Lloyds Tour of Britain
Britain’s premier stage race kicked off in Lincoln on Wednesday, with three Scots on the startline. Two of them would be on the podium in a fantastic opening stage in England’s east.
Lewis Askey would attack on the final ascent of the Michaelgate with a superb move that would see the Cannock-born Scot take the Lloyds leaders’ green jersey, with his Commonwealth teammate Elliot Rowe impressed superbly as part of the Great Britain squad – finishing in eighth and donning the white jersey as best young rider.
Thursday’s second stage from Boston to Skegness looked on paper to be the most formulaic of the race but races are seldom raced on paper. Crosswinds and misfortune for Pippo Ganna would see Askey’s NSN team on the front foot with support from UAE-Team Emirates and gaps would appear. Mark Stewart would use his incredible engine to support the split with Rowe and Askey securing key gains as part of a 30-something group that would finish over a minute clear of dejected carcass of the peloton.
Rowe, sitting increasingly secure in the white jersey, and in seventh overall rolled the dice on Saturday’s queen stage in the North Yorkshire dales. The Banchory rider followed the attack of UAE’s Tim Wellens on the final climb and importantly go clear of Askey and the majority of the contenders. The 20-year-old was just unable to hold the wheel of the Belgian superdomestique and would be brought back by the Askey group – crossing the line in ninth in to Leyburn, and retaining his general classification position.
However, Askey would relinquish the race lead to Wellens, set up by an impeccible ride by UAE Team Emirates.
Sunday would see the Tour finish in the Scottish Borders with Earlston hosting the start and finish. The wind and heathland would be the theme of the day.
Elliot Rowe would kickoff the attacking riding again on the climb of Duddy Bank, putting Askey and the sprinters into difficulty in the crosswinds on the exposed landscape.
UAE would show why they are the number one team in the world, even without their Slovenian superstar, five of their team leading the counter over the top of the climb alongside Ganna, with Rowe relegated into the second group of 15 riders. Nils Politt would go solo in the final stages to take the stage win as Wellens would come across in the group of escapees to take the overall victory. Askey would cross with Rowe 20 seconds further back, with the NSN rider taking the best British rider award and Rowe in the White Jersey – securing sixth overall.
It is a career best result by the Deeside Thistle alumnus, telling Scottish Cycling afterwards:
“This week I’ve had nearly zero pressure on me and I’ve just tried to race my bike as much as possible as that what’s I enjoy doing. I knew I was climbing well after yesterday, so I thought why not give it a nudge.
I came from the second group and I ended up on my own and I tried to stay in myself and I looked back as the wind really picked up and I saw UAE coming across and I wasn’t sure how that was going to end for me – but managed to get into the second group with the heavyweights and got stuck in.
I don’t regret the move as I had a lot of fun today.”
National 10 Mile Championships
The Ronnie MacDonald 10-mile organised by Ross-shire Roads CC was the host to the Scottish National 10 Time Trial Championships on Sunday morning in Tain.
Oliver Pemberton (GTR-Return to Life) claimed the win with a 19:02 on the course in the Highlands. Christopher Little and Lewis Dey would take silver and bronze. Alison Roger (North Argyll) won out in the senior and masters female, Breagha Beaton (Moray Firth CC) silver and Tara Walsh bronze. Eva Murphy (Liv CC-Halo Films) would win out in the juniors.
Colin Johnston (Spokes RT) would take the Junior Open win with 21:53, Andrew Paterson (Elgin CC) taking silver. There would be success for the home club too, with Mark Dryburgh (Ross-Shire RCC) taking the Masters win with local riders Michael Mcinnes (Moray Firth CC) and Colin Duncan (Elgin CC) joining him on the podium.
A massive thanks to the team at Ross-Shire RCC for organising an excellent morning of racing and for the riders braving some less than optimal conditions in the Highlands.
Full Results
Youth Circuit Series
The Scottish Fire & Rescue HQ played host to the final round of the Scottish Youth Circuit Series, organised by Clydesdale Colts.
Zara Main (Deeside Thistle) would outsprint Izzy Barbour (Edinburgh RC) to take the Youth A victory, with a good ride from Mille Boothman (Glasgow Riderz) in third. In the open race, it would come down to a bunch sprint with Henry Sharp (West Lothian Clarion) winning out from Gregor McNaught (Falkirk Junior BC) and Reuben McLardie (Johnstone Wheelers).
Alexander Mullen (Falkirk Junior BC) would win the Youth B race from Freddie Ball (Deeside Thistle) and Henry Lockett (Falkirk Junior BC) in the final sprint. Eilidh Scally (Johnstone Wheelers) claimed the Youth B Female win from Olivia Laing (Southport CC) and Boo Williams representing the host club. Isla Sim and Finn Revell would take the Youth C victories.
Stay tuned for our final series standings later this week.
UCI Para-Cycling Worlds
The weekend saw the UCI Para-Cycling Road Worlds, on the Country Roads of Huntsville, but would it be Sweet Home Alabama for the Scottish Para-Cyclists or would it be a case of them being Islands in the Stream?
Fin Graham claimed fourth in the sweltering heat of the Men’s C3 Time Trial on Saturday. The tandem duo of Jenny Holl and Sophie Unwin taking bronze in Saturday evening’s time trial, debutant pilot John Archibald finishing sixth with stoker Chris McDonald. Former Scottish Road Race Champion Lulu Bartlett also made her tandem debut finishing 11th in the time trial with partner Amelia Robertson.
La Vuelta
Oscar Onley is still in the white jersey at La Vuelta, but what a grand tour it is turning out to be. A crash on Stage 12 saw the Scot lose time, but retain white, as a battle between the Scot and Stage 12 winner Jakob Omrzel (Bahrain Victorious) for the best young rider classification.
Onley holds a 30 second lead heading into the final week, which includes a time trial on Thursday followed by summit finishes on Friday and Saturday which will decide the race. At fifth place overall, the Netcompany-Ineos rider sits at 5:44 behind Enric Mas, with Primoz Roglic a little over three minutes ahead of the Scot in third.
In the Netherlands at the ZLM Tour, Sean Flynn (Picnic-PostNL) was part of the winning move on the 210km fifth stage in Schijndel. The break held off the peloton after an 180km long attack with Flynn finishing fourth on the stage.