Williams the conqueror
By Martin Ayres for Snowdon Ports Editorial. Pictures by Phil O'Connor

Confirming their early-season form, Dave Williams led a near clean sweep for Team Ambrosia at the Girvan ThreeDay stage race in Scotland.

TEAM Ambrosia Desserts came close to scoring a clean sweep in the 29th Girvan three-day, winning the individual, points and mountains prizes. Experienced Dave Williams finished in the yellow jersey after taking the lead on the second day, Rod Ellingworth won the points contest and Mark McKay was the best climber. Only Optimum Performance RT prevented complete Ambrosia domination, finishing with three men in the first six overall to take the team prize.

North Wirral Velo were in the driving seat after winning the first two stages and placing Chris Newton in the yellow jersey. But a surprise breakaway on stage three turned the general classification on its head - and left Williams in yellow.

Williams, newly signed by Ambrosia this year, has enjoyed a brilliant start to the season. `Every race I've ridden, I've been there at the kill,' he said. `It's down to morale - I've not been in a good team since I was a pro. All the boys get on well together. All we have to do is turn up and race.'

After 1995, when the future of the event was threatened because of poor support from teams, a 60plus field provided some first-class action, and the Wallacehill CC promotion - sponsored by South Ayrshire Council - now looks set to continue for some years to come.

Stage 1: GirvanDunure-Dalrymple, 67.4 miles

A LIVELY opening stage, run off at 26mph, ended in victory for Chris Newton (North Wirral VeloKodak) and disappointment for Team Ambrosia.

Despite having four men in the winning break, Ambrosia failed to make the top three. Stuart Dangerfield (Parker International) was second in the four-man sprint for the line ahead of Drew Wilson (Optimum Performance RT) and Ambrosia's Dave Williams.

Williams was quick to congratulate Newton, but added: `You're going to have your work cut out now.' Newton was unworried, having gained 15 seconds winner's bonus and a handy 47-second time advantage over most of the danger men.

For once, the Girvan peloton had warm sun on its back as 61 starters rode out of town, heading for a sinuous route that included three hill primes.

Just after the first climb, at Dunure (17 miles), 14 men went clear. It was a quality group that included two former winners, Paul Curran (Optimum Performance RT) and Ian Gilkes (Parker International).

But it wasn't to be their day. At 29 miles Curran suffered a front wheel puncture on a descent. He somehow stayed upright and received a spare from the service car. Aware that this could be the decisive break of the race, Curran chased hard for 10 miles before deciding to ease back to the bunch.

Gilkes laboured with the break until the 53-mile point before he too punctured, never to see the leaders again.

Ambrosia's Rod Ellingworth, Dave Williams, Mark McKay and Gary Thomas deserved most of the credit for extending the break's lead to almost two minutes. In fact, Thomas was riding for a composite team, due to the limitation on team sizes to four men, but there's nothing illegal about driving a breakaway...

With Curran and his Optimum men chasing hard in a bid to limit the peloton's losses, the break was pulled back to 53 seconds before a renewed sense of urgency carried the leaders clear again.

Ambrosia's tactics became clear in the last dozen miles as they went on the attack, with Williams doing most of the stirring. Then Newton hit the front with a searing effort that saw Chris Thomson (VC Astar) and Paul Jennings (North Wirral Velo) dropped from the break.

The constant pressure finally blew the break apart and Newton, Williams, Ellingworth, Wilson and Dangerfield went clear with five miles to go. Ellingworth, who had done the lion's share of the work during the long escape, was dropped on the run-in to Girvan, leaving four men to fight out the finish.

Williams attacked out of the final left-hand corner, but had no answer as Newton, Dangerfield and Wilson flew by to claim the three time bonuses.

The bunch closed in fast over the final miles with East Kilbride's Steven Russell (VC Astar) taking the 36-man sprint at 32 seconds.

1. Chris Newton (North Wirral Velo-Kodak) 67.4 miles in 2-30-59
2. S. Dangerfield (Parker International RT)
3. D. Wilson (Optimum Perf RT)
4. D. Williams (Ambrosia) all st
5. R. Ellingworth (Ambrosia) at 14sec
6. K. Mailer (Scotland) at 19sec
7. C. Langley (Wales)
8. M. McKay (Ambrosia)
9. G. Thomas (Ambrosia)
10. S. Bray (Wales) all st
11. S. Russell (VC Astar) & bunch at 32sec.

Stage 2: Victoria Park criterium,16.5m

CHRIS Newton's North Wirral Velo squad collected their second stage success of the day thanks to Simon Lillistone, who took the criterium from Scotland's Roddy Riddle and Rod Ellingworth (Ambrosia).

But this was no stroll in the park for Newton, who fought tigerishly to defend his yellow jersey from Ellingworth, winner of the corresponding stage last year.

Riddle instigated the vital break after 10 minutes of racing. With him went Mark Lovatt (Optimum Performance RT) and Lillistone, who was covering the move for North Wirral. With Lillistone not working, the break gained a valuable reinforcement when Willie Byrne (Ireland) jumped across from the bunch.

As the gap grew to 15 seconds, Ellingworth was the danger man. He was only 34 seconds down on Newton overall and chasing 10 seconds' bonus for the stage win.

Newton flew out of the bunch in lone pursuit of the break. It was a short-lived effort, and he soon dropped back to work with teammates Paul Manning and Pete Longbottom in a desperate effort to peg back the leaders.

As the bell rang for the last 1.1mile lap, the leading quintet were clinging on to a 10-second lead and Newton was assured of ending the day in yellow. But he didn't ease off.

In a spectacular finish, Newton led the charge down the final straight, just failing to catch the breakaways. Lillistone did what he had to do, coming off the back to claim the stage win and ensure Ellingworth received only three seconds' bonus.

Stuart Dangerfield crossed the line in ninth position to maintain second spot overall, only five seconds down on Newton.

1. Simon Lillistone (North Wirral Velo-Kodak) 16.5 miles in 38-22
2. R. Riddle (Scotland)
3. R. Ellingworth (Ambrosia)
4. M. Lovatt (Optimum Performance RT)
5. W. Byrne (Ireland)
6. C. Newton (North Wirral Velo)

Stage 3: GirvanCoylton-PatnaGirvan, 84.6m

THE longest day produced the biggest upset. Ambrosia's run of poor results was finally reversed by Dave Williams, who took over the yellow jersey at the head of a completely reshaped overall table.

Chris Newton, Stuart Dangerfield, Drew Wilson and Rod Ellingworth, who had all started the day in contention for victory, trailed home more than seven minutes down, and out of the reckoning.

It all started in the first mile. Fifteen men broke away and the bunch sat back and watched them disappear into the morning haze en route to Turnberry.

The big teams had missed out on the move. Ambrosia had just one man, Williams, who had started the stage in fourth place overall, 15 seconds down on race leader Chris Newton.

Scotland's hopes were pinned on Keith Mailer, sixth overall at 34 seconds. North Wirral was represented by Simon Lillistone and Paul Jennings, both 47 seconds down on gc, while Optimum Performance had Kevin Dawson at 47 seconds and Mark Lovatt at 57 seconds.

Surprisingly, there was no reaction from the bunch which lost ground steadily, slumping to eight minutes in arrears at 20 miles. Parker International had only Ian Gilkes in the move and their comeback man John Tonks moved forward in lone pursuit. Still the peloton bowled along at clubrun pace.

Wales manager Shane Sutton ordered his men in the bunch to `start firing some bullets,' and newly-adopted Welshman Simon Bray and John Evans went on the attack. More joined them and the new chase group grew to eight strong after sweeping up Tonks and another lone chaser, Jim Pratt (Brighton Excelsior).

Although they whittled away the break's advantage, it was too little and too late to overhaul the flying 15.

The long exposed drag of Grimmet Hill at 66 miles saw Lillistone leading the string in lively style while the leading group reduced in size as Graham McGarrity (Scotland B), Danny Webb (GB Espoirs), Rowland Jolly (Aberdeen) and Graham Brown (VC Astar) all dropped off the pace.

`Reformed' mountain biker Matt Beckett (Wales) took the Grimmet prime points from Dawson, whose second place was enough to give him the mountains leadership.

A tricky descent to Straiton, followed by a right and left through the village and then a short climb, saw Lovatt on the attack with an effort that split the break.

Only Dawson, Williams and Mailer could live with Lovatt. Fighting to stay in contact, some 50 metres behind, were Lillistone and Ian Gilkes and the non-working Beckett and Pete Swettenham (Twickenham CC).

Lillistone, North Wirral's last hope, threw everything into the pursuit, but the leading quartet drew inexorably away.

Three miles to go and Mailer was in trouble. After fighting to stay in contact he finally gave in, leaving two Optimum riders, Lovatt and Dawson, and one Ambrosia man, Williams, to fight out the finish.

Most bets were on the wily Williams to snatch victory and 15 seconds' bonus. Lovatt had other ideas. Seizing the initiative, he jumped from the front, leaving Williams and Dawson to trail in second and third, respectively.

Thomas led home the chasing group in ninth place at 3-21, while the ex-yellow jersey Chris Newton crossed the line with Stuart Dangerfield more than seven minutes in arrears.

North Wirral had staked everything on Lillistone and Jennings, and lost. `It was a cock-up on their part,' said new leader Williams. `With due respect to Simon (Lillistone), he's very strong on the flat but he doesn't climb as well as he used to.

`But,' added Williams, `we cocked it up as well by having only one rider, me, in the break. I've only got to puncture tomorrow and I'm in real trouble.'

1. Mark Lovatt (Optimum Performance RT-Powerbar) 84 miles in 3-21-04
2. D. Williams (Ambrosia) st
3. K. Dawson (Optimum Performance) at 4sec

Stage 4: Girvan-Nick O'Balloch-ScrewsGirvan, 64.5m

ADOPTED Welshman Simon Bray won the hard way, breaking away alone with 20 miles to go in Monday's final stage. After battling his way up the Screws, the final climb of the race, he survived the downhill plunge to Girvan and crossed the line seven seconds ahead of the main group.

Chris Newton, hungry for another stage win, sprinted into second place, with yellow jersey Dave Williams making no mistake in third spot.

Williams' Ambrosia men had guarded the front of the peloton for most of the day, ensuring that none of the Optimum Performance danger men stole a break.

Low cloud shrouded the main climb, Nick O'Balloch, after 16 miles. Optimum Performance kept the pace high over rough, narrow roads through dripping conifers, and the bunch split with a dozen riders going clear. Mark McKay (Ambrosia) led over the summit, clinching the climber's prize.

Williams was happy to be in the leading group. `I'm 13 and a half stone - climbing's not really my forte,' he said. `Once we got over there I said to the boys "let's ride" because there's no other climbs that should bother us.

`There came a point on the Screws where the boys had been on the front for 25 or 30 miles and I was just sitting there. Nobody had the sense to start an echelon, so I guess there were a few who had had a hard day.'

Lone attacker Bray was no threat to Ambrosia at 4-20 down overall, and he chose a good place to attack, a rise followed by a hairpin bend and a stretch of 20 per cent gradient.

`I knew there'd be a tailwind finish, so I attacked where the headwind ended,' he explained later. `The hardest part was the run-in to Girvan - I could see them coming, coming, coming and I was digging deeper and going slower but finally I got it.'

The red of Wales is no flag of convenience for English-born Bray, who has lived in the principality for almost three years. `I've no interest to ride for England,' he said. `I wanted to go to the last Commonwealth Games in Canada and no one seemed interested, whereas the Welsh squad has a set-up second to none in the British Isles, and now Shane (Sutton) is there,' he added.

`I'm keen to go for the sports development officer post that's coming up, so my commitment to Wales is 100 per cent.'

1. Simon Bray (Wales) 64.5 miles in 2-37-55
2. C. Newton (North Wirral Velo) at 7sec
3. D. Williams (Ambrosia) at 9sec
4. C. Langley (Wales)
5. A. Matheson (Scotland B)
6. M. Lovatt (Optimum Performance)

FINAL OVERALL

1. Dave Williams (Team Ambrosia) 9-8-14
2. M. Lovatt (Optimum Performance) at 42sec
3. K. Dawson (Optimum Performance) at 46sec
4. K. Mailer (Scotland A) at 1-50
5. S. Lillistone (North Wirral Velo) at 2-09
6. D. Wilson (Optimum Performance) at 4-01
7. S. Bray (Wales) st; 8, W. Byrne (Ireland) at 5-39
8. G. Thomas (Ambrosia) at 5-53
9. C. Newton (North Wirral Velo) at 6-59
10. S. Dangerfield (Parker International ) at 7-16
11. P. Curran (Optimum Performance) at 7-58

Points.- Rod Ellingworth 56 pts; 2, Williams 49; 3, Newton 39
Mountains.- Mark McKay 23; 2, Dawson 16; 3, Dangerfield 15
Team.- Optimum Performance RT-Powerbar 27-30-26; 2, Ambrosia at 12-06; 3, North Wirral Velo at 14-30.