2008 News Archive
2007 News Archive
Simon Gaywood on his recent form
24th April 2007
Simon Gaywood's recent form on the road seems to be something of a surprise to many, judging from the number of comments about him being better known as a track and criterium rider. But the 28 year old – who celebrated his birthday on the same day as his win in the Reading Spring Road Race on April 22 – has been planning his assault on the tarmac since joining Plowman Craven Evans Cycles last year.
"I think people have had rather a narrow view of me as a rider, but in a way that's a compliment because they clearly see me as a good track and crit man who's achieved something. But one of the reasons I was so excited about joining the Team was because I knew that the Premier Calendar was a big target and that I would get all the help and support I needed to ride the road to the best of my ability".
Not that Simon is without experience on the road, having represented Great Britain in several World Cup road races on top of his clearly better known successes as National derny champion in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and the winner of the National Circuit series in 2003.
One man who wasn't surprised by Simon's recent form was Stuart Benstead, organiser of the Archer GP which Simon won in spectacular style earlier this month. "As a Junior Simon regularly raced against Bradley Wiggins and often beat him, winning the National Junior Sprint Champs and representing Great Britain at the Youth Olympics, so he's been promising some form like this for a while."
For his part, Simon believes the road to his recent success began in earnest this winter. "The prospect of riding the Premier Calendar for the first time gave me the extra motivation to get the miles in and put a slightly different emphasis on my training and preparation. I began to feel the benefits during the Tour of the Reservoir where I got in the decisive break and was able to drive hard at the front, and I've been feeling stronger and stronger by the week.
"In the Archer I got into the right move and had the strength not only to stay away but to take the sprint, which tells me that I've not swapped speed for stamina but combined them. I was getting good time checks from the Team car and I was confident. I've read in the media that the Team plan for the day was for me to hold a watching brief in the first meaningful break, but once I was in it I had to do the business and was encouraged to ride for myself."
Following up a win in the Archer with another in the Reading Spring Road Race a week later proved his form is no fluke, but it has also done much for his confidence. "Before the Archer I wouldn't have considered going off the front on my own. I'm certainly more aggressive now and not content to wait for the sprint. Riding with Gordon has also helped because he's the sort of rider who just attacks, attacks, attacks! It's in his nature and he's got both the experience and the ability to back it up. I'm learning a lot from him."
Simon feels that riding as part of a team has also helped his success on the road this season. "I've always ridden as an individual in the past, so I've really benefited from the help and support of the team. Most of the guys have been in teams before but very few have been in teams where the set up is as professional as it is in Plowman Craven Evans Cycles. So many teams are that just in name only, but here there is a real sense of working together and working to a plan. Having Gary (Beckett, team manager) in the car giving you help and advice throughout a race is a great help, and the knowledge of team boss Simon Barnes is incredible. It means we feel confident trying different things out and are able to adapt tactics as the race develops. Having experienced riders like Gordon (McCauley) and Tony (Gibb) on the team also brings a lot of confidence and knowledge too, but the most immediate difference to someone like me whose always raced on his own is that now I can concentrate on my racing rather than sourcing kit, sorting my bike, getting a massage or arranging entering and getting to events."
The benefits of riding as part of team are perhaps most evident in stage races. Plowman Craven Evans Cycles have already ridden the Girvan three day event as part of the Premier Calendar this year, and there are plans to ride other multi-day events in Belgium over the summer in order to prepare for what the team hopes will be the highlight of their season – an invitation to ride the Tour of Britain. "There's no doubt some of us found the Girvan hard, especially towards the end. But we've got riders with the pedigree to do well in such races, as Gordon showed with his epic breakaway on the last day. Going to Belgium will do us a lot of good because there is no doubt that the racing there is at a different level among the pro's – there's a lot more strength in depth and a lot more control within the peleton.
"Riding the Tour of Britain is realistic I believe, and I know the management are in talks with the organisers. As riders we have to demonstrate that we would be an asset to the race not a liability and that we would be able to perform well. If we get a ride I think it will be fantastic for British cycling and be a real boost to the domestic trade scene."
While Simon may pass some of the long hours clocking up the road miles dreaming of a ride in the Tour of Britain, it's actually the more immediate races he spends most time contemplating. The criterium series hasn't begun yet and next week the team head north to ride the unique Premier Calendar event, the Rutland-Melton Classic. Known as the British Roubaix, or Hell of the North, the Rutland-Melton Cicle Classic is regarded as one of Britain's most challenging and spectacular single day road races. Based around the picturesque Rutland Water, the event takes riders over a mixture of tarmac roads and narrow farm tracks reminiscent of those found in the Spring classic races of northern France and Belgium, such as Paris-Roubaix.
"I'm really excited. It's not a race I've ridden before and there's a lot of hype surrounding it. It's also a UCI event with a number of continental teams coming across to ride which will raise the standard and also give us another chance to compare ourselves to that level of competition.
"The race will all be about position. The first off road section comes after only about 10 km and to have any chance of success you need to be in the first 15 to 20 riders at that point. We've got a few riders who can do well in the race – Gordon, Jason (Allen) and James (McCullam) to name a few – but in the end it will come down to the team working together to support our best rider on the day."
The former privateer is clearly enjoying his new life as a team player, but as recent races have shown he's no anonymous rider in the bunch. After his recent successes no-one should be too surprised if he finds himself at the front at Melton. After all, in his own words, "There's still a lot more in the bank!"
back to news section