2008 News Archive
2007 News Archive
McCauley takes second in Tour of Ireland KOM
3rd September 2007
Gordon McCauley has taken second place in the King of the Mountains competition at the Tour of Ireland (22-26 August) to give Plowman Craven Evans Cycles their first result in a major UCI stage race.
The combative New Zealander secured his second spot during the fourth and longest stage of the race, a brutal 233 km circuit in the Connemara mountains, as part of an early five man breakaway which stayed away for 211 km. Gaining a lead of almost seven minutes at its height, the break was eventually reeled in by the combined efforts of T-Mobile and CSC, but not before they had tackled all of the day's five climbs, including the 5 km first category climb of Tourmakeady.
McCauley and House away on Healy Pass.
McCauley's breakaway was the culmination of three days of aggressive riding by the man who will represent his native New Zealand in the World Championship in Stuttgart later this month. He had already shown his climbing ability earlier in the race, when together with Kristian House of Navigators Insurance he attacked on the 5.5 km first category Healy Pass during Stage Two. The pair were eventually reeled in with CSC again leading the chase, but the next day McCauley was once more in the thick of the action, arriving at the finish of Stage Three in Ennis at the front of the peleton only to puncture with 2 km to go.
"I had a bad first day, but overall I'm pleased with my Tour," commented McCauley. "I didn't set out to target the KOM competition, so coming second is a bonus.
"All the team is now looking forward to the Tour of Britain and I think you'll see us at the front and in breaks, even if we aren't among the favourites for the GC."
McCauley was beaten to the KOM title by Roger Beuchat of LPR, while Stijn Vandenburg of Unibet won the overall race having taken the yellow jersey on Stage One and held on to it throughout the five days. McCauley eventually placed 32nd, fifteen minutes down on Vandenburg, while team mates Simon Richardson, Tony Gibb and James Millard all finished within an hour of the leaders.
The 864 km Tour of Ireland was the first major stage race Plowman Craven Evans Cycles had ridden, although certain team members like McCauley, had experience of multi-day racing. For others in the team however the individual stages were longer than they had raced before, and for some the cumulative effect of five days back-to-back racing was unknown territory.
Coming only two weeks before the Tour of Britain the race was an excellent opportunity not only to put the riders through their paces but to test the mammoth support operation required to keep the team of seven riders on the road for five days. Two mechanics and two soigneurs tended to men and machines as the race completed a clockwise circuit of Ireland, massaging legs, maintaining bikes, washing and drying kit and moving the entire operation from town to town while the racing took place.
A lorry equipped with mechanics workshop and a kitchen, including washing machine and dryer, accompanied the riders' coach and team cars. Every night after the race finished and the riders had been massaged and fed, all the race and spare bikes together with the spare wheels were cleaned and serviced, and an endless succession of tyres changed and tubs stretched and rims glued. Musettes and bidons for the next day were prepared and the team vehicles washed. Every morning riders bags went ahead of the race and were placed in the next set of hotel rooms, and food and spares were sourced as required.
Simon Barnes, team founder and boss of Hertfordshire based Geomatics company Plowman Craven, was pleased with the team's performance in Ireland.
"I rode this race when it was the Nissan Classic and I know how tough it is. All of the guys did well to finish – this is a step up from the Premier Calendar both in terms of racing and back-up and it can come as a bit of a shock.
"I believe we conducted ourselves well and there is great potential for the future. Gordon did a great job and got the jersey some excellent exposure, but the rest of the guys put in solid performances too. This is the type of racing we need to do more of next season and I think we have a good squad. I'm particularly pleased with the way our new signing, former mountain biker Simon Richardson, has made the transition to the road, especially as he'd never ridden this far before. The rest of the team continued to hand in the type of solid performance that has netted us three Premier Calendar wins and three National Championships.
"It all bodes well for the Tour of Britain. We'll certainly be attacking and looking for our train to launch Tony [Gibb] in any gallop."
Plowman Craven Evans Cycles' six man team for the Tour of Britain will the same as rode the Tour of Ireland. Gordon McCauley, Tony Gibb, James Millard, James McCallum and Simon Gaywood will all race the Newport Nocturne criterium the weekend before the 9 September start, while new boy Simon Richardson will join the squad straight from the mountain bike World Championship in Fort William where he is riding for the GB squad.
Tour of Ireland final GC
1. Stijn Vandenbergh Unibet 21hr 20’ 21”
2. Marcus Ljungqvist CSC 21hr 20’ 41” @ 20”
3. Aaron Olson T-Mobile 21hr 20’ 42” @ 21”
32. Gordon McCauley Plowman Craven Evans Cycles
21hr 35’ 31” @ 15’ 10”
70. Simon Richardson Plowman Craven Evans Cycles
22hr 02’ 21” @ 42’ 00”
75. James Millard Plowman Craven Evans Cycles
22hr 02’ 41” @ 42’ 20”
85. Tony Gibb Plowman Craven Evans Cycles
22hr 13’ 13” @ 52’ 52”
» view full race calender - click here
More information from Jonathan O’Neil: +44 (0) 7956250837 or click here
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