Tanner’s riding high
By David Taylor for Snowdon Sports Editorial. Pictures by Phil O’Connor

Improving from his second place last year, John Tanner kept Team Brite in the Premier Calendar driving seat when he outsprinted team-mate Chris Newton in Sunday's Five Valleys road race in south Wales

TAKING his claim to a place.in England's Commonwealth Games road team, John Tanner turned in a dominating ride to win Sunday's Five Valleys road race at Cwmavon, Port Talbot. The 113-mile course marked the 14th round of the BCF Premier Calendar series.

The Team Brite rider was in every one of the day's major moves. And when it carne to the finish he outsprinted his lone companion, team-mate Chris Newton. This meant that Tanner was able to notch up his second major win of the season: one month after winning the Manx International over the same distance.

Newton, however, was happy enough with second place having boosted his standing at the top of the Premier Calendar. Third place went to Chris Lillywhite (HarrodsGiant). He broke clear from a ninestrong chasing group to sprint in 1-26 behind the Brite pair.

Brite's Chris Walker, last year's winner, headed off Danny Axford (Team 120/80) for fourth place. While Mark Walsham (Linda McCartney RT) took sixth, beating Jon Clay (Team Brite) to the line.

Although Team Brite took three of the first seven places and again showed their tactical superiority, the Port Talbot Wheelers promotion was far from a one-sided affair. The Harrods squad, led by new national champion Matt Stephens, and the Linda McCartney team, in the person of Rob Reynolds-Jones, took a full part in the action.

And the action was not long coming. The 70-strong bunch soon began to string out as they were faced with the slopes of Bwlch. And the long line broke as the road climbed up out of the cloudshrouded valley.

The rapid descent to Treorchy helped a re-grouping, but the field had split into three. Fifty riders were at the front with a lead of 45 seconds. Then with little time to catch their breath, it was on to the picturesque but thigh-burning ascent of Rhigos climb.

Tanner, already eager to get things going, and Lillywhite headed the group, while ReynoldsJones was sprinting away as they approached the prime. On the line the blond Reynolds-Jones was 15 seconds clear as former Milk Race mountains winner Mark McKay (Harrods) moved up to join him.

The bunch was getting smaller all the time as the red jerseyed Team Brite took up the chase, with Tanner and Walker heading affairs. They were marked by Matt Stephens and Lillywhite. The four quickly tagged on to Reynolds- Jones and McKay as the 50mph descent to Tower Colliery - the last deep working mine in South Wales - began.

With 30 miles covered, the now six-man break led by 51 seconds from a 30-strong bunch that included Dave Rand and Julian Winn (PDM Sports-WCU), Chris Williams (Cwmcarn Paragon) and Matt Beckett (Northern Foils). They were all having a good workout under the watchful eye of Welsh national coach Shane Sutton.

Other riders powering up the pack were Andy Naylor (Cannons Pro CT), Clay and Newton, Mark Walsham and Julian Clark (Linda McCartney RT), mtb star Barrie Clarke (Team Raleigh), Joe Bayfield and New Zealander Gordon McAuley (Harrods), Gary Patterson (Clarke Contracts), Steven Higgins (CC Giro), Dan Staite (Team Undergear), Martin Ford (Team Ambrosia), Tim Bayley (VC Deal), Danny Axford and Shaun Tamblin (Letchworth Velo).

In the break the Brite and Harrods riders were taking turns at the front, while an outnumbered Reynolds-Jones sat at the back. Walker kept giving him the odd word of encouragement but he failed to get him to take a turn.

The riders then reached the Beacons Reservoir as the sun was attempting to break through the clouds. The lead was now 1-11 and they had already covered 42 miles. At Brecon, a left turn pointed the race into the wind and the break began to loose headway. By Sennybridge the bunch had closed to 45 seconds.

Four miles on, and the gap was down to 36 seconds. A merger looked on the cards as the Welsh riders slaved away to close down the break.

On the climb after Crai, the gap opened to 1-05 as McKay was dropped from the leading group. That ascent out of the way, the bunch again began to edge up. Then at Craig-y-nos Country Park the peloton was at 54 seconds, six miles on it was down to 40 seconds and at 75 miles the break was over.

But there was no easing, as attack followed attack in the classic style. As the race headed for Neath, six riders were reported clear but within yards they were down to just four - Tanner and Reynolds-Jones again, plus Newton and Bayfield.

The climb at Cimla was taken by Reynolds-Jones and by now the break was 1-16 clear. Steaming through Pont-rhydyfen they were soon to be on the finishing circuit at Cwmavon with 25 miles remaining.

Then a Team Brite war of attrition began. Tanner and Newton took turns in attacking Bayfield and Reynolds-Jones.

Tanner went, only to be pulled back by Bayfield. Again Tanner tried and was caught, and then it was Newton jumping away before Tanner made another attempt. Reynolds-Jones pulled him back only to be jumped in turn by Newton. Neither Bayfield or Reynolds-Jones had the legs to reply this time, and Newton went through the finish with 10 miles to go with 12 seconds' advantage.

On the hill at the back of the circuit Tanner pounded clear of Bayfield and Reynolds-Jones and he, too, was gone. The question was, could Tanner catch Newton? Within three miles he had: Newton having eased as he looked back and saw Tanner coming up.

As the pair pushed on, Tanner looked the stronger, with Newton having to dig deep to equal Tanner's effort. The final lap and the nearest chasers - Lillywhite, Axford, Walker, Clay and Walsham - were at 1-41. Into the finishing straight, and at first it looked as though Tanner and Newton would go for a tie. But the pair had a quick word and decided on a grandstand finishing sprint.

Newton started the ball rolling, but it was Tanner who finished it as he sprinted over the line more than a length clear. Both, Tanner and Newtown, raised their arms to acknowledge the applause of the spectators - there was no doubting in anyone's mind that the two of them deserved it.

1. John Tanner (Team Brite) 113m in 4-32-51
2. C. Newton (Team Brite) st
3. C. Lillywhite (Harrods) at 1-26
4. C. Walker (Team Brite) at 1-40
5. D. Axford (Team 120180) st
6. M. Walsham (Linda McCartney RT) at 1-57
7. J. Clay (Team Brite) st
8. G, Patterson (Clarkes Contracts) at 2-10
9. G. McAuley (Harrods)
10. M. Beckett (Northern Foils)
11. M. Stephens (Harrods)
12. R. ReynoldsJones (Linda McCartney RT)
13. J. Bayfield (Harrods)
14. S. Higgins (CC Giro)
15. S. Tarnblin (Letchworth Velo)
16. J. Clark (Linda icCartney RT)
17. D. Staite (Team Undergear)
18. M. Ford (Team Ambrosia)
19. M. hatch (VC St Raphael)
20. B. Clarke (Team Raleigh) all st

KoM.- Rob Reynolds-Jones 16 pts; 2, M. McKay (Harrods) 8; 3, Tanner 6.

What they said

"It was about time I won - I think I've been second three or four times," said John Tanner as team manager Keith Lambert congratulated him. "I was out to prove I deserved a place in the squad for the Commonwealth Games, so I joined in all the attacks.

"The longer races suit me. When we got in the final break Chris did a lot of work- he rode his heart out."

Newton only had one reservation: "I thought we had attacked too early in that last break," he said. "The aim was to get John away today, and it worked out pretty well for him in the end.

"I felt fine, now I am looking to do a good ride in the BCF time trial championship next week to get selection for the Commonwealth Games time trial."

Chris Lillywhite was, he admitted, "on a good day" and showing the kind of form that in the past has won him the Milk Race. "I got in that first long break, but we didn't have enough different teams represented to stay away," Lillywhite explained, "Then missed the second and last move. It was a text book break and I should have been in it, but I managed to get away on that last hill to finish third. Yes, I'm pleased with the way I'm going.

New national road champion Matt Stephens lived up to his reputation, getting in the day's longest break with team-mates Mark McKay and Lillywhite.

"The trouble was, we just couldn't get a big enough gap to stay away to the finish, and it was hard going into the wind," Stephens said. "Then, when the junction was made, I made the mistake of not joining the next break. But
then I might have blown up anyway. didn't want to overdo things. I have the Commonwealth Games and the world championships to think about, so I don't want to knock myself out.

"The team was going strongly today, riding well, so things are looking up."

National road coach John Herety was out watching and no doubt was impressed with Tanner's ride. He listened intently as Brite manager Keith Lambert inquired about the chances of Commonwealth Games selection for Tanner.

Welsh boss Shane Sutton was pleased with his charges' efforts. "Although only Beckett finished, they all worked very hard. If it hadn't been for Dave Rand, Julian Winn, Chris Williams and Beckett, that first break would have never been caught," Sutton added.