Havant International GP - 1.5Great Britain, August 5, 2001Tanners triple triumphBy Gerry McManus Britain’s John Tanner (Pro Vision-Ribble) took the sprint from his three breakaway companions to win his third event in the UK premier series calendar. Gordon McCauley (Lanbouwkredit-Colnago) had been in the break for over 85 miles and couldn’t match Tanner’s fresher legs at the finish. Mark Lovatt (Pro-Vision-Ribble) took third with Matthew Stephens (Sigma Sport) in fourth. The race title does no justice to the race route, which on two circuits, takes in the rolling countryside of Southdown. In moderately warm temperatures only 38 of the 94 entries completed the event, with promising youngster, Shane Prendergast (Ireland) taking the lantern rouge position. The fast race covered 25.8 miles in the first hour. Eugene Moriarty (Irelan) Lovatt, McCauley, Matt Bottrell (Bournemouth Jubillee Wheelers) and Scotland’s Jason McIntyre were companions in the early break. Their lead was nearly two minutes over the bunch, at around half distance in the 113-mile race. Rory Wyley (www.sdeals.com) had tried to bridge the gap with one other but with the leaders working well together, they failed to make it closer than around one minute. Back in the bunch, Tanner and Paddy Moriarty were policing the breakaways when at around 80 miles, Matt Stephens attacked on the long drag to the Bat and Ball PH landmark. Tanner and Paddy Moriarty (Ireland) were amongst those quickly on his wheel. Soon after this move, Eugene Moriarty had an attack of cramp and slumped back, first to the chase group and then the bunch before eventually retiring. With Paddy Moriarty now able to work in the group, the gap came down to only 30 seconds on the last lap. "Eugene came back", explained Paddy, "so I had to start riding and on the last lap of the second circuit, Stephens and Tanner attacked and left me with Martin Vesby (Belgium) and Szonn. They attacked all the way up the hill and I kept clawing my way back on until the lights went out!" Heiko Szonn (KED Berlin) had opened a small gap in the run in finishing on his own in fifth and Moriarty took the sprint into Havant from Mark Salerno, McIntyre and Vesby. Results
1 John Tanner (GBr) Pro Vision Ribble 2 Gordon McCauley (GBr) Lanbouwkredit-Colnago 3 Mark Lovatt (GBr) Pro Vision Ribble 4 Matt Stephens (GBr) Sigma Sport 5 Heiko Szonn (Ger) KED Berlin 6 Paddy Moriarty (Ire) 7 Marek Salerno (Bel) Flanders-Prefetex 8 Jason McIntyre (GBr) 9 Martin Vesby (Bel) 10 Filip Pocket (Bel) 11 Martin Ford (GBr) Brooks England 12 Christian Selin (Fin) Finland 13 Roger Morgan (GBr) Liphook Cycles Rt 14 Paul Crook (GBr) Sigma Sport 15 David Berkeley (GBr) Sigma Sport 16 Rowan Horner (GBr) Vc St Rapheal 17 Andy Lyons (GBr) Stilton/Tal/Parrot 18 Julian Gromett (GBr) Cottingham Couriers 19 Bruno Tealman (Bel) Belgium 20 Stephen Bayliss (GBr) Gore Bike Wear Premier Calendar Series Standings 1 John Tanner (GBr) Ribble-Provision 221 pts 2 Mark Lovatt (GBr) Ribble-Provision 161 3 Anthony Malarczyk (GBr) Atom Elite 124 4 Matt Stephens (GBr) Sigma Sport 120 5 Julian Winn (GBr) Bcf Private Member 97 1 John Tanner (GBr) Ribble-Provision 221 pts 2 Mark Lovatt (GBr) Ribble-Provision 161 3 Anthony Malarczyk (GBr) Atom Elite 124 4 Matt Stephens (GBr) Sigma Sport 120 5 Julian Winn (GBr) Bcf Private Member 97 |