Revolution #13 (Manchester)
14-Oct-2006
Report & Images: Phil Ingham & Larry Hickmott It was a welcome return for that harbinger of winter, the Revolution Series, back for its fourth season and featuring a cracking line up of sprint and endurance stars. There was a visibly full-house, pumping music and that now familiar winter social buzz of riders, friends, families and fans all gathered together for an evening of chatting, eating, drinking and spectating. And the riders didn't disappoint as they treated us to some spectacular racing......something like this! 10km Elite Points Race Meanwhile, at the head of the race, an early break by Alex Dowsett earned him the first sprint. Chris Newton's speed pulled Steven Burke clear as they claimed the top two places in the second sprint. Peter Kennaugh then shot out of the front of the field to try to take a lap, before Rob Hayles activated the field to chase and Chris Newton delivered the killer blow, bringing the young rider back and then surging through to clinch a second successive 5 points and gain a stranglehold on the race. With the field back together, it was always going to be hard to deny Newton and with a handy lead-out from Ross Sander the former World Champion duly claimed the final sprint as well and with it the race by a country mile - 15 points to runner-up Steven Burke's 6 points, with Alex Dowsett third with 5 points. It's good to see this exciting rider in such good form going into the winter Track season. 1. Newton 15 Elite Devil-Scratch 1. Ross Sander, 1km Madison TT 1. Steven Burke & Adam Blythe 57.734 Elite 15km Scratch Race A similar attempt by Ross Sander also looked doomed as he stalled some two-thirds of a lap clear. However, in an odd move, Peter Kennaugh dropped back from the main field and helped Sander to bridge that last third of a lap. Sander needed no second invitation and duly took that all-important lap. As Hugh Porter said at the time, "it's a strange old race, this, isn't it?" Several riders made desultory efforts to gain a lap, but Sander had the race in the bag and so it was left to the final sprint to sort out the minor placings, with Adam Blythe putting in a very quick surge to claim second from Mark McNally. 1 Ross Sander |