British Cycling criterium series #1 and #2 - NE

Great Britain, June 3-4, 2006

Main Page Results Previous race

Race 2 - June 4: Brentwood Town Centre Criterium, 1 hr plus 5 laps

Elite: Wiesiak takes pole position

By Gerry McManus

Mariusz Wiesiak (Team Nippo)
Photo ©: Gerry McManus

Polish rider Mariusz Wiesiak (Team Nippo) had sweet revenge over the Plowman Craven team when he took victory in the Brentwood Town Centre criterium. Wiesiak unleashed his powerful sprint in pursuit of solo leader Freddie Johansson (Plowman Craven RT) who was caught just yards from the finish. Wiesiak beat Rob Hayles (KLR) and James Taylor (Plowman Craven RT) in the final sprint wn the event and take the top overall spot in the British Cycling criterium series following his second place in the Hillingdon GP a day earlier.

The 1 hour plus 5 lap race seemed to start in a procession but a number of riders were shelled out in the early laps disproving that theory almost immediately. Martin Form (Team Lloyds TSB) proved that the race position on the tight circuit was more important than the size of the team when he went on an early attack but Rob Hayles (KLR) led the elastic chain of riders around the turn to stay close.

Many efforts to break the chain failed even with the added excitement of cash primes on offer until a four man group was looking useful. James Taylor (Plowman Craven), Johansson, Wiesiak and Diego Garavito (Team Milton Keynes), who had entered on the line, gained a small lead but couldn’t hold out on a deceptive course that dragged up to the east end of the High Street. The little known Columbian Garavito kept the pressure on attacking at every opportunity he got.

Finally Jamie Newall (Evans Cycles RT) exploded down the back straight from the middle of the main field as the race approach the hour mark and Johansson took off to bring him back. When they looked round at the main field it was clear that they had an unexpected opportunity to make it all the way to the finish. Newall fell back but Johansson put his head down in search of his first victory in the UK and he almost made it.

On the last lap Wiesiak put in his powerful kick down the back straight and around the final turn passing Johansson and holding off the hopeful challengers queuing up behind him.

Hostilities resume as soon as Wednesday evening at the Crawley town centre crits in Sussex.

Juniors: Kennaugh’s top of the town

Peter Kennaugh (Glendene CC/Bike Trax)
Photo ©: Gerry McManus

Peter Kennaugh (Glendene CC / Bike Trax) out-sprinted team mate Jonathan Bellis to win the Brentwood Town Centre Junior Criterium on Sunday, June 4. The 16 year-old first year junior had taken the race by the horns when he attacked at half distance as the main field started to disintegrate behind.

Simon Holt (Merlin Development Squad) made the break and crossed over to join the leader and the pair worked well together to build a 30 second lead. With no team orders in appearance, the remaining Glendene riders made their escape bids one by one until Johnny Bellis finally broke the elastic and joined the front runners.

The trio’s lead built again and the bunch gradually broke up behind in the wake of counter attacks in pursuit of the leaders. Recently crowned British junior road race champion Russell Hampton got closest when he chased on his own for many laps but the leading trio were outpacing him, setting a new lap record in the process.

Bronze junior road race medallist Kennaugh was in no mood to lose the race and came off Bellis’ wheel to win with comfort. The points gained for first and second place will help the Glendene break up the domination of the British Cycling Junior Road Race series by their rivals in the Le Coq Sportif-Dolan-SIS team who had occupied the first three places prior to the Brentwood event.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Gerry McManus/www.gerrymcmanus.co.uk

Peter Kennaugh (Glendene CC/Bike Trax) makes the turn at the end of the High Street
Peter Kennaugh (Glendene CC/Bike Trax) leads team mate Johnny Bellis and Simon Holt (Merlin Development Squad)
Peter Kennaugh (Glendene CC/Bike Trax) wins the Junior event
Peter Kennaugh (Glendene CC/Bike Trax) winner of the Junior event
The winners podium: Johnny Bellis (Glendene CC), Peter Kennaugh (Glendene CC) and Simon Holt (Merlin Development Squad)
Robert Hayles leads from the front in the early laps
Malcolm Elliott (PCA) makes the turn at the end of the High Street
Warwick Spence (London Dynamo) grits his teeth as the pace goes up
The Plowman Craven team get to the front while Johansson has a narrow lead
Malcolm Elliott (Plowman Craven RT) takes another prime
Jamie Newall (Evans Cycles RT) attacks down the back straight before being joined by Freddie Johansson (Plowman Craven)
Freddie Johansson (Plowman Craven RT) stays clear in the final laps of the race before being caught 50 yards from the line
Mariusz Wiesiak (Team Nippo) punches the air as he wins the main event
Winner Mariusz Wiesiak (Tm Nippo) with the winners trophy
The winners podium - Robert Hayles, Mariusz Wiesiak and James Taylor
Freddie Johansson (Plowman Craven RT) and Jamie Newall (Evans Cycles RT) work together to stay clear in the closing laps
James Taylor (Plowman Craven RT) finished third in the sprint for victory
Diego Garavito (Team Milton Keynes) was the revelation of the race

Results

Elite
 
1 Mariusz Wiesiak (Team Nippo)
2 Robert Hayles (Team KLR)
3 James Taylor (Plowman Craven RT)
4 Malcolm Elliott (Plowman Craven RT)
5 Fred Johannson (Plowman Craven RT)
6 Karl Freeman (Team Milton Keynes/Phil Corley)
7 Warrick Spence (London Dynamo/Cycle Fit)
8 Ross Muir (Evans Cycles)
9 Martin Form (Team Lloyds TSB)
10 Diego Garavito (Team Milton Keynes/Phil Corley)
11 Perez Brett (Rapha Condor)
12 Tom Smith (AW Cycles.co.uk,)
13 Dean Shannon (Heron Cyclesport)
14 David Clarke (Team Nippo)
15 Chris Doel (Pacific Racing)
16 Craig Butland (Plowman Craven RT)
17 Jamie Newall (Evans Cycles)
18 Andy Lyons (Heron Cyclesport)
19 Ben Hallam (Glendene CC/Bike Trax.Specialis)
 
Juniors
 
1 Peter Kennaugh (Glendene CC/Bike Trax)
2 Jonathen Bellis (Glendene CC/Bike Trax)
3 Simon Holt (Merlin Development)
4 Russell Hampton (Glendene CC/Bike Trax)
5 Andrew Griffiths (Glendene CC/Bike Trax)
6 Steven Burke (Le Coq Sportif-Dolan-SIS)
7 Mark McNally (Le Coq Sportif-Dolan-SIS)
8 Darren Tiffen (:Private Member BC)
9 Matt Rowe (Glendene CC/Bike Trax)
10 Rhys Lloyd (Merlin Development)
11 Stephen Adams (Sherwood CC)
12 Jamie Lewing (Ipswich BC)
13 Matthew Jones (Team Keyne/Trek)
14 Alistair Carr (Wolverhampton whlrs)
15 Mike Smith (Team Keyne/Trek)
16 Scott Thwaites (Merlin Development)
17 Simon Lewis (VC Londres)
18 James Lord (Glendene CC/Bike Trax)
19 Kieran Frend (CC Giro)
20 Adam Tranter (Merlin Development)
21 Jake Elston (Cycle Club Ashwell)
22 Luke Marlow (Lutterworth CC)
23 Adam Bon (Le Coq Sportif-Dolan-SIS)
24 Peter Hargreaves (VC Norwich/F H Signs)
25 Thomas Ison (Melton Olympic)
26 Nathan May (Team Quest)
27 Kirk Jenns (PCA Ciclos Uno)