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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