Lillywhite defies the odds
Kenny Pryde. Photos by Graham Watson.
Chris
Lillywhite kept his nerve to win the Thwaites Grand Prix on Monday after
four days and five stages of non-stop race action.
Stage One: Bolton, 2 miles
ROB Hayles (All Media Services) got his stage racing career off to a
flyer in the Thwaites Grand Prix, winning the prologue to claim no fewer
than three jerseys. Kilo champion turned pursuiter turned prologue winner.
Sounds like a not uncommon state of affairs these days and there couldn't
have been much surprise at Rob Hayles winning a prologue that was little
more than 1.5 miles long. On a course which featured a swooping downhill
start to a dead turn and a slog back up to the finish, there were three
rides that dominated proceedings.
The
man who held the lead for more than half the stage was Ray Eden, the Optimum
Performance RT rider whose mono-blade Sonic time trial bike attracted
plenty of interest from curious observers. Eden, winner of the king of
the mountains in the Girvan no less, showed that he had lost little of
his time trial skills in thrashing out a 3-05.09, which stood at the top
of the board for what seemed - to the Liverpudlian - like an eternity.
`I'm going alright,' said Eden as he waited for the
pre-race favourites to come in. `I've taken it quite easy this week, just
a long ride midweek through the lanes in Essex.'
Sadly for Eden, the man in form, Chris Newton (North Wirral Velo), quickly
made his mark on the race, despite protestations to feeling a bit tired,
knocking Eden off the top spot with a 3-03.18. This looked good as rider
after rider came in and failed to get -lose to either Eden or Newton's
me. However, warming up at a ,rner of Warburton's car park was I man destined
to claim the top spot. Chris Lillywhite, Karrimor's single sponsored pro
fresh back from three Belgian kermesses in the company of Peugeot pro
Neil Hoban, had spotted Hayles and pointed out `there's the winner of
tonight's stage' before going off to record a creditable 3-15.98 himself.
Another
former Lancashire winner, Jonny Clay (Orange), coming back from injury,
surprised a lot of people, including, one suspects, himself, with a 3-06.20
until Hayles flew past with a 3-03.12, bettering Newton's time by a scant
six hundredths of a second. Lillywhite's prediction was a good one and
Hayles duly climbed on to the podium to receive no fewer than three jerseys
- the points, the hot-spots and of course the yellow jersey.
`I went for a test with Louis Passfield last week which turned out to
be the best one I've ever done, so I knew I was going pretty good,' said
Hayles. `I've been riding mainly road races so far this season, as part
of my preparation for the pursuit. My aim is to get to the world championships
for the pursuit this year.'
As far as the race went, Hayles hoped to finish it `wearing one of the
jerseys,' although he didn't specify which one. Looking at the Lancashire
fells which surrounded Bolton, it was hard to see how the statuesque 1.87-metre
Hayles was going to get himself over them. Maybe that was part of the
reason why Newton, on the podium beside Eden and Hayles, had a smile on
his face.
Whatever, the reason, the 77mile ride the next day between Preston and
Rawtenstall would render most of the seconds won and lost on this Friday
evening redundant.
The question was, how long would Hayles be able to hang on to the jersey?
Rob Hayles (All Media Services) ..... 3 03.12
C. Newton (North Wirral Velo)........ 3 03.18
R. Eden (Optimum Performance RT)... 3 05.09
P. Jennings (North Wirral Velo)....... 3 05.79
J. Clay (Orange) ........ . . ........ 3 06.20
G. Thomas (Leek CC) .............. 3 06.92
W. Randle (Optimum Performance RT) ......... 3 09.22
K. Dawson (Optimum Performance RT) ......... 3 09.26
G. Holmes (Ambrosia Desserts) ...... 3 09.30
B. Wilson (CS Purbeck) ............ 3 09.62
W. Wright (Wales) ................ 3 09.64
P. Curran (Optimum Performance RT). . 3 09.79
S. Lillistone (North Wirral Velo) ...... 3 09.85
M. Postle (Team Energy)............ 3 09.89
C. Langley (Team Energy) ........... 3 10.42
K. Stewart (CC Giro)............... 3 10.60
R. Holden (Ambrosia Desserts)....... 3 10.84
R. Ellingworth (Ambrosia Desserts) ... 3 11.24
J. Tanner (Tritech) ................ 3 11.50
P. Longbottom (North Wirral Velo) .... 3 12.01
Stage two: Preston-Rawtenstall, 77 miles
Irresistible force
CHRIS Newton lived up to his billing as one of the pre-race favourites
with a finely-judged win in Rawtenstall after a roller-coaster ride through
the Ribble Valley and the Bowland fells.
You knew it was going to be a hard day when the race radio reported that
there were riders going off the back after six miles - three of which
were flat or down-hill. For those riders hoping for a gentle introduction
to the first road stage, disillusion came quickly. Twenty-eight miles
were covered in the first hour and this on roads that were decidedly lumpy.
'I wasn't out of the 12 or 13 sprocket for the first hour,' admitted
Mark McKay, the Ribble pro who pulled on the king of the mountains jersey
at the stage finish.
Not that things calmed down much for the other two hours either. After
the usual skirmishes, three riders went clear at 18 miles and the race
was well and truly on.
Paul Curran (Optimum Performance RT), Rod Ellingworth (Ambrosia Desserts)
and Matt Postle (Team Energy) were the trio who got a gap. Unfortunately
for one of the pre-race favourites - Rob Holden - his team-mate Ellingworth
was forging off the front as Holden was yo-yoing off the back with mechanical
trouble. It was a bad start to a day which got worse and worse for the
Ambrosia pro. Holden was to end the day in 99th spot overall, over 30
minutes down on Newton.
However, in front, the trio had a lead of 30 seconds as they headed for
Gisbum on narrow roads with grippy drags that made any kind of organised
chase well-nigh impossible. Besides which, with three riders from three
of the best teams in the race off the front, who was going to get down
to work?
Given the high speed and the nature of the terrain, a chase group formed
as the bunch split at the seams and in it were most of the riders you
would expect to see:
Newton and his North Wirral team mate Matt Stephens, Wayne Randle of
Optimum Performance, Karrimor pro Chris Lillywhite, last year's winner
John Tanner of Tritech, Rocky Mountain pro Chris Young, John Charlesworth
of CC Giro, Shane Sutton of Peugeot, Leek CC's Gary Thomas, Irish climber
Steven Maher and McKay.
This group made contact just before the toughest climb of the day reared
up out of Earby. The first-cat rated Bleara Moor was destined to see Sutton
dropped and Charlesworth in difficulty, although the CC Giro rider made
it back just as the leaders went over the top, which was more than Sutton
managed.
The steep climb sorted out the bunch too and, with the race well and
truly atomised, 12 men detached themselves and tried to chase. Although
on the climb of Clarion House the chasers seemed to be closing in, the
steepness of the prime hills made the gap deceptive. The lead hovered
at around one minute, but with Stephens, Lillywhite and Postle working
hard, the chasers were condemned to lose ground as the day progressed,
although they didn't take it lying down.
As far as the initial selection went, that was that. Maher was dropped
with cramp, Thomas endured advanced fatigue but somehow - miraculously
some might say - managed to close gaps and chase people down with apparent
ease, while McKay and Postle had a bit of a fight for mountains points.
In the chase group, which included Turnstall Wheeler Steve Farrell, Mark
Lovatt from Optimum Performance, Pete Longbottom of North Wirral Velo,
RT Italia's Andy Naylor, David Peelo and Paul McQuaid of Ireland, Sutton,
New Brighton's David Hitchen and David Rand of Letchworth Velo, there
was never a concerted effort although the terrain never lent itself to
a steady and organised chase.
So, after Bleara Moor and the second climb of the day - Clarion House
- the stage was as good as over and for many the overall race was too.
The gaps between the groups got wider as the race headed towards two laps
of a 13-mile circuit around Rawtenstall. The first time through the sun-drenched
finish the leaders had 1-50 to the dozen chasers and more than seven minutes
to the biggest of several groups on the road. The final couple of hill-primes
saw Postle, who had been on the attack from mile 18, take full king of
the mountains points and put certain of the weaker riders in difficulty,
although all managed to get back on. The pressure was on though as Tanner
and Curran attacked on the last climb of the day. This came to nothing
though and, as Postle claimed the final prime at Clow Bridge with a little
more than four miles to go, he put his head down on the descent and got
a gap.
On the front, Stephens was doing a lot and described Postle's move. 'Well,
he sort of dangled, if you can call doing 35mph a dangle. At one point
he seemed to be about a bike length in front of us, but we just couldn't
get him and he went clear again.'
Just after Lillywhite and McKay had taken a spell in the pursuit of Postle,
Newton jumped clear with Randle on his wheel and caught the unlucky Welshman
with about a kilometre to go. 'I was gutted,' said Postle, 'when they
caught me there was no way I was going to win.' Well spotted Matt. In
the dash for the line Newton somehow led out and held on to win using
all means available to him, including traffic cones, but there was nothing
illegal going on and he took the stage and a 20-second time bonus ahead
of Randle and Postle.
1. Chris Newton (North Wirral Velo-Kodak Prints) 77 miles in
2-59-36
2. Randle
3. Postle both same time
4. C. Lillywhite (Karrimor) at 7sec
5. G. Thomas (Leek CC)
6. P. Curran (Optimum Performance RT)
7. J. Tanner (Tritech)
8. M. Stephens (North Wirral Velo)
9. M. Mckay (Ribble) all same time
10. J. Charlesworth (CC Giro) at 1-49
Stage Three: Morecambe-Accrington, 64 miles
CHRIS Lillywhite chose his moment to make a move and it turned out to
be the right one. He won the stage and took the yellow jersey from overnight
leader Newton.
There were no fewer than nine riders at 39 seconds from the yellow jersey
of Chris Newton and, with 64 hilly miles and four hill primes on the way,
defending a lead of any kind was always going to be a tall order. Tall,
but not impossible - all that Newton and his team-mates had to do was
to watch eight other riders.
It would have been hard enough on flat terrain, but on narrow, undulating
roads and a field that seemed intent on self-destruction as soon as the
neutralised section was over, it was clearly only a matter of time before
one attack too many was launched.
The ingredients for a spirited stage were all there. Riders with a lot
to gain, several others with nothing to lose and roads which never seemed
to be flat. Wayne Randle of Optimum Performance was predicting 'pain and
suffering' before the start and, sure enough, it wasn't long in coming.
Irishman Paul McQuaid, in fine climbing form, was off the front as soon
as the race turned right up the savagely steep Jubilee Tower, a first
category climb that relegated half the field to oblivion after only 20
miles. Matt Stephens of North Wirral Velo looked, momentarily, as though
he was going to accompany the smooth-pedalling Dubliner before realising
that he was of no danger to Newton and instead John Tanner went with McQuaid.
The two-mile climb had the effect of forcing those who were climbing well
to show their hands as those who weren't struggled to get back on. In
the North Wirral camp, things looked to be reasonably under control, although
they lost Paul Jennings and, on the next climb, the Trough of Bowland,
Simon Lillistone was tailed off. By the Trough though, the lead group
had been whittled down to around 30 riders when the next crucial move
went.
Steven 'Stretch' Maher, another talented Irish climber, went on the attack,
with Tim Hall of Ambrosia tucked in his slipstream (somehow, inexplicably,
failing to understand the Irishman's invitation to share the pacemaking)
while Jeremy Hunt of CC Giro stormed up to the duo with Steve Farrell,
clearly coming back to form. Going over the top, Maher took the prime
and McQuaid latched on, although sadly for McQuaid he misjudged a sharp
left-hander and went over the edge into the abyss. As it turned out McQuaid
was lucky, since, as he was crawling back up, Jason Nind of the Apollo
RT went flying over the Irishman's head, land-ing heavily and needing
hospital treatment for five broken ribs and a head injury. The race continued,
however, and with Hunt, Farrell, Maher and Hall all keen to get on with
the racing, they looked to be building a serious lead.
Heading towards the shorter but steeper Marl Hill, Longbottom and Stephens
had flogged themselves to the point of needing to 'park up' leaving Newton
to do a bit of work for himself. Newton had just come off the front, with
the four-man break as good as over when Lillywhite decided to go for it
with Gary Thomas on his wheel.
It was at this moment that the stage took on its definitive shape. Maher,
an escapee from the four-man break, stayed clear and went with Thomas
and Lillywbite, taking the second of three primes he would win, while
behind, Newton looked for some assistance from other well-placed riders.
Unfortunately Matt Postle, who started the day in third spot, had punctured
and, in spite of touching 60mph on one descent, never got back to the
head of the race. Second-placed Randle and fifth placed Curran were content
to bide their time while the trio in front were going flat-out towards
Accrington.
En route, Maher took the penultimate prime of the day on the Nick O'Pendle
where Newton attacked from the bunch in an effort to claw back the two
min-utes that the three leaders had built. It was a bold, though ultimately
futile move and if Newton was to lose the yellow jersey then no-one could
accuse him of going out with a whimper. John Tanner went with Newton who
took back 30 seconds by the top of the climb, but was unable to get any
closer as the race plunged off the Nick and into Great Harwood.
On the final prime at Cliffe, Maher cracked while Lillywhite and Thomas
tried to snap their cranks. Behind, Longbottom and Stephens were operational
in the 31-man lead group again and the gap came down a little, although
it was too little to save Newton. In the downhill finish, Lillywhite had
the beating of Thomas in his Karrimor sponsor's home town while Paul Curran
rubbed salt in the North Wirral wounds by taking a flyer and stealing
third place, a few extra seconds and a time bonus in an effort to reclaim
first place in the team race. The fact that Curran's final flat-out kilo
only drew them level on time overall with North Wirral Velo was probably
no consolation for losing the overall.
1. Chris Lillywhite (Karrimor) 64 miles in 2-32-10
2. Thomas at same time
3. Curran at 1-31
4. B. Wilson (CS Parbeck) at 1-34
5. J. Host (CC Giro) at 1-37
6. M. Walsham (Tritech)
7. T. Hall (Ambrosia)
8. D. Hitches (New Brighton CC)
9. K. Dawson (Optimum Performance RT)
10. Randle
11. Naylor (RT Italia)
12. R. Ellingworth (Ambrosia)
13. Pitchford (Yorks & Humberside)
14. Hornby (Yorks & Humberside)
15. Stephens
16. R. Fuller (Wales)
17. Newton
18. N. Farmer (CC Lancashire)
19. Longbottom (North Wirral Velo)
20. D. Axford (Team Energy) all same time
Stage Four: Accrington criterium, 29 miles
1. Rob Hayles (All Media Services-Futurama) 30 miles in 1-09-12
2. N. Hoban (Peugeot)
3. Ellingworth
4. C. King (CC Giro)
5. J. Hunt (CC Giro)
6. D. Williams (RT Italia)
Stage five Blackburn-Blackburn, 87 miles
1. Jeremy Hunt (CC Giro) 87 miles in 3-29-01
2. R. Holden (Ambrosia Desserts) at 1-56
3. R. Eden (Optimum Performance) at 2-16
4. K. Dawson (Optimum Performance) at 2-55
5. A. Naylor (FIT Italia)
6. B. Quinn (Ireland)
FINAL OVERALL
1. Chris Lillywhite (Karrimor--Mongoose) 10-17-53
2. Thomas at 2sec
3. Newton at 1-11
4. Randle at 1-36
5. Curran at 1-42
6. Tanner at 1-54
7. Stephens at 1-56
8. McKay at 1-59
9. Naylor (RT Italia) at 2-35
10. M. Lovatt (Optimum Performance) at same time
11. Wilson (CS Purbeck) at 3-21
12. Dawson (Optimum Performance) at 3-23
13. Young (Rocky Mountain) at 3-43
14. Hitchen (New Brighton) at 4-12
15. P. Longbottom (North Wirral) at 4-32
16. Peelo (Ireland) at 4-40
17. R. Fuller (Wales) at 5-35
18. C. Golightly (Lancs Division) at 5-37
19. D. Williams (RT Italia) at 5-36
20. M. Postle (Team Energy) at 6-40
King of the Lancashire hills.- Matt Postle (Team Energy-Duracell)
Science in Sport points.- Chris Newton (North Wirral Velo-Kodak)
Co-op hot spots.- Jeremy Hunt (CC Giro-Apex)
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