Stephens – at last
By Keith Bingham. Pictures by Phil O’Connor

Nice guy Matt Stephens stormed to a glorious 16-mile solo win in the 130-mile BCF National Road Race Championship at Solihull on Sunday.

AS well as taking gold, Harrods-Giant RT longdistance specialist Matt Stephens led a southern England grand slam, as, 20 seconds later, Roger Hammond (Palmans, Belgium) took the sprint for silver and Darren Barclay (Arctic 2000 RT) took the bronze.

It was perhaps the most popular victory for many years, and one which lays to rest that miserable period which followed Stephens's superb eighth place in the 1995 World Road Championship in Colombia.

Although acknowledged as our best performer, Stephens was not selected for the following year's Olympic Games because he had not met the selection criteria. It was a decision greeted with disbelief by all those who believed in Stephens's ability to rise to the occasion. Yet again, here was proof he had lost none of that ability.

Sunday's success was the result of consistent performances in the championship - Stephens was third last year, and has also finished second and fourth. "I can't believe this - now I've completed the set," he said at the finish.

But while Stephens bathed in glory on Sunday, the event ended in misery for favourites Team Brite, whose big shot, Chris Newton, was forced to settle for fourth, while double time trial champion Rob Hayles had to make do with fifth place after a gruelling race run off at speeds averaging more than 27mph, and containing as many plots as an Ed McBain novel.

Last of the leading group was David Rand (PDM-WCU), who placed sixth. Neither Newton nor Hayles was able to peg back Stephens, who, at that stage of the race, had no team-mate to defend for him, Chris Lillywhite having been dropped - he eventually finished 10th at 1-07.

But who was the woman in white who, arms wide, ran onto the finishing straight to greet Stephens in wild adulation, narrowly missing following cars? A large contingent of Stephens's family lives nearby.

More importantly, who were the riders who formed the mystery alliance which brought down the Brites? Or was this just Team Brite paranoia?

For no sooner had Newton narrowly lost third place in a sprint for the minor placings, than he had complained about riders whose aim apparently was to stop the runaway Brite train once and for all, by simply blocking every move they made, but letting others go.

Could this be true? Have the downtrodden home teams, who, week in, week out, have been ridden over roughshod by this far superior outfit, at last found the answer?

And, if so, can Team Brite really complain if lesser teams combine in an attempt to destroy their rulers?

This was surely one of the most exciting national road championships for many years, and if there were disgruntled voices to be heard - about secret pacts to stop the Brites, or about the Brites refusing to work - all were fulsome in their praise for Stephens, who was immediately rewarded with selection for the World Road Race Championship and the Commonwealth Games.

It was a fine race, very well organised by Martin Bridgwood's team, involving eight local clubs. West Midlands Constabulary provided more than twice the original number of outriders promised, operating a rolling road closure with help from static officers at the junctions on the 16mile circuit. And to cap it all, there was an excellent 2.5 mile-wide run-in to the finish in Solihull, where police closed off one side of the dual carriageway.

From the off in the village of Knowle, the race was fast and very active. Attack and counter-attack saw the field attain speeds of 45mph on the undulating country roads through Temple Balsall and Balsall Common, to Meridian - past the cyclists' monument, and through pretty Hampton- in-Arden - up the only steep hill on the course.

But, hills or not, the speed and attacks sorted the wheat from the chaff. This was proof that you don't require a giant climb to make a race interesting.

And at half-distance, after 64 miles of relentless attacking, the first positive move of the race developed as an 11-man break containing defending champion Jeremy Hunt (Banesto) took off.

Hayles was in there, so too was another Team Brite man, Bryan Steel. One lap later, after more shuffling in the pack to find the right hand, another group linked up to make 25 men at the front. It included Hammond and Barclay, plus Brite men Chris Newton and Jon Clay. Harrods had Joe Bayfield and Chris Lillywhite, while Stephens was in a third group giving pursuit, and he too made contact with the leaders.

With 96 miles gone, Clay retired feeling unwell. David Millar (Cofidis, France) also withdrew. After six laps of the circuit, and with two to go, the leading group of 25 split as fit legs took off and tired legs, unused to the distance, simply did not respond. Or, in the words of Hammond, the group fell apart for one reason or another, and the plot thickened.

There were 13 men in front with 34 miles to go, and they soon had an advantage of 1-23 over their later companions, and more than two minutes on the bunch. The 13 were: Stephens, Hammond, Barclay, Newton, Hayles, David Rand (PDM Sports-WCU), Matt Beckett (Northern Foils), Gary Baker (Condor Cycles), Lillywhite (Harrods), Jonathan Dayus (Worcester St John's CC), Mark Walsham (Linda McCartney), Martin Ford (Team Ambrosia), and a third Brite man, Steel, who was soon tailed off. News then came in that Hunt had abandoned - his wheel had collapsed.

With 20 miles to go, Hammond forced the pace on one of the many long drags, only to discover that no one could, or would, work with him.

Stephens went for a long one four miles later but, with his 30second advantage whittled down to 19 seconds, and six miles left, few gave him a chance on the final 2.5-mile headwind finish down wide roads, and up the gradual incline to the crowd-lined finish. Amazingly he held out, to win in a time of 4-46-50.

Hammond outsprinted Barclay for second place while Barclay, seeing a rush of red jerseys bearing down, just held off both Newton and Hayles for the bronze medal. Rand took sixth spot in the same time.

Mark Walsham (Linda. McCartney Foods) led a six-man charge for seventh place at 1-07. From 90 starters, 60 finished.

In a completely spontaneous gesture, Newton sought out Stephens moments after the finish and embraced him. "It couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke," he told him. It was others with whom he appeared to have a quarrel.

1. Matt Stephens (Harrods Giant RT) 130m in 4-46-50
2. R. Hammond (Palmans Ideal) at 20sec
3. D. Barclay (Arctic 2000 RT) st
4. C. Newton (Team Brite)
5. R. Hayles (Team Brite)
6. D. Rand (PDM-WCU) all st
7. M. Walsham (Linda McCartney Foods) at 1-07
8. G. Baker (Condor Cycles)
9. M. Beckett (Northern Foils)
10. C. Lillywhite (Harrods)
11. M. Ford (Team Ambrosia)
12. J. Dayus (Worcester St John's CC) all st
13. M. Illingworth (Team Brite) at 1-33
14. D. Smith (Team Aoidas-SciCon) st
15. K. Dawson (Team Ambrosia) at 1-46
16. M. Lovatt (Team Ambrosia) at 1-54
17. R. Hobby (VC Lincoln)
18. D. Wedley (Cycle Olympique Chamalierois) both st
19. J. Wright (Edinburgh BC) at 2-08
20. B. FIeming (Cannons Pro CT) at 5-04.

The Brite view - as seen by Newton

THE burning question was, what happened to split that group of 25 with 36 miles to go? We'd had Matt Stephens' story, which hinted at skirmishes. What was Chris Newton's view?

"People lost interest. Then it was just anti-Brite. Matt Beckett was riding for the Welsh team," Newton said bitterly (Beckett is Northern Foils).

Newton went on: "I mean, you can't do things when it's like that. OK, we had nine riders in the race. But we didn't have nine riders on the front. And when everyone gangs up on you, you're on a hiding to nothing."

But surely, at half-distance when you had four men in the leading group, Team Brite ought to have put the final stitches in it?

"Yes, it looked like that," replied Newton patiently. "But then it split and everyone thought: `Let's ride against the Brites'."

So what happened next?

"Well, just about everyone else could roll off the front except Brite. When we tried to get a group going, everyone just sat on. This was on the last lap when the attacks started. It was unreal. Stupid. I'm really pissed off today."

Newton rubbed his head dry, and then emerged from under his towel to add: "But there's no getting away from it, Matt [Stephens] was the really good ride of the day. I'm really chuffed for him. If it wasn't a Brite, he's the next best person to win it."