2008 News Archive
2007 News Archive
Plowman Craven Evans Cycles Ride The Hell Of Rutland
30th April 2007
The UCI ranked 2007 East Midlands International CiCLE Classic was won by Malcolm Elliott (Pinarello) in a sprint finish, despite constant attacks from Plowman Craven Evans Cycles' Gordon McCauley in the last few miles of a gruelling 100 mile course around Rutland Water.
The international field of 160 riders – including five continental teams - tackled a mixture of tarmac roads and narrow farm tracks between Oakham and Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, on a course similar to the Spring classics of northern Europe like Paris Roubaix. Despite the challenging terrain the pace of the race remained high throughout, although mechanical problems and punctures on the 11 sections of dirt track caused many riders to slip down the field from where they found it almost impossible to regain lost ground. Among them was Plowman Craven Evans Cycles' Jason Allen who had been riding strongly at the front, only to suffer a puncture and not make it back to the head of the race.
With attacks coming thick and fast and the lead of the race constantly changing a group of 14 riders eventually got away, including Plowman Craven Evans Cycles rider Gordon McCauley who proved again what an aggressive and competitive rider he is. McCauley was constantly in the thick of the action at the head of the race, attacking twice in the last 10 miles and initially gaining 10 seconds on the field. Despite being caught by the group after his first attempt, McCauley attacked a second time but with 2 miles to go the group recaptured him and the race came down to a 12 rider group sprint, with Elliott winning the contest ahead of Girvan winner Ian Wilkinson (SiS/Trek) and Michael Skelde (Denmark) in third. A fragmented peleton came home some minutes down but the high pace and challenging terrain took their toll with almost a hundred riders failing to finish.
Speaking after the race, Gordon McCauley said:
"That was a tough race, more like a war of attrition, but it's a great event. The speed never dropped on the off-road sections and a lot of dust and stones were thrown up, but at least it was dry. Once you get a mechanical problem on a course like this it's game over and classic race tactics really go out of the window. I tried to keep as near to the front as I could, especially on the off-road sections and got into the decisive breakaway with 35 miles to go. With about 10 miles to go we were back on tarmac and I decided to take my chance, gaining 10 seconds on the group. But they worked well together to reel me in and when I went a second time it was perhaps too soon after my first attempt and they caught and passed me."
Meanwhile Plowman Craven Evans Cycles rider Adam Norris took third place in the 116 km Thames Velo Spring road race in Oxfordshire. Click here to read Plowman Craven Evans Cycles rider Brian Biggs' race report.
Plowman Craven Evans Cycles remain top of the national team rankings, and Gordon McCauley top of the national individual rankings.
Next weekend the full Plowman Craven Evans Cycles squad come together to ride the 120km Toachim House GP in Seven Oaks, Kent (Sunday 6 May). The next day some of the team travel to Suffolk to ride the Xworth May Day Crits.
» view full race calender - click here
More information from Jonathan O’Neil: +44 (0) 7956250837 or click here
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