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Plowman Craven Prominent
6th July 2008
Team Plowman Craven returned to the scene of their success 12 months earlier as they lined up for Sunday's Blackpool Grand Prix headed by last year's winner Tony Gibb.
In contrast to the previous edition this year's event was run under heavy downpours and with strong winds blowing off of the Irish Sea, the latter buffeting the riders as they made their way along the coast and causing a split in the peleton from kilometre zero. As riders clipped off the front of the peleton in ones and twos, the last two to join the front group being Plowman Craven's Simon Gaywood and newly crowned National Road Race Champion Rob Hayles. The group worked well together and began to pull clear despite losing Ian Stannard (Landbouwkredit) to a puncture leaving 11 men at the front of the race.
The group quickly pulled out a healthy advantage, however having received a new rear wheel Stannard could be seen on the front of the peleton for kilometre after kilometre slowly reeling in the leaders. With little over an hour covered the race was together once more and the process started all over again. Constant attacks drove the pace up and eventually a useful looking group edged clear led by Gibb and Scottish team mate Evan Oliphant. The group swelled and eventually began to work together.
The peleton behind was under the control of Team Plowman Craven as Tom Barras, Simon Gaywood and James Millard saw to it that the break was given its freedom, and that no one else was able to join the leaders. The lead group quickly built up a healthy lead, but soon began attacking each other. As first Gibb went clear with Hayles and the Downing brothers amongst others, only to be countered upon their capture by Oliphant who took Stannard and Rob Partridge for company. Hayles was in defiant mood and would not allow Oliphant any freedom. No sooner had they been caught by the group led by Hayles, than Stannard was off again with Oliphant and Partridge and soon they were joined by Russell Downing. Gibb sat behind with Hayles and Dean Downing the latter like Gibb were tied to marking Hayles thanks to their team mates' presence in the front group.
Making the right turn off of the circuit with only 10 kilometres remaining the quartet held onto a 40 second lead over the chasers. As the race entered the final kilometres Downing attacked and was followed by Stannard while Oliphant and Partridge chased. The pair worked well together and try as he might Oliphant couldn't get back onto terms. Hayles saw his chance and injected more pace in an effort to bring back Oliphant, and with a few kilometres remaining Oliphant was back in the group with Gibb. Coming into the long finishing straight Gibb was the first to hit out for the final podium spot leading Oliphant towards the finish, with the Scot taking 5th place and Gibb in 7th.
Downing took the win ahead of Continental Professional Stannard, while Alex Higham came took 13th place and Tom Barras took 21st in winning the bunch sprint after a lead out from Millard and Gaywood.
Oliphant was disappointed after the finish "We came so close to staying away at the end when I was with Ian, Russ and Rob and I thought that was the final move of the race. It was a shame it didn't work out for us. Hayles was super strong despite chasing all day and still managed to hold us off in the sprint for third."
Results
1. Russell Downing, Pinarello 95 miles 3.30.45
2. Ian Stannard, Landbouwkredit/Colnago @ 3 seconds
3. Rob Hayles, Halfords Bikehut, @1.02
5. Evan Oliphant, Plowman Craven
7. Tony Gibb, Plowman Craven
13. Alex Higham, Plowman Craven
21. Tom Barras, Plowman Craven
52. Simon Gaywood, Plowman Craven
76. James Millard, Plowman Craven
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