Rake hill-climb
16-Oct-1995

After playing second fiddle to Jeff Wright for the past two years, former national champion Stuart Dangerfield, right, turned the tables in Sunday's Rake hill-climb in Lancashire.

STUART Dangerfield (Leo RC-Shorter Rochford) finally achieved the victory he had long sought in the Lancashire Road Club hill-climb classic on the Rake as Jeff Wright (North East RT), the reigning national champion, course record holder and winner for the past four years, was relegated to second place.

Dangerfield's time of 2-22.1 for the 970-yard, one-in-five average gradient climb at Ramsbottom, near Bury, put him over four seconds ahead of Wright, whose 226.4 was well outside his 1994 record of 2-14.0.

Third fastest - in his first hillclimb since 1991 - was Commonwealth Games silver medallist Chris Newton (North Wirral Velo) with 2-28.5.

Dangerfield's times on the Rake have been a model of consistency. A non-finisher when his gears jammed in 1992, the Wolverhampton rider switched to single fixed gear and was runnerup for the next two years with 221.1 and 2-20.6 respectively.

As in previous years, sponsorship from Quicks for Ford and Bury Metro had guaranteed a generous prize list, topped by a £200 first, and once again Lepps Jewellers of Bury, were offering a valuable Rolex Oyster watch to anyone who could break the course record.

Jeff Wright took home a Rolex in both 1993 and 1994 but the damp, drizzly conditions which greeted the field on Sunday seemed to rule out any further record-breaking.

Wheelspin was unavoidable, especially on the final, bumpy one-in-three section.

Early starter Brendon McDonnell (Central Lancashire RC) gasped as he crossed the line in 3-08.4. `It's hard work out there today, and slippery,' he said. `The riders are going to struggle to get near the record.'

Chris Roy (Mansfield RC), off in number 20, was the first inside three minutes with 2-53.6, bettered minutes later by Rick Clough (Stretford Wh) with 2-51.2 and by Phil Marshall (JPM Racing) with 2-46.9.

The promoting club's 13-yearold Sean Mahon showed that he can mix it with the big boys as he took the juvenile award with 3-14.3

Impressive 17-year-old Yorkshireman Tom Anderson (Holme Valley Wheelers), off 35, stormed over the line in 2-45.1 for eventual seventh fastest, but under the one rider, one prize rule the junior award went to Mark Berry (Rossendale RC), in 3-11.1.

The next man on a mark, number 45 Richard Binks (Huddersfield RC), maintained his record of top-six placings on the Rake, but he was four seconds slower than last year with 2-35.9 for an eventual fourth fastest.

Number 50, Chris Newton, had been the subject of much speculation by the roadside gallery. No one could recall him riding a hill-climb. Would he be able to use his undoubted speed on a hill as steep as the Rake?

He did not disappoint. Looking fresher than most, he swept over the line in 2-28.5.

Newton was impressed by the event. `I've never seen a crowd like that for a home event. It was tremendous.

`I slipped quite a lot on the steepest section where it is walled at the side, but it is the same for everyone. I was still going hard at the finish.

`I'm riding everything I can at the moment - it's a way of trying to keep fit for the European under-23 championships on the track at Valencia in December.'

Off ten minutes after Newton, Stuart Dangerfield was visibly putting everything into his effort as he fought the final yards of the climb to clock 2-22.1 - a time which at first disappointed him.

`It's slower than last year - Jeff will beat that,' he predicted.

But Dangerfield was overlooking the fact that there had been a dry course and a tailwind in 1994.

Only six more riders remained. Mark Turnbull (TS Tameside) kept the gallery warmed up with 2-44.6 for sixth fastest.

More importantly, he had the satisfaction of leading team-mates

Steve Baxter (2-49.5) and Matt Chester (2-55.8) to the team award. Their prize of free travel to the Isle of Man for the jubilee international week next year should ensure three early entries.

Next came Chris Nicoll (Ribble Valley CRC), improving three places on last year to fifth fastest with 2-43.7 - despite riding a borrowed bike after having his own stolen a week earlier.

Now it was Wright's turn. He was as stylish as ever, and looked to be moving well. But the clock told a different story.

The Tyneside rider was 4.3 seconds slower than Dangerfield and a whopping 12.4 seconds slower than his own 1994 record.

There had been rumours that Wright might have to miss the event. `I was in bed on Monday and Tuesday last week with a flu-type cold, but it cleared up,' he explained.

`I haven't missed a start this year. Everything I have entered, I have ridden, and I especially wanted to ride this, one of my favourite events.

`I was at my team-mate Mark Addinall's wedding yesterday. But when I warmed up today, the legs felt good and the concentration was there. I still thought I could win it.

`I'm disappointed, but I have two weeks before the national championship and being the defending champion gives me the incentive to do a ride.'

So Dangerfield's late-season revival continued.

`I thought Jeff might just have pulled it off,' he said. `It hasn't been a good year for me on the whole. I had four weeks out in July. I missed the track championships and therefore missed all the selection events for the World's, but the rest did me good and I found the form.

`I won the BCF time trial, did a good ride last week when I finished second to Chris Boardman in the Merseyside Invitation time trial, and now I've won this.'

The top trio, who all used gears of 42 x 19, will cross swords again in the national championship on Ditchling Beacon - where all look to be medal contenders.

1. Stuart Dangerfield (Leo RC-Shorter Rochford)...... 2 22.1
2. J. Wright (North East RT) ............. 2 26.4
3. C. Newton (North Wirral Velo) .......... 2 28.5
4. R. Binks (Huddersfield RC) ............ 2 35.9
5. C. Nicoll (Ribble Valley CRC) ........... 2 43.7
6. M. Turnbull (TS Tameside) ............. 2 44.6
7. T Anderson (Holme Valley Wh) ......... 2 45.1
8. D. Bendelow (Morley CC) .............. 2 46.8
9. P Marshall (JPM Racing).............. 2 46.9
10. S. Baxter (TS Tameside)..... . ...... . . . 2 49.5

Team.- TS Tameside-Cygma (Mark Turnbull, Steve Baxter, Matt Chester 2-55.8) 8-24.9.
Juniors.Mark Berry (Rossendale RC) 3-11.1.
Juveniles.Sean Mahon (Lancashire RC) 3-14.3.
Veterans.Howard Rawlings (Huddersfield RC) 3-04.6.
Women.- Jackie White (Crewe Clarion Wh) 4-10.5


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