Grand Prix Nieuwrode (Belgium)
8-Jul-2004

By Richard Allchin, Sport and Publicity

NEWTON AND CUMMINGS DOMINATE IN BELGIUM

Chris Newton riding for Team PERSIL together with fellow Great Britain Steve Cummings (Sport & Publicity) dominated the prestigious 88km kermesse in front of a massive crowd . After bad weather kept the field down in the previous days racing, a big field of 120 riders contested this popular event. Most of the Athens endurance team was riding for their UK sponsors on a special preparation few days training and racing in the tough Belgium terrain. Five British riders got into the final break of 11 riders. In the final stages of the race, one of the UK's top international riders and Athens Gold Medal contenders Chris Newton ( Persil) attacked hard and got well clear. Only Steve Cummings Sport and publicity was strong enough to respond and after a hard effort eventually caught Newton.

However with Cummings recovering from his big effort, Newton sprinted ahead by a few meters to score a great victory for Team Persil and getting partial revenge for their defeat in one of the UK's biggest criteriums when Cumming's stole the show in Otley (Yorkshire )when he won one of the biggest races in the "BC Elite Criterium Series. Chris said :"I was on good form and was hoping for a lone victory so when Steve joined up I didn't take any chances and switched and attacked". Not giving his fellow Athens pursuit team-mate much of a chance, who was trying to recover from his impressive chase, Newton sprinted ahead for a fine victory.

Cummings said "Chris was as usual was very strong and I was knackered from my chase but he went clear and there wasn't much I could do -- maybe next time again". Both riders were feeling in fine form for the Athens Olympics as were the other British riders competing with Paul Manning dominating the rest of the race to finish in a convincing 3rd place.


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