. He and Johnny McEvoy made a move to bridge across to a break that were pulled back and when Dave Clark attacked again near the finish line, he made sure that he was in that group. Looking forward to the UK’s cycling highlight of the year, the Tour of Britain, Andy and the team are spending a couple of days in Alston in the Pennines for some recovery rides before heading to Belgium for a couple of kermesses . After the National Time Trial Champs, it is full on for the Tour of Britain where they will be competing against some of Europe’s top riders.

 
Andy Tennant, (Motorpoint Marshall’s Pasta RT takes a clear win to Kit Gilham, (Sigma Sport Specialized Cycling Team). Photo by Ian McVety

Results E/12/3 75 miles / 3:14:58
1. Andy Tennant Motorpoint - Marshalls Pasta RT
2. Kit Gilham Sigma Sport Specialized Cycling Team
3. Dave Clarke Pendragon
4. Mike Cuming Team Raleigh
5. Tom Barras Team Raleigh
6. Alistair Rutherford Science In Sport.com
7. Tom Moses Glendene cc
8. Grahame Sumner Great Britain Fire Service (FSSAA)
9. Liam Holohan Team Raleigh
10. Rubens Bertogliati Androni UCI
11. Andy Coupe Team Wallis CHH
01.2 Martin Ford Team Goldtec
01.3 Jack Cuttsford Star Bikes RT
14. David McGowan Kuota/GSG/Spinergy
15. Peter Smith Team Raleigh
16. Andy Guy Science In Sport.com
17. James Sampson Motorpoint - Marshalls Pasta RT
18. Andrew Hawdon Herbalife/Wheelbase.co.uk
19. Ashley Finn Cycle Premier Metaltec
20. Neil Swithenbank GS Surosa
21. Jonny Knox Herbalife/Wheelbase.co.uk

Support Race for Categories 3 & 4
After soloing away to a lone victory in the CDNW Dolphinholme event last week, Mike Marshall (York Velo) repeated his efforts and won again in the same style, much to the disbelief of all those who witnessed both events. After gaining a 2 minute lead, Marshall had little to worry about. Lee Baldwin (Buxton CC/Sett Valley Cycles) rode a strong race and after chasing with two compatriots, who were not as keen to race as he, dropped them on the final lap and took second place with his break-away riders being swallowed up by the approaching peloton.

Result - 54 miles / 2:25:08
1. Mike Marshall Yorkshire Velo
2. Lee Baldwin Buxton CC/Sett Valley Cycles
3. Mark Burton Wills Wheels CC
4. Kieren Banlin Lune RCC
5. Gavin Shirley Nevis Cycles RT
6. Richard Bickley Border City Wheelers
7. Steve Smith Birkenhead North End
8. Scott Morley Lune RCC
9. Andrew Pickering Lune RCC
10. Neil Robinson Lune RCC
11. Tom Dalton Bill Nickson Cycles RT
12. Spencer Coltman Southport CC
13. Mark Hammersley Wheelguru Cycling Club
14. Andy Grice Southport CC
15. Graham Atkinson Lancaster CC
16. Harry Tarrant Chevin Bang and Olufsen
17. Jack Green VC St Raphael
18. Jon Eddolls Birkenhead North End
19. John Kent Birkenhead North End
20. Lee Carter Ribble Valley CRC

Thanks go to Cleveleys RC for their assistance in this event