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Report: 2011 Ryedale Grand Prix

Event: 5th June 2011
Promoted by: British Cycling Yorkshire | Duncombe Park, Helmsley, N. Yorkshire
Report and Images: Andrew Kennedy
Event Details | Rapha Condor Sharp Team Report

IMAGES

The young guns continue to dominate the season long British Cycling Premier Calendar road series with 26 year old Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (Rapha Condor Sharp) sprinting to victory in the Ryedale Grand Prix, his maiden Premier Calendar victory.

Plymouth rider Tiernan-Locke fought hard to get into the final selection of six riders in the closing miles of the race. The man in black outwitted previous Ryedale winner Evan Oliphant and the experienced Dan Fleeman in the final 200 metres to take the win in front of a big crowd in Duncombe Park, Helmsley, North Yorkshire.

The Yorkshire weather was kind to the riders with bright sunshine and hardly a breath of wind making conditions near perfect for bike racing. The 112 mile race saw some early attacks, but the main action started at about the mid-way point when a group of 21 riders created a break that gained 3 minutes advantage on the main peloton. With all the main teams represented in the lead group the peloton was rolling around with big hitters like Kristian House and Ian Wilkinson sat on the front happy their team mates were up the road.

VIDEO

The lead group had Rapha Condor Sharp rider Ben Greenwood driving the group, with team mates Dan Craven and Jonathan Tiernan-Locke looking very comfortable sat in the wheels. Endura had Evan Oliphant, Lincoln winner Scott Thwaites and Dave Clarke. Motorpoint were represented by big Will Bjergfelt. Although looking down the line there were some dangerous people who could cause an upset at the finish. Stephen Gallagher and Dan Fleeman, best of buddies and both highly dangerous, although on different teams would work together to secure a win. Rob Sharman is riding back to form, and Paris-Roubaix winner Magnus Backstedt was in the group and flying up the short sharp climbs.

With 21 riders in the lead group it was time to shake things up further, Evan Oliphant was the instigator and launched a ferocious attack, he was joined by Fleeman, Tiernan-Locke and Gallagher, with Rob Sharman and local York rider James Sharp completing the final selection. This small group was more manageable and they all worked together to form a lead of over a minute. With most of the main teams represented in the group the impetus had gone from the chasers.

The finale into picturesque Helmsley and the last 1km up the driveway of Duncombe Park is a nervous time for the riders. After 112 miles the sloping driveway feels like the upper reaches of an alpine mountain and some very talented riders have in previous editions had to settle for the minor placing's. Previous winner of the Ryedale Oliphant was again the man to start the sprint and as they approached the final 200 metres he led into the corner, Tiernan-Locke was confident of his sprinting abilities and bided his time to see if anyone else had the legs to match his, the answer was only a few seconds away. With the line approaching Tiernan-Locke, Oliphant and Fleeman charged forwards with the young man in black getting the win by a bike length. Sharman, Gallagher and Sharp were only seconds behind having lost time on the driveway

The Ryedale Grand Prix is a fantastic bike race and provides great entertainment for the hundreds of spectators who line the route. With an abundance of beautiful scenery the picture postcard village of Hovingham is the most popular place to see the action as the race passes through eight times. The Yorkshire Wolds roads are rolling without any serious long climbs but the circuit is testing and the finish-line crowd at Duncombe Park always have a worthy winner to applaud. Today it was Jonathan Tiernan-Locke who added his name to illustrious line up on the Peter Longbottom Trophy.

Above: Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (Rapha Condor Sharp) wins the sprint from Evan Oliphant (Endura Racing) and Dan Fleeman (Team Raleigh).

Above: £500 richer, winner Jonathan Tiernan-Locke relaxes post-race in the grounds of Duncombe Park.

Provisional Result

1 Jonathan Tiernan-Locke Rapha Condor Sharp 4:26.33
2 Evan Oliphant Endura Racing st
3 Dan Fleeman Team Raleigh st
4 Rob Sharman Twenty3c-Orbea @ 2"
5 Stephen Gallagher CyclePremier / Metaltek @ 18"
6 James Sharp York Cycleworks @ 19"
7 Scott Thwaites Endura Racing @ 1:48
8 Dan Craven Rapha Condor Sharp st
9 Tom Last Sigma Sport / Specialized st
10 Dale Appleby CyclePremier/Metaltek st

Full results: Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 (JPG files)

British Cycling would like to thank the organising team, officials and everyone else who helped promote this event. Our sport could not exist without the hundreds of people, many of them unpaid volunteers, who put in many hours of hard work running events, activities and clubs