Recycling star fulfills lifetime ambition
Courtesy of Larry Hickmott and British Cycling

The race itself was decided in many ways by an early break, when fifteen riders went clear, leaving several of the pre-race favourites stranded in the main bunch. The break managed to build up a reasonable lead before hard work by the main pack, including defending champion Roger Hammond, brought it down to just 15 seconds. However, that was as close as they got and, in that final window of opportunity, only Andrew Jackson managed to get across to the leaders, and Jackson was then one of the main protagonists as a series of attacks threatened to split the leaders. Jonathan Dayus and Steve Cummings were eventually successful and forged a gap, with about 10km to go.

However six of the chasers from the original lead group then bridged across to them within the next couple of kilometres, including Russell Downing. Downing then made the race-winning move just 5km from the finish, taking just Steve Cummings with him and the pair of them were soon secure in the knowledge that one or other would be the champion within the next couple of minutes.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given their relative strengths and weaknesses, it was Downing, a master of the art of clinching race wins in these situations, who edged out Cummings on the line. Yanto Baker won the sprint for third place from Chris Newton, as the rest of the escapees came in just 14 seconds down, with Robin Sharmand giving the Recycling team three of the top five places.

1. Russell Downing Recycling.co.uk / MGXPOWER / Litespeed
2. Steve Cummings Landbouwkredit / Colnago
3. Yanto Barker Team DFL / Trek / Scwalbe @ 14s
4. Chris Newton Recycling.co.uk /Litespeed
5. Robin Sharman Recycling.co.uk / MGXPOWER/Litespeed
6. Jonathan Dayus Arctic Building Services/ Shorter Rochford Cycles
7. Andrew Jackson EC St Etienne-Loire/Casino/Credit Agricole/Moser/Look
8. Daniel Lloyd Team Flanders
9. Roy Chamberlain Team Milton Keynes/Phil Corley Cycles/Trek/Abbeygate Developments
10. Duncan Urquhart Viner Bikes / Agisko Sports Nutrition
11. Evan Oliphant Recycling.co.uk / MGXPOWER / Litespeed @41 seconds
12. Geraint Thomas Adidas/Science in Sport
13. Neil Coleman Cycle Europe/Bianchi
14. John Tanner Planet X/On One
15. Mark Cavendish Adidas/Science in Sport
16. Roger Hammond Discovery Channel AMD/Trek
17. Ben Greenwood Recycling.co.uk / MGXPOWER / Litespeed
18. Jonathon Rosenbrier EC St Etienne Loire
19. Phil Dixon Team DFL
20. Gareth Jones Team Fuji Bikes
21. Phil Axe Rutland CC
22. Mark Wordsworth JE James Cycles
23. Mike Harrison www.cyclestore.co.uk
24. Adam Illingworth Team Miltone Keynes
25. David Clarke Bouygies Telcom Carribean
26. Richard Wilkinson Angliasport/Condor
27. Chris Daddy Star Bikes RT
28. Richard Sutcliff Chalons en Champagne
29. Matthew Brindle Josan/Mercedes Benz
30. Rob Partridge Fuji Bikes
31. James Dobbin Arctic Shorter Rochford
32. Edward Whitehorne Glendene CC Bike Trx
33. Alex Coutts Flanders/Braveheart Fund
34. Richard Whitehorne VC Pontivy
35. Alistair Kay York Cycle Works
36. Alex Higham Stilton RT
37. Danny Axford Arctic Shorter Rochford
38. Daniel Martin VC La Pomme
39. Hamish Haynes Cyclingnews.com
40. Tim Dunford DFL
41. Matthew Higgins CC Giro
42. Jeremy Hunt Mr Bookmaker
43. Daniel Fleeman PS Cruesot
44. Tom Barras Cyclingnews.com
45. Kevin Dawson Planet X
46. Gordon kemp NB Group Fox Racing
47. Steve Higgins JE James Cycles
48. Christoper Mark Biketracks
49. Rob Hayles Recycling.co.uk / MGXPOWER / Litespeed
50. Jules Birks CycleEurope
51. Gareth Hewitt JE James Cycles
52. James Williamson Tarbes Pyrenees
53. Martin Ford Team Rochelle
54. Steve Lampier www.cyclelogic.co.uk
55. Greg Roche Fuji Bikes
56. Matthew Stephens Sigma Bikes
57. Rick King Bannatyne CRT
58. Kristain House Fuji Bikes
59. Paul Manning Recycling.co.uk / MGXPOWER / Litespeed
60. Mark Lovatt Planet X/On One
61. Dale Appleby Fuji Bikes
62. Dave Coulson JE James Cycles
63. Chris Belsham York Cycle Works
64. Keiran Page AVC Aixois
65. Richard Estham Anglisport/Condor
66. Paul Rennie North Beach Dooleys
67. Ben Pochee Penzance Wheelers 2nd
68. Matt Brammeier Adidas / Science in Sport Elit
69. Steven Kenny Kuota / Biemme