by Anna Magrath | Jan 30, 2012
LtoR: Owain Doull, George Atkins, Mark Christian, Simon Yates, Tom Murray, Alex Dowsett
The days cycling kicked off with the National Madison Championships peppered with Sprint Qualification rounds for the final Revolution of the season to be held later in the evening, more information on those sprint events in the Revolution 36 Report (online shortly).
The velodrome didn’t appear to have sold out but it was certainly busy and bustling with a great atmosphere long before the proceedings got underway.
After the crowd were whipped up by the first appearance of the all star cast of Hoy and the sprinters the Madison got under way.
Up first was the boys DHL Future Stars Madison race and 11 teams took to the boards which turned out to be a pretty evenly matched race amongst the top four teams, it was quite a cautious race with every pairing watching for danger signs and some great technique on show, in the end the riders of Team Sky James Shaw and Fabio Close pipped the Chep UK team of Ollie Wood and Jake Womersley one the line. Both teams finishing on 8 points.
Boys DHL Future Stars Madison Champions: Fabio Close & James Shaw ©Copyright Ben Dando/Cycling Shorts.
Next it was the turn of the Girls DHL Future Stars riders talented field. We aren’t used to seeing the all conquouring Emily Kay perform in a Madison at the Revolution so we didn’t know what to expect since she obviously could work in a team but she would have to rely and gel well with her partner Emily Nelson. Kay has been such a powerhouse throughout the season and has managed to take the series win before the season is even over. We suspected she was going for the Madison win to add to her titles, she only need cruise the rest of the evenings races in order to take her place on the top of the podium at the end of the evenings events, so we were positive this was the one for her, but we also knew the likes of Ellie Coster, Melissa Lowther and Rebecca Hunt had something to prove. To me the most dangerous pairing seemed to be Cycling Shorts very own Ellie Coster and her partner Becca Hunt, the two were both in the top 4 of the series championship and if they could join forces and beat Emily Kay and Nelson then they would take a title for the team of howies and each have a top podium for all their very consistent and strong performances throughout the season.
It turned out that the top four teams where well matched but in the end the tactics of the howies and Cunga teams were panning out well. No one was prepared to let Emily Kay out of their sight and Ellie Coster was watching her like a hawk throughout the race jumping on the back of her wheel wherever she could. This tactic paid off and after big turns from Becca Ellie had rested legs to put in big sprints. An excellent win by Becca Hunt and Ellie Coster showing great communication, tactics and strength. Nelson and Kay came in second with 8 points, two behind the howies girls.
Read more about Ellie’s race in her blog.
Girls DHL Future Stars Madison Champions: Becca Hunt &Ellie Coster - ©Cpoyright Ben Dando/Cycling Shorts.
The main event of the afternoon was of course the GB National Madison Championships and favourite had to be the pairing of Sky’s Alex Dowsett and IG Sigma Sport’s Tom Murray, with Dowsett only recently back from the Tour Down Under and it would be great to see what form he was carrying. On the downside for Dowsett and Murray they aren’t normally teammates so they would have had less training time. It was a strong field and 100% ME had entered four teams into the championships and they really looked strong for a win. Mark Christian and Simon Yates, and last years silver medal holder Jon Mould and his partner Tom Moses looked like they stood a chance. The only other none 100% ME threat looked like the paring of Adam Duggleby and Alistair Rutherford for Sportscover Altura/Vanilla Bikes.
Alex Dowsett - National Madison Championships 2012 - ©Chris Maher www.ChrisMaher.co.uk
The pairing of Dowsett and Murray had their work cut out because from the start they were being watched. As predicted the 100% ME riders went out tough from the start, but it was the pairing of Christian and Yates that really showed they meant business taking the first two sprints. The thirds sprint went to Dowsett and Murray but Christian and Yates looked well practiced, they were controlling all the moves. At the halfway point Alex Dowsett was slung in to the race by Murray in an attempt to take a lap, this was obviously a danger all the other teams were watching out for and probably dreading as Alex’s strength is his time trailing and letting him get away at this stage was going to be disastrous, the pair knew they had to do something because Christian and Yates were racking up the points with 20 and 100% ME’s Tom Moses and Alistair Slater were looking strong with 10. The lap wasn’t taken easily though, but they mopped up the next sprint points which were much needed before finally taking the lap. Shortly after the pairing of Owain Doull and George Atkins completed the lap. This was a red rag to a bull and Christian and Yates not wanting to lose their grip on the race took the lap back perfectly timed for them to take the next sprint and then grabbing the following one too. These two were on rocket fuel! By now the other teams were weighing up their options but only one team decided to do anything about it, but it was all in vain Doull and Atkins attempted a lap but they just kept dangling like a carrot in front of the field. The race was over and an extremely well deserved win by Mark Christian and Simon Yates.
A great afternoons racing and more to follow in the evening with the final Revolution of the season…. Click here to read the Revolution 36 Report.
Watch the highlights of the Revolution Series on ITV4 7pm on 30/01/2012
Results
Boys DHL Future Stars Madison Championship Results:
1 Shaw / Close 8pts
2 Wood / Womersley 8pts
3 Cross / James 5pts
4 Lawless / Ragan 4pts
5 Scott / Hall 3pts
6 Lewis / Evans 2pts
7 Tanfield / Braybrooke 1pts
8 Shakel / Woolf 2pts -1 lap
9 Robbins / Pitt -1 lap
10 Trolove / Hoyle -1 lap
11 Wiltshire / Cocker -1 lap
Time 17:37.963
Girls DHL Future Stars Madison Championship Results:
1 Hunt / Coster 10pts
2 Kay / Nelson 8pts
3 Lowther / Parkinson 6pts
4 Kinrade / Boyd 5pts
5 Barker / Millward 3pts
6 Garner / Broughton 1pts
7 O’Brien / Armstrong
8 Barnes / Dentus
9 English / Haywood
10 Blount / Gillies -1 lap
11 Haycox / Ansell -1 lap
12 Taylor / Gent -3 laps
Time 20:38.409
Elite GB Men’s National Madison Championship Results:
1. Mark Christian and Simon Yates 100% ME 31pts
2. Alex Dowsett and Tom Murray Sky Pro Cycling/Sigma Sport Specialized 23pts
3. George Atkins and Owain Doull – 100% ME 9pts
4. Adam Duggleby and Alistair Rutherford Sportscover Altura/Vanilla Bikes 14pts – 2 Laps
5. Joe Kelly and Jon Mould 100% ME 14pts – 2 Laps
6. Tom Moses and Alistair Slater – 100% ME 12pts – 2 Laps
7. Doug Dewey and David Sinclair – Terra/GWR – 4pts – 5 Laps
8. Tom Arnstein and Mark Stewart – Equipe Velo Ecosse/Spokes Racing DNF
9. Stephen Bradury and Jack Kirk – AW Cycles/Agiskoviner CT DNF
10. Ian Cooper and Richard Prince – Planet X – DNS
by Christian Grasmann | Jan 23, 2012
“5 steps to Podium” – Instructions on how to get on the podium at the Sixdays in Bremen, starring the Rudy Project Racing Team with Leif Lampater, Christian Grasmann & Robert Bengsch.
by Christian Grasmann | Jan 20, 2012
Bremem Six Day Image ©Copyright Wim Hoste
The Six Day in Bemem went well for the Rudy Project riders and their partners. Leif Lampater & Iljo Keisse led the 48th edition of the event as they drove the first double of the evening and fought until the very end for the win. Robert Bengsch and his partner Alois Kankovsky were one of the strongest teams and led the overall standings.
The favourites Robert Barkto and Peter Schep in the final chase around the track pushed the duos of Franco Marvulli & Marcel Kalz and Leif Lampater & Iljo Keisse into second and third respectively. Bengsch and Kankovski sailed in in 5th place. Myself and Rafal Ratajczyk finished overall in 8th place.
“The cresults last night weren’t bad,” said Leif Lapater, “we knew there would be strong competition from Bartko/Schep and Marvulli/Kalz.”
In the Team Elimination it came down to an early battle of the top three teams. Lampater/Keisse won against Bartko/Schep and also the Swiss German duo were able to increase their score. Leading up to the sprint the top three teams remained the same but were joined by Marc Hester/ Andreas Müller. Leif Lampater and Iljo Keisse attacked again with about fifty laps to go, but were pursued by Marvulli/Kalz and Barkto/Schep. “We tried everything, but the other two teams were paying attention,” commented Leif.
With 20 laps to go only Robert Barkto and Peter Schep had the strength left for a final attack and won the final round. Marvulli/Kalz who were the only team to crack the 300 point mark (318), pushed Leif Lampater and Iljo Keisse into 3rd place with (291 points).
On 26th January, Leif along with last years winner Roger Kluge will be at the start of the Berlin Six Day Race. Robert Bengsch, the winner of the Bremem Six Days in 2011 will form a pairing with Marcel Kalz (this years second place in Bremem), a powerful team. “Leif and I will give everything in Berlin,” said Robert Bengsch.
Full race results are below the German translation.
In der ersten Nacht übernahm Leif Lampater zusammen mit Iljo Keisse die Führung der 48. Bremer Sixdays , sie fuhren die erste Doublette des Sechstagerennens ein und kämpften bis zuletzt um den Sieg. Auch Robert Bengsch gehörte mit seinem Partner Alois Kankovsky zu den stärksten Teams und führte zwischenzeitlich die Gesamtwertung an. Die Favoriten Robert Bartko/ Peter Schep erfuhren in der finalen Jagd einen Rundenvorsprung und verwiesen das Duo Franco Marvulli/ Marcel Kalz und Leif Lampater/ Iljo Keisse auf den zweiten und dritten Platz. Bengsch/ Kankovski fuhren auf den 5. Gesamtplatz, Christian Grasmann belegte mit Rafael Ratajczyk den achten Platz.
„Die Voraussetzungen vor der letzten Nacht waren nicht schlecht“, wusste Leif Lampater, „wir lagen mit den stärksten Konkurrenten Bartko/ Schep und Marvulli/ Kalz in der Nullrunde“. Im Mannschaftsausscheidungsfahren kam es dann zu einem vorgezogenen Duell der drei führenden Teams. Lampater/ Keisse gewannen vor Bartko/ Schep und dem schweizerisch-deutschen Duo und konnten ihren Punktestand erhöhen. Auch das Derny-Finale entschieden der Irschenberger und sein belgischer Partner für sich, jedoch hatten Bartko/ Schep und Marvulli/ Kalz mit mehr Punkten in die große Jagd. Bis zu den Wertungssprints blieben die drei führenden Teams sowie Marc Hester/ Andreas Müller gleichauf. Leif Lampater und Iljo Keisse attackierten knapp fünfzig Runden vor Schluss erneut, wurden jedoch von Marvulli/ Kalz und Bartko/ Schep verfolgt. „Wir haben alles probiert, aber die beiden anderen Teams haben gut aufgepasst“, so Lampater. Knapp zwanzig Runden vor Schluss hatten nur Robert Bartko und Peter Schep die Kraft für den letzten Angriff und schafften den finalen Rundengewinn. Marvulli und Kalz, die als einziges Team die 300-Punkte-Marke geknackt hatten (318 Punkte), verwiesen Leif Lampater und Iljo Keisse auf den dritten Rang (291 Punkte). Am 26. Januar geht Leif Lampater mit dem Vorjahressieger Roger Kluge beim Berliner Sechstagerennen an den Start. Auch Robert Bengsch, der Sieger der Bremer Sixdays 2011, wird in Berlin mit Marcel Kalz, dem diesjährigen Zweiten in Bremen, ein leistungsstarkes Team bilden. „Leif und ich werden auch in Berlin alles geben“, so Robert Bengsch.
Standings Name Nat. Result
1 SCHEP/BARTKO 293
Robert BARTKO GER
Peter SCHEP NED
2 MARVULLI/KALZ 318
Marcel KALZ GER
Franco MARVULLI SUI
3 LAMPATER/KEISSE 291
Iljo KEISSE BEL
Leif LAMPATER GER
4 HESTER/MÜLLER 214
Marc HESTER DEN
Andreas MUELLER AUT
5 KANKOVSKÝ/BENGSCH 221
Robert BENGSCH GER
Alois KANKOVSKY CZE
6 STAM/MOHS 176
Erik MOHS GER
Danny STAM NED
7 KADLEC/BARTH 182
Marcel BARTH GER
Martin KADLEC CZE
8 GRASMANN/RATAJCZYK 112
Christian GRASMANN GER
Rafal RATAJCZYK POL
9 J. MØRKØV/THÖMEL 105
Jesper MORKOV DEN
Timo THÖMEL GER
10 SIMES/REINHARDT 88
Theo REINHARDT GER
Jackie SIMES USA
11 EDMÜLLER/PIETERS 60
Benjamim EDMÜLLER GER
Roy PIETERS NED
12 HUFF/MATZKA 102
Charles Bradley HUFF USA
Ralf MATZKA GER
by Christian Grasmann | Jan 17, 2012
Sixdays Bremen from the Riders Perspective from Rudy Project Racing Team Channel.
Preliminary state – after the first night already, Leif Lampater led the international pro cycling field of the 2012 Sixdays in Bremen. 4 nights down and the RPRT [Rudy Project Racing Team] is still up for a win in one of the most prestigious 6days in Europe: Leif 3rd, Robert Bengsch 5th and I’m in 8th. 2 nights to go.
by Jo Ann Carver | Jan 17, 2012
Merde! You’ll be fed up hearing from me, but I can’t leave this one inside. My brain will implode if I do.
Today I was “in Town” as some of us over here will say just to annoy those whose own “Town” is nowhere near London, who’s West End (to those of us who regard it as a place of work) is “Town”. So there I was in Town about an hour early for my casting appointment for Colman’s moutarde. Hey… I’m a classically trained actor, my agent only sends me up for the plum jobs! What to do? What to do? “Ah the lightbulb explodes”. Always better than teardrop explodes…stoopid name for a band… I’ll wander down to Oxford Circus to the Nike shop.
Now for those of you not yet familiar with this quaint country of ours, there are no trapeze artists or conjurers here. At one time there was a roundabout at this intersection of Oxford and Regent streets. The facades of the faux Corinthian buildings lending this corner of our Capital’s most prestigious shopping experience an air of classical splendour. No there are no trapeze artists but after dark sheltering in the doorways are many a 15% proof cider drinker whom we call “piss artists” as for the conjurers…oh yes they’re there. Tempting our hard earned cash out of our pockets and into their cash registers.
And it is the glittering confines of one such purveyor of next years land fill that I was heading. The Niké store London. This very boutique is the American giant’s most prestigious store in Grate (sic) Britain. My mission this afternoon was to purchase a simple “T” shirt a black “T” shirt, with the inter galacticaly famous typhoon swoosh ..yes Niké..ny KEE was a name appended to a Hurricane that hit the Eastern seaboard of America the year that the running shoe maker was born. See, my utterly worthless pub quiz brain had information. Information of a degree that a well trained member of staff at this particular store might have been expected to know in this London’s Olympic year.
...said T-Shirt
“How can I help Sir?” Sir? Me, Sir?? I really ought to have seen it coming, but “T” shirt lust had me in its thrall.
“I’m looking for a Mark Cavendish signature t shirt”
“who?”
“Mark Cavendish. Fastest human being on Earth? Your company have him on their books and sell a shirt with his signature on the sleeve and I’d like one”
“Really sorry Sir I don’t know who you mean”
Im still implacably cheerful at this point.
“ok, we’re you working here just before Christmas?”
“Too right innit? I swear I never had a day off for like three weeks”
Im still grinning pleasantly.
“Well in this very spot Mark, who won the tour de France Points jersey last year and then the World Championship Road Race before winning an MBE and BBC sports personality of the year. Was talking to about 500 of us. No? No recall”
Now I’m starting to loose my sense of humour at this point, but I refuse to be churlish, the drugs are working well today. I lead her over to shrine Cav: and present him with a ringmaster’s flourish….we’re in Oxford circus after all.
“oh yeh!!! ” she leads me to the escalator. What an obliging child “I know who you mean now *snorty laugh* you must fink I’m fick”
I am now on my way up the escalator
“first floor. All the foopball stuffs there.. Sorry”
I inhaled a calming breath chanting Om mane padme Hum. To the first floor then.
First thing I clapped eyes on was Lance Armstrong’s rugged Texan kisser on posters surrounding a goodly sized display of Livestrong gear…excelent! Good start.
“can I help Sir?” there they go with the bloody Sir thing again.
“I hope so. Mark Cavendish signature T shirt….?”
“erm…sorry?”
“Well as you’re in this area I hoped you might know where they were?”
It’s in the eyes you know. Actors always know when the other poor bugger’s dried. So I decide, (with my yin and yang in balance) to help
“he’s a cyclist like Lance??”
“oh right sorry, yeh. All the bike stuff’s in with the running kit. 2nd floor.”
My sense of humour was dimming dear reader, but I’m British, we never say die! I head for the ecscala’a.
“Can I help Sir?” I’ve worked it out, it’s the bow tie.
“Mark Cavendish T shirt black green signature. Guy downstairs says it should be on this floor”
“No! Ha! Sorry, the black and green one yeh?”
” yes” the grins back gang
“Hang on Sir I’ll go and grab one, what size?”
“XL please” the grin is really back, people are putting on their Oakleys.
A mere 5 minutes has passed when the young man approaches. A look of triumph emerging through the acne.
“There you go” with a flick of the wrist he displays a black polo shirt with… (in Green)
The embroidered logo of GLASGOW CELTIC. F.C.
Through my rictus grinning teeth I ask
“Is the manager about?”
I prepare an eloquent and uplifting little speech about how in this Olympic year, he really must ensure that his staff are better trained. The sports fans of the world will pour into this shop in the summer and they might reasonably expect your staff to be sufficiently interested enough to know who the people on your current poster campaign are. Especially as the one I’ve been asking about is hopefully going to be Britain’s first Gold medalist…yes that’s a fair speech Jonny bwoy.
“Hello how can I help Sir?”
I promise you, I did not Sir, most decidedly not give the fellow a bloody Coxcomb! But I tell you I exerted self control above and way beyond anything that my Bi polar drugs were designed for.
What’s that? How did the audition go after all that? ‘You ‘avin’ a giraffe???
by Anna Magrath | Jan 9, 2012
[flagallery gid=9 name=”Gallery”]
Click SL (slideshow) or FS (fullscreen)
Cycling Shorts turns Paparazzi at the Revolution.
Words by Anna Magrath, Images by John Allen
The crowds started spilling in to the velodrome, and with just 15 minutes to go the velodrome was packed. A really excellent turnout for the first Revolution of the new year and, considering there was another major cycling event taking place on the same weekend [British Cyclo-Cross Championships], it was great to see a sell out crowd.
Tonight we’d see the Revolution debut of Luke Rowe in his new Team Sky colours and a tantalising tandem omnium between GB and the Netherlands, I think I recall a distant memory of tandems competing within a Revolution, but if it happened it was a long time ago…. it was going to be great to see them in action.
There was a slight hitch in the proceedings for Cunga as they were missing all three of their élite riders, so the pressure was on their Future Stars riders. It just so happens they have the current DHL Girls leader Emily Kay and strong riders like Adam Lewis and Emily Nelson in their ranks, but it was a tough evening for the team in their half empty pen.
Heading into the 35th Revolution the overall standings were led by Team UK Youth with 370 points followed by Maxgear racing on 341.
The yellow jerseys in the DHL Future Stars Championships were still being held by Emily Kay and Jake Ragan, Emily will win the championship now by a huge margin, she’s won every race of the season, lets see what treats tonight holds in store…
The first race of the evening was the Elite 10km Scratch Race, spread out over 40 laps of the track the riders got off to a fast but evenly paced start Luke Rowe went off the front of the pack to test everyone and was joined by a Team UK Youth rider for a while, but both decided not to persist and rejoined the peloton. With 1km to go Luke put in another attack, this time with Jon Mould of Howies, this looked more promising, but in the end Jon couldn’t match the pace so Luke was left on his own.He took victory in 11:46.581 soaking up championship points, with Marcel Kalz of CHEP rolling in in second place and Russ Downing taking 3rd for Howies.
Luc Hall And Chris Lowsley Williams of Maxgear Racing - ©Copyright John Allen/Cycling Shorts.
In the DHL boys competition there was a lot to play for. Ollie Wood was snapping at the heels of Jake Ragan in the overall standings, Ollie with 122 points and Jake on 143. Ollie showed throughout the evening that he had no intention of letting Jake out of his sight! In the DHL 5km boys Scratch race Jake led out towards the finish line but Ollie pushed on. Ollie came over the line first in 6:05.144 with Jake having to settle for 2nd and Owen James 3rd. It was a fast paced race from the start, everyone was eager to make an impression early on.
In the boys elimination scratch race Oliver Wood was the last to be eliminated witch was costly. It left Ragan and Chris Lawless to fight it out for 1st and 2nd respectively. Maybe Ollie pushed too hard in the earlier race, but elimination races are tough.
Adam Lewis got the boys points race off to a good start taking 5 points in the first sprint, Jake Ragan looked attentive to all the moves but got caught out and Chris Lawless, Owen James and Gabriel Cullaigh got away and tried to take a lap, in the end that was the order they came in with Jacob Scott taking 4th thanks to his early scoring.
All in all a very exciting night for the boys. The points have been shared around a bit and the fight will be on at the last Revolution for the championship podium. Jacob Scott and Ollie Wood are tied on 184 and Jake Ragan has 218, Chris Lawless is on 167.
Tandem Sprint Omnium
The tandem Sprint omnium got underway with the sprint flying lap. Four teams took part, two GB and two Netherlands.
Representing GB were Barney Storey & Neil Fachie and the punchy Craig MacLean with Anthony Kappes. The Dutch teams consisted of Patrick Bos & Rinne Oost and Yorick Bos & Bonnhof. The dutch riders finished in 13.535 (P Bos/Oost) and 13.898 (Y Bos/Bonnhof), but with the GB pairing of Storey & Fachie knocking nearly half a second of that time it was obvious that Maclean and Kappes who were the final pair on the track were going to grit their teeth and try to power round, and they didn’t disappoint. They came in over a second faster than the slowest pairing at 12.830 averaging 70kmph. A great start to the proceedings.
Patrick Bos & Rinne Oost -Tandem Sprint - Revolution 35 - ©Copyright John Allen/Cycling Shorts.
Match 2 – In the second of the omnium matches we saw the GB teams up against each other – Maclean and Kappes took the win over Storey and Fachie. In the Dutch battle Patrick Bos and Oost beat their fellow countrymen.
Match 3 – Maclean & Kappes beat Patrick Bos & Oost, while Yorick Bos & Bonnhof jump Storey & Fachie but the GB team take the long way round and it pays off. The overall winners of the Tandem Sprint omnium were Craig Maclean and Anthony Kappes.
Ronnie O'Sullivan - Image ©Copyright John Allen @Cycling Shorts.
John who was with me on photography duty had been A.W.O.L. for about half an hour and turned up camera in hand, “I’ve just papped Ronnie O’Sullivan” I looked at him puzzled since I thought he’d been in the team enclosure snapping away, I didn’t think he’d quite make it down to the Crucible or the nearest snooker hall and back, but I remembered that earlier I’d told him of the delights of the Dutch pancake stand so it was feasible he’d taken a detour of some sort and got lost, after all we had just spent the past hour being teased and tormented by the visual and aromatic feast laid on for the VIP’s, their 3 course meal always gets delivered and served from the edge of the media enclosure (I’m convinced it’s done deliberately to torment us with our packed lunch style nibbles). I certainly didn’t recall Ronnie being a cyclist or a fan. “Erm… Are you sure?” I said, “Well I think so, he was a long way off but this character with a cap on caught my eye. At first glance I thought it was Dean Downing watching his brother on the track.” (this did seem a more logical conclusion). I looked up and there was Ronnie, talking to Steve Peters of Team Sky under the scoreboard! So dear readers that is Cycling Shorts first ever paparazzi moment, it will probably be the last. So thank you John!
Emily Kay & DHL Future Stars Girls - ©Copyright John Allen/CyclingShorts.
Meanwhile back on the track…
DHL Future Stars Girls Points Race 5km
The girls competition was a lot more divided than the boys, everyone was chasing Emily Kay and throughout the evening she knew she wouldn’t have allies in the peloton or in a break away but she never let that bother her, she knows when to conserve her energy and she has a strong sprint ready when she needs it, Emily is always very focused cool and calm.
The rest of the top girls were bunched quite tightly together in the championship points so 2nd place is where the competition will be.
In the points race Emily let a few points slip, Rebecca Hunt pushed for a well deserved 5 points on the 3rd sprint of the race but Emily charged back for the finishing sprint to the line. Emily 1st with 18 points, Rebecca Hunt 2nd with 8 points and Ellie Coster 3rd with 6.
In the girls scratch race Melissa Lowther left the pack early on and managed to stay away, but with just 6 laps to go they were all back together and Emily Kay pipped Ellie Coster, Rebecca Hunt and Megan Boyd to the post.
You may be tired of my repeating her name but you don’t get tired of watching her. In the girls Elimination race Kay does it again with an amazingly fast finish over Rebecca Hunt, Emily Haycox takes 3rd.
By the end of the evening Emily’s domination was obvious, she could have been on a different scoreboard. There wasn’t much separating Megan Boyd, Rebecca Hunt, Melissa Lowther and Ellie Coster, but Emily has 78 points over her nearest rival Ellie Coster. All the girls at the top of the rankings have great strength and talent and obviously have great futures ahead of them but the fight is on for the 2nd & 3rd Championship positions now.
Elite Riders Elimination Race - Revolution 35 - ©Copyright John Allen @ Cycling Shorts.
Elite 1km Madison Time Trial
The Madison was one team short (Cunga) so the remaining seven teams fought it out. All eyes were on former Madison Champion Luke Rowe with partner Andreas Muller for Sky but the CHEP UK pairing of Jon Dibben and Marcel Kalz came in with a blistering 58.422 pushing Sky into 2nd with 58.537.
Elite Team Elimination
Rapha and Maxgear Racing fought it out for the crown. It was quite an edgy race with a number of teams struggling with riders bunched at the back of the peloton dangling in the danger zone. Maxgear pushed hard and true to their name maxed a rider out in order to get the other two over the line in first place. There was quite a gap between them and the first Rapha rider across the line.
Australian Pursuit
In the Australian pursuit Chris Opie of Team UK Youth put in a sterling effort from the gun but Luke Rowe fought back and took the win over Robert Bengsch and Chris Opie who started to fade towards the end got 3rd.
Points race 15km
With 6 laps to go Jon Mould of Howies was leading on 15 points with Luke Rowe on 10. Jon added to his lead and won with 25 points over Luke’s 20 after the two of them lapped the field, Marcel Kalz (CHEP) got 3rd with 8 points.
I spoke to professional cyclist and Cycling Shorts writer Tom “Minty” Murray to get his thoughts on the evening, “The atmosphere is always great at the Revolution but tonight seemed a level up, maybe it was the added excitment of those tandems, they had me on my feet watching anyway!”
“My focus now is firmly on the up coming road season, I haven’t done as much track this winter, tonight was my first time on the track since the October Revolution so as to focus more time on getting ready for the road for 2012. Next up I am away for two important training camps with the rest of the IG-Sigmasport team and away to Italy in February”.
At the end of the evening I caught up with Revolution favourite Christian Grasmann who rides on the Revolution Maxgear team and played a major role in their success during the evening particularly in the Team Elimination win where his skill and experience shone through. Maxgear are now leading the Series Championship.
Revolution 35 - Maxgear Racing lead the Championship - ©Copyright John Allen @Cycling Shorts.
Cycling Shorts: How did it go?
Christian: I really enjoyed myself tonight I love racing in the Revs. I’ve done it a lot over the years and I’m always amazed at how great cycling is doing in the UK, the hard work that’s put in by the Revolution organisers and by Team GB.
CS: How is cycling doing in Germany as a sport?
Christian: We are so far a way from this level in Germany – and I’m dreaming that this same feeling will come back to German cycling, it would be nice for both countries interest in the sport to be at the same level in public popularity at the same time. So that’s my aim to help bring this same experience to German cycling while also racing well myself. I’d like to continue to do the Revolutions in the coming years. My team Rudy Project Racing Team is now in it’s 3rd year. I try to bring the same style and experience to the spectators and supporters that the British have, but we still have a way to go!
CS: You must be pleased with the team tonight…
Christian: My Revolution team Maxgear and I could now win the overall championship so it was a great race day for us. The youngsters did a super job. For me. Revolution and racing in the UK is the biggest motivation and a reason why I love this sport so much.
Dont’ forget the Revolution highlights are on ITV4 at 7pm on Monday 9th Jan 2012
For more information on the Revolution Series and to book tickets please click here.
Results:
10km Scratch Race – Luke Rowe Team Sky
DHL Future Stars 5km Scratch Race – Boys – Ollie Wood
Revolution Tandem Sprint Omnium Round 1 – flying lap – GB Maclean & Kappes 12.830
DHL Future Stars Points Race – Girls – Emily Kay Cunga Bikes
1km Madison Time Trial – CHEP UK
DHL Future Stars Elimination – Boys – Jake Ragan Maxgear Racing
Revolution Tandem Sprint Round 2 – Match 1 – Heat 1 GB Storey & Fachie 10.644 Heat 2 NED P Bos & Oost 11.497
Team Elimination – Maxgear Racing
DHL Future Stars Scratch Race – Girls – Emily Kay
Revolution Tandem Sprint Round 2 – Match 2 – Heat 1 GB Maclean & Kappes 11.136 Heat 2 P Bos & Oost 11.211
Australian Pursuit – Luke Rowe Team Sky
DHL Future Stars Points Race – Boys – Chris Lawless Maxgear Racing
Revolution Tandem Sprint Round 2 – Match 3 – Heat 1 GB Storey/Fachie 11.683 Heat 2 GB Maclean/Kappes 11.293
Points Race – Jon Mould Howies
DHL Future Stars Elimination – Girls – Emily Kay
Revolution Tandem Sprint Round 3 – Team Sprint – GB 33.328
Overall Points Leaders after three rounds:
Team Championship Leaders – Maxgear Racing
Future Stars Girls – Emily Kay
Future Stars Boys – Jake Ragan
For full results of the 35th Revolution download the pdf here.
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