All hell breaks loose at Havant
Words: David Taylor for Snowdon Sports Editorial

SUNDAY'S HAVANT INTERNATIONAL Grand Prix was almost the race that never was, but in the end all went to plan for the Recycling.co.uk-Litespeed squad

THE Recycling.co.ukLitespeed team continued their domination of the domestic road scene on Sunday, with national champion Russell Downing winning the Havant International Grand Prix and Robin Sharman taking the lead in the season-long Premier Calendar competition.

It was Downing's second consecutive win in the Hampshire race and his third in seven years, and on recent form Sharman had been widely tipped to wipe out his mere three-point deficit on Premier Calendar leader John Tanner (Planet X).

So at the end of the day things went largely as predicted, but only after police had controversially halted the race and threatened to have it banished from the roads of Hampshire.

The event was cut from its scheduled 112.5 miles to 90 after police had twice stopped the race, once in the neutralised section and again at around 20 miles. They claimed that riders were failing to observe the rules of the road (see news story on page 20), but after discussions between the police, the race promoter and commissaires - led by Estonia's Madis Lepajoe and also including Aiden Hegarty, himself a police officer - the race was moved onto a 9.5-mile circuit which formed part of the original course, but used generally quieter roads.

THE ACTION BEGINS

The race eventually swung into action two hours after the official start.

Downing outsprinted Yanto Barker (Wales) to score his third Havant success, while his Recycling.co.uk team-mate Chris Newton finished alone to take third. Mark Lovatt (Planet X), working to defend Tanner's Premier Calendar position, rode to fourth while Sharman finished fifth after missing a left turn to the finish and losing four seconds on Lovatt.

Recycling.co.uk made it four out of the top six when Dean Downing, last year's runner-up and brother of Russell, beat Poland's Marius Wieisika (Team Nippo) to the line in an event that offered more than £4,000 in prize money thanks to the backing from Havant Borough Council, KFS Special Vehicles, the Bat and Ball public house and Hunter Springs Consultancy.

Despite his slight misfortune at the finish, and with only the Tour of the Peak on September 11 remaining, Sharman was virtually guaranteed to take over the Premier lead after Tanner had slid off on a wet road. Though unhurt, he was a non-finisher.

Once the race was properly underway, it wasn't long before riders were attacking as the road climbed up past HMS Mercury, with national hill-climb medallist James Dobin (Arctic Shorter RT) among the most active.

Dobin had a couple of miles of freedom but by the time the race had reached the Bat and Ball public house he was out of the picture as the big guns fired off.

It was a move not to miss as 11 riders went clear - Russell and Dean Downing, Chris Newton and Robin Sharman, Wieiskia, Barker, Lovatt, Duncan Urquhart (Viper Bikes), Julian Winn (Wales), Matthew Talbot (Glendene CC) and Matt Stephens (Sigma Sport).

With four in the break, Recycling.co.uk were doing most of the work with Stephens, Winn, Barker and Urquhart weighing in while Lovatt sat on.

The 11 continued to pull away from the bunch, an initial 20-second lead soon becoming 38 seconds and then 1-50 after 18 miles.

By then the break was down to nine riders, Tour of Pendle winner Urquhart having lost his place after a clash of wheels in the break forced him to a stop for a wheel change, and Talbot also dropping out after complaining of feeling unwell.

The break kept the pressure, stretching out a gap of more than three minutes before the bunch began to split and chasing groups chipped away at their lead.

SHAKE THE BREAK

Meanwhile, the police were still not happy, warning race commissaries that they would stop the bunch if they did not keep over to the left. Team cars let their riders know via their radios and the bunch continued racing as it broke up in to smaller groups.

With around 40 miles remaining, the front of the bunch had closed to 1-50. This was the signal for Recycling.co.uk to shake the break up. Newton started it on one of the climbs, out of the saddle and pumping hard. Barker tagged on, then Russell Downing, Sharman and his shadow Lovatt.

Dean Downing, Stephens and Wieiskia were at 100 metres, while Winn fell back as his legs seized up with cramp.

Behind, Kevin Dawson (Planet X), Evan Oliphant (Scotland), Ben Greenwood (North West Division), off-road specialist Liam Killeen (Specialized Factory Racing) and Urquhart were active in the chase

As the leaders headed back towards the finish in Havant, Russell Downing jumped, taking Barker with him. Sharman tried to get on terms with them, but his effort faded after a mile or so and he was recaught by Lovatt and Newton.

Then Newton jumped, leaving Sharman to be marked by Lovatt.

The police-controlled run-in to the town centre was faultless, with riders waved through the traffic lights and roundabouts to the finish in front of the waiting crowd - and a relieved race organiser, Garth Staden - in Civic Centre Road.

WHAT THEY SAID

"THAT was a good work-out with the Tour of Britain looming up," said winner Russell Downing after accepting the crowd's plaudits. "That's three times I've won here, last year and back in 1999 as well.

"I think we've got to give all credit to the organiser for getting the police to allow the race to go on.

"It was a difficult race. Some in the break were sitting in, but we expect that and everything turned out all right. We came here to win and we did. We knew it was going to be hard going, but that's what we needed before the Tour of Britain, our big target for the year.

"We've got the Surrey League FiveDay at the end of this week as our final preparation. Chris [Newton] and me will be looking for stage wins in the Tour of Britain and with the time trial we will be looking at the overall as well."

Things could not have turned out much better for the Recycling.co.uk team. "It was a difficult race, and our concern was to get Robin [Sharman] those Premier Calendar points and that worked out all right," said Chris Newton.

"It was a pity Robin went the wrong way at the finish, but it all turned out fine and it was a good race despite the early troubles."

Sharman, for his part, admitted to fading in the last few miles. "I tried to get up to Russell [Downing] and Barker, but I just couldn't hold it," he said.

"And then on top of that I missed the last corner and fourth place, but fifth is still good enough to take the lead. I've got to thank Chris, who worked so hard for me today.

1. RUSSELL DOWNING (RECYCLING.CO.UKLITESPEED) 90m in 3-25-02
2. Y Barker (Wales) same time
3. C. Newton (Recycling. co.uk-Litespeed) at 31sec
4. M. Lovatt (Planet X) at 1-07
5. R. Sharman (Recycling.co.uk-Litespeed) at 1-11
6. D. Downing (Recycling. co.uk-Litespeed) at 2-47
7. M. Wieisika (Team Nippo) st
8. M. Stephens (Sigma Sport) at 2-49
9. E. Oliphant (Scotland) at 3-10
10. B. Greenwood (North West Div)
11. K. Dawson (Planet X)
12. L. Killeen (Specialized Factory Racing) all st
13. D. Urquhart (Vner Bikes) at 3-12
14. P Axe (Zipp Wheels) at 4-45
15. P Manning (Recycling. co.uk-Litespeed) at 4-50
16. D. Appleby (Wales)
17. R. Partridge (Wales) both st
18. S. Wolfer (Team Bradgate) at 4-58
19. A. Higham (Stilton RT) at 5-21
20. J. Winn (Wales) st.