2008 News Archive
2007 News Archive
A winning weekend for Team Plowman Craven
30th April 2008
Team Plowman Craven once again showed the opposition their versatility this weekend with victory in both the AW Cycles Spring Road Race and the Newbury Road club 25 mile time trial on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Elsewhere the team was represented in the East Midlands International CiCLE Classic, a UCI categorized 1.2 competition based around Melton Mowbray and in the David Cambell Memorial race in Scotland.
Riders from around the world lined up at the start of the 100 mile CiCLE Classic which includes numerous sections of rough farm tracks. The 180 riders departed from Oakham at 11am and after a brief neutralised zone the race proper started with a flurry of attacks. Despite the wide roads the pressure was on to ride in the first 20 riders, and as a result the 40 miles that led into the first off road sector was marred by numerous crashes as the race sped around Rutland Water. The riders entered the first off-road sector with a small group clear with a minute and a half advantage. With Plowman Cravenleading after bringing Oliphant back to the front after he was impeded by a crash at the head of the peleton. As the group splintered further back thanks to the sling shot effect of the riders accelerating out of the corners on the narrow farm tracks, riding at the front proved imperative. As the riders entered a gravel sector Oliphant crashed heavily, but rejoined the fast moving peleton some 5 miles later after being paced back by team mates Coleman and Millard.
With riders being ejected from the breakaway and enveloped into the remnants of the peleton, which now numbered just 30 riders, the race was on to capture the lead duo Irish rider Ciaran Power and Dutchman Jan Bos. Plowman Craven were active at the head of the chase trying to launch former mountain biker Simon Richardson across to the leaders, with 15km to the finish line evergreen Malcolm Elliot fired out of the group taking 2 riders with him. With all of the riders trying to capture the leaders on the run in to the finish at Melton, as the riders entered the last sector with some 5 miles to the finish Oliphant's bad luck continued as he punctured and received a bike from team mate Tom Barras.
The lead duo could not be caught as they swooped down to the finish with Power the victor, Elliot led the chase some 30 seconds later. Followed by the group containing the Plowman Craven Riders some 30 seconds behind.
Oliphant when asked to describe the race stated, "James and Neil got me back to the bunch after a terrific smash where I recovered and was back in with a chance until I punctured on the last sector and was lucky to receive Toms bike, unfortunately it was a little small for me, I know look forward to the Chas Messenger Premier Calendar next weekend."
Elsewhere Plowman Craven Alex Higham dominated the AW Cycles Spring Road Race, joined by Team Captain Tony Gibb and James Jackson. With none of the initial attempts to forge a breakaway successful, Higham took his chance and attacked the peleton quickly gaining a solo lead. This caused the peleton to react and 4 riders broke clear and eventually joined Higham, uncomfortable with the size of the group Higham attacked again this time taking only Danny Axford, Arctic Premier with him. Within the last 7 miles Higham attacked Axford, this time he could not answer and Higham rode solo to victory.
Higham was understandably happy with his first win of the year “The season has been underway for a few months now, so it is pleasing to get my first victory of the year. My form is exactly where I hope it would be as we have a busy program over the coming weeks.”
As Higham enjoyed his success team mate James McCallum rode to a fine 2nd place in the David Campbell Memorial Road Race, after initially missing the break, McCallum showed his awesome form by crossing the gap alone only to find eventual winner Callum Wilkinson had already made his move.
While Tony Gibb clinched his first time trial victory of the year in the Newbury Road Clubs 25mile promotion, Gibb covered the course near Reading in a blistering 50.41. Commenting afterward Gibb stated "I really didn't expect to be that fast given the course was all single carriageways and did not have a great road surface but I'm very satisfied with that."
Results
East Midlands International CiCLE Classic
1. Ciaran Power Pezula
2. Jan Bos Ruiter Dak Kappellen
3. Malcolm Elliot Pinarrello Racing Team
14. Simon Gaywood Team Plowman Craven
19. Simon Richardson Team Plowman Craven
21. Tom Barras Team Plowman Craven
22. Evan Oliphant Team Plowman Craven
41. Neil Coleman Team Plowman Craven
93. James Millard Team Plowman Craven
AW Cycles Spring Road Race
1.Alex Higham Team Plowman Craven
2. Daniel Axford Arctic - Premier Racing Team
3. Jonathan Pain GWR Team/Scott Wilson/Giant
David Campbell Memorial Road Race
1.Callum Wilkinson The bicycleworks.com
2. James McCallum Team Plowman Craven
3.Graham McGarrity Dooleys RT
Newbury Road Club 25
1.Tony Gibb Team Plowman Craven 50.41
2.John Tuckett AW Cycles 50.54
3.Richard Simmons London Dymano 53.21
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