Russell Downing Wins Beaumont Trophy
Courtesy of British Cycling, Larry Hickmott. Report and photographs by Andrew Kennedy for British Cycling.
With special thanks to NEG motorbike pilot John Greatorex.

Russell Downing (HealthNet-Maxxis) was the winner of The Beaumont Trophy Premier Calendar race at Stamfordham, Northumberland. Downing was part of a four man break that included brother Dean Downing (Rapha-Condor), Malcolm Elliott (Pinarello RT) and Chris Newton (Recycling). This small group of quality riders had prised themselves off the front of the main field on the last lap and managed to keep clear until 200 metres to the finish at Stamfordham.

Malcolm Elliott was in a strong position on the slightly downhill run in and looked as though he was about to claim his second big win of the season. Russell Downing had other ideas and found a way up the inside lunging for the line and taking the win by inches. Chris Newton (Recycling) claimed third place in front of Dean Downing (Rapha-Condor) to snatch back the overall lead in the series.

The Premier Calendar road show rolled into Ponteland, Northumberland this weekend for what promised to be an exciting race over 106 miles on a tough undulating circuit based around the village of Stamfordham. North East rider Chris Newton (Recycling) started the day as joint leader of the 12 race Premier Calendar series alongside Dean Downing (Rapha-Condor). Also on the start line was former British Road Race Champion Russell Downing (HealthNet-Maxxis) who won the previous Premier Calendar event at Richmond over the May Bank Holiday. Team Discovery rider Steve Cummings was back home preparing for the British Championships in two weeks time was a late entry but failed to sign on at Race HQ.

How the race unfolded.
After a week of heavy rain and storms the Northern Rock Cyclone event was aptly named, although organiser Peter Harrison and the Gosforth Road were lucky the rain had stopped for their first Premier Calendar road race promotion. Out of 106 entries, 85 riders had travelled to the North East to try and claim the £1,000 first prize. With a total prize fund of £6,360 from main sponsors Northern Rock and prizes donated by North Star Equity Investors and Anderson Business Services cash prizes were on offer down to 20th place and £150 per prime, the race was going to be hotly contested.

Within minutes of the starter’s flag being dropped the race speed was up to an incredible 30mph, and two riders had broken clear of the main field. Dafydd Dylan (KFS Special Vehicles) and Alex Higham (Bike and Run) were soon joined by Matt Rowe (Recycling), Matt Stephens (Sigma Sport), Peter Williams (Kinesis), Matthew Talbot (Rapha-Condor) and Gordon McCauley (PlowmanCraven-Evans). This small group of seven riders quickly established a lead of over 30 seconds as they negotiated the tight and twisting roads towards Black Heddon. The route devised by Peter Harrison was to take the riders on a large circuit based around Stamfordham which included three ascents of the vicious short climb to the village of Ryal, where the primes were on offer. The race then moved to a shorter finishing circuit, with hot spot sprint prizes across the start/finish line.

As the McCauley/Stephens group got down to some hard graft, the young Kinesis rider Peter Williams was seen to drift back to the main bunch. The early pace was extremely high and the lead group was stretching the gap. On lap two, Matthew Stephens led the breakaways through the village of Little Babbington, and they continued to extend their lead as they rode through the narrow debris strewn lanes. In some places the road was not much wider than 1 metre, and fallen trees from the recent storms littered the hedgerows.

A second break had emerged from the front of the main field and included Tom Diggle (Recycling), Gary Hand (KFS Special Vehicles), Alastair Kay (York Cycleworks), James Sampson (Kinesis), Kevin Dawson (Pinarello RT) and Richard Wilkinson (Rapha-Condor). This group began to close in on the McCauley/Stephens break and at the top of Ryals on lap two they were only 50 seconds behind.

The Recycling team were represented in the lead group by Matt Rowe, and the young rider was carrying out his role perfectly by doing the minimum amount of work in the break. Behind him, the whole of the Recycling team apart from leader Chris Newton were working to bring the breakaways back. Experienced rider Graham Briggs was leading the young Recycling bucks and quietly giving instructions to keep the pace high and the line smooth. The work done by the Recycling team resulted in the second group being reeled back in, and only the McCauley/Stephens group was ahead with a lead of 45 seconds and closing.

On the third climb of Ryals the pace was increasing in the main field and the breakaways could be seen about 25 seconds ahead. At the top of Ryals, the McCauley break was caught and new attacks started. Russell Downing (HealthNet-Maxxis) and Richard Wilkinson (Rapha-Condor) were the first riders to make an attempt but they were quickly reeled back in.

On the first of the three lap finishing circuit, Neil Swithenbank (ABC Centreville) put in an attack and managed to create some distance between him and the main field. He was joined by Matt Stephens and together they gained an advantage of about 20 seconds. The reaction behind was slow, but some riders decided Stephens and Swithenbank were worth chasing. Andy Collis (Pinarello) Gary Hand (KFS Special Vehicles), James Williamson (Wills Wheels) and Mark Wordsworth (JE James RT) joined the two leaders and they all began to work together to increase their lead.

As the leaders rode through the picturesque village of Matfen the locals were stood outside the pub on the Village Green, pints in hand shouting encouragement to the speeding cyclists. The time gap given at Matfen by commissaire Jason Metcalfe was 34 seconds, which quickly increased to 57 seconds. At the end of the first finishing circuit lap, Matt Stephens led the break through Stamfordham. The sun had come out for the first time in three days and the crowds were beginning to line up on the grassy banks of the finish area.

With two laps to go, the Stephens/Swithenbank group had a gap of 60 seconds but they were beginning to look disorganised. Reports were coming in that the Downing Brothers had started a chase and they had been joined by an all-star cast of serious contenders. Chris Newton, Dean Downing and Russell Downing had their heads down and were intent on catching the leaders. They had been joined by Alec Dowsett (100%ME), Robin Sharman (KFS Special Vehicles) and Malcolm Elliott (Pinarello RT).

As they started the last lap, the leaders were only 27 seconds ahead of the chasers. Through the feed-zone for the last time, Matthew Stephens and Mark Wordsworth had no intention of giving up their lead and they continued to drive the break. Two miles further up the road it was all in vain and the hardworking breakaways sat up and waited for the Downing/Newton and Elliott train to come steaming through.

As soon as the two groups came together, Matthew Stephens went to the front and continued to keep the pace high although he had no response when the big attack from Dean and Russell Downing came. The final selection was about to be made and Chris Newton, Malcolm Elliott and the Downing Brothers rode clear of the others. Tempers were high and Russell Downing was shouting at the other riders to do some work, he even shared his anger with the Cycling TV cameras following the race, ensuring the programme will be shown after the 9pm watershed.

This top quality leading group were not going to be caught, and the riders kept the pace high on the final 5 miles to the finish at Stamfordham. A win for Dean Downing would put him at the top of the Premier Calendar series, and he had his brother Russell in the break to help him. Chris Newton only had to finish in front of Dean Downing to stay at the top, and every single one of them desperately wanted to win the race and take home the £1000 1st prize.

As the leaders went through the 1km to go flag, the bunch was closing in behind, and the Downings, Newton and Elliott started jostling for position, at 200 metres, Malcolm Elliott launched the powerful sprint that saw him win the East Midlands International CiCLE Classic Premier Calendar race, and Russell Downing found himself baulked by a badly placed marshal. With 50 metres to go, it looked as though Elliott was going to claim his second win of the series, but Russell Downing had found some space on the inside and launched himself towards the line, lunging forward and winning the Beaumont Trophy by the narrowest of margins. The large crowd had to wait for the official result as the British Cycling photo finish equipment was needed to separate the first two.

Post race reaction from Russell Downing before the result was announced, “it was cat and mouse coming into the finish. Me, Dean, Malcolm and Chris were committed and we worked hard in the last 10 miles, after the selection had been made on the run in to the finish. Dean put in a couple of early attacks and I found myself last man in the line, which was good, but then it slowed and I was on the front. We knew the others were closing so we had to watch out."

"At the finish, Chris was the first to go, and at about 150 metres I got baulked by a marshal, Malcolm came past me on the right, I managed to get back on top of my gear and went up the inside. It was very close, but I think I got it from Malcolm and Chris, with Dean 4th." I asked Russell if he had been working for Dean and if he was an un-official team mate, “well blood is thicker than water, if one of us goes up the road we won’t chase each other, we don’t work for each other, but we don’t work against each other either, when there are only four in the break and two are Downing’s that means we have good odds”

Peter Harrison the organiser of the whole Northern Rock Cyclone weekend that included the Leazes Criteriums on Friday and the Cyclone Challenge Sportive rides on Saturday is never short of a few words, and after I’d congratulated him on producing a fantastic Premier Calendar event he had this to say, “after the bad weather we have had over the last few days I was very apprehensive especially about the Friday night crits, but it has all gone superbly, fantastic professional riding. We had over 800 riders in the sportive and they all finished."

"Today was a very competitive race, good quiet safe roads. Everyone involved with the organisation has been superb, the weather has held out, and we had a worthy winner, in fact a worthy top four. I know some of this circuit is a bit narrow in places, but if you race in Belgium and France this is what you get used to. The debris was a problem, but after the weather we have had I think it was OK. The circuit is safe and we haven’t had any crashes. I have big plans for this event and I would like to think we can have a championship here in 2009”

1. Russell Downing, Health Net/Maxxis, 03:57:29
2. Malcolm Elliott, Pinarello RT, same time
3. Chris Newton, Recycling.co.uk RT, same time
4. Dean Downing, Rapha Condor RT, same time
5. Robin Sharman, K.F.S.SpecialVehicles/Sunday Bi, 6
6. Matthew Stephens, Sigmasport RT, 12
7. James Williamson, Wills Wheels CC, 58
8. Neil Swithenbank, ABC Centreville CC, 01:23
9. Alex Dowsett, 100%ME, 01:24
10. Gary Hand, K.F.S.SpecialVehicles/Sunday Bi, same time
11. Mark Wordsworth, JE James RT, same time
12. Lee Davis, Pinarello RT, same time
13. Paul Oldham, Hope Factory Racing, 01:26
14. Gordon McCauley, Plowman Craven/Evans Cycles RT, 01:39
15. Matthew Kipling, Inkland MTS CRT, same time
16. John Tanner, Sportscover, same time
17. John Charlesworth, New Brighton CC, same time
18. Ray Wilson, Dunfermline CC, same time
19. Richard Sykes-Popham, Glendene CC/Bike Trax, same time
20. Mike Harrison, Sigmasport RT, same time
21. Ian Bibby, ScienceInSport-Trek, same time
22. Alex Higham, Bike&Run London, same time
23. Matt Talbot, Rapha Condor RT, same time
24. Mark Lovatt, Sportscover, same time
25. Graeme Hatcher, Team Isle of Man, same time
26. Alastair Kay, York Cycleworks, same time
27. Richard King, Inkland MTS CRT, same time
28. Kevin Dawson, Pinarello RT, 01:46
29. Tom Murray, Kinesis UK, 02:16
30. Phil Axe, Zipp, same time
31. James Stewart, K.F.S.SpecialVehicles/Sunday Bi, same time
32. Adam Bonser, Recycling.co.uk RT, same time
33. Richard Cartland, Team Corley Cycles, 02:18
34. Jon Mozley, Merlin RT, 02:25
35. James Millard, Plowman Craven/Evans Cycles RT, same time
36. Ian Wilkinson, ScienceInSport-Trek, same time
37. Richard Wilkinson, Rapha Condor RT, same time
38. Marcin Bialoblocki, Middridge CRT, same time
39. Ashley Brown, Sportscover, same time
40. Ben Thompson, Glendene CC/Bike Trax, same time
41. Wayne Randle, Sportscover, same time
42. Pete Williams, Kinesis UK, same time
43. Owain Lovell, Ashfield RC, same time
44. Dieter Droger, CordManager.com, same time
45. Bryan Pool, Andersons Racing, same time
46. Simon Holt, Recycling.co.uk RT, same time
47. Simon Gaywood, Plowman Craven/Evans Cycles RT, same time
48. Tom Barras, Merlin RT, same time
49. Andrew Stuart, Ashfield RC, same time
50. Steve Gibson, Inkland MTS CRT, same time
51. Dafydd Dylan, K.F.S.SpecialVehicles/Sunday Bi, same time
52. Lewis Meadows, Cleveland Wheelers CC, same time
53. James Taylor, Plowman Craven/Evans Cycles RT, same time
54. Ryan Bonser, Recycling.co.uk RT, same time
55. Gareth Hewitt, K.F.S.SpecialVehicles/Sunday Bi, same time
56. Tom Diggle, Recycling.co.uk RT, same time
57. Ben Pochee, Bike&Run London, same time
58. Matt Rowe, Recycling.co.uk RT, same time
59. Martin Ford, Private Member, same time
60. Liam Holoham, Merlin RT, 02:44
61. Andy Roche, Pinarello RT, 04:28