Courtesy of British Cycling and Larry Hickmott

The final event of the season-long Premier Calendar road race series was promoted by Richmond Cycling Club over an extremely tough 81 mile North Yorkshire moor circuit. The race took the 110 riders over the savage climbs of Butter Tubs and Scarth Nick before three ascents of Waitwith Bank on the final finishing circuit.

Russell Downing (CandiTV/Pinarello) was on the start line at Richmond with the Premier Calendar series already in the bag. The Rotherham based rider has dominated the series winning six of the previous nine rounds. His closest rival being his brother Dean Downing (Rapha/Condor/Recycling) who in his best ever season has won 624 Premier Calendar points. Evan Oliphant (Plowman Craven) was favourite to take the third place in the series today after Rob Hayles (Halfords Bikehut) failed to sign on.

The Richmond Grand Prix was revived last year by the Richmond Cycling Club and race director Geoff Lloyd has done a superb job in organising sponsors and the local community to support the race. Geoff was unable to be at today's event due to a sudden illness and club mate James Hall did a magnificent job stepping into Geoff's shoes for the race.

Bright sunshine greeted the riders as they lined up for the start in front of a huge crowd in Richmond Market place. The flagged was dropped and the peloton rode off to enthusiastic applause from the crowd to begin their long day in the saddle.

With the road season drawing to a close the riders were keen to have a good race at Richmond. The Plowman Craven team have not had a single PC win all season, the Rapha Condor Recycling team have had some good wins thanks to Dean Downing, but the likes of Kristian House and Chris Newton have failed to make an impact on the series. During the previous week lots of riders had talked about doing a ride at Richmond and on-form climber Liam Holohan (Pearl-Izumi) was hoping the hilly circuit would get him his first PC podium place.

Out of the neutralised section and it was CandiTV-Pinarello who sent the first rider up the road. Peter Williams with a superb 2nd place under his belt from the Beaumont Trophy race was like a whippet out of the traps as the peloton rode through Hudswell. The young rider was soon reeled back in and it was the turn of Richard Hepworth (Wakefield CC) to try his luck at the front as they raced through the picturesque village of Reeth.

The first serious break of the day came from Rob Partridge (Rapha/Condor/Recycling), Matt Stephens (SigmaSport) and Tom Murray (CandiTV-Pinarello). By the time this small group had reached Muker they had established a lead of over 30 seconds. The peloton was taking things easy with most riders anxious about the climb of Butter Tubs. Andrew Tinsley (Pearl-Izumi) decided to try and limit the damage and got a short advantage on the bunch as they began the climb.

Up with the leaders and Rob Partridge was stretching the legs of Stephens and Murray on the long ascent. Murray was clearly suffering and lost contact. Partridge looked effortless as he scanned the horizon trying to work out if he could see the prime line. Butter Tubs is a killer, when you think you are at the top there is another brutal climb to the summit. At the top Partridge took the prime and maximum points for the KoM classification, worth £200 to the winner.

With Tom Murray safely back in the main field Partridge and Stephens continued to work together through the feed zone at Askrigg. Their lead was now down to a slender 18 seconds. With a long way still to go the two guys weighed up their chances of staying away and wisely sat up waiting for the peloton. Plowman Craven and CandiTV-Pinarello riders were heading the depleted main field and the two breakaways were caught on the approach to Redmire.

The climb of Scarth Nick took the riders up over Redmire Moor towards the prime point. Rob Partridge still had his eye on the KoM prize and led the group towards the moor. Over the top and Partridge took maximum points in front of Simon Richardson (Plowman Craven) and Liam Holohan (Pearl-Izumi). The race was now split into two distinct groups. The lead group containing all the danger men had an advantage of over a minute on the back markers. After the prime of Scarth Nick Dean Downing (Rapha/Condor/Recycling), Kit Gilham (Kinesis) and Simon Richardson (Plowman Craven) attacked. They were soon joined by Kristian House (Rapha/Condor/Recycling) and Will Bjergfelt (Felt Racing). Behind the group had split apart and riders were fighting to stay in the race.

This lead group was then joined by Russell Downing, Robin Sharman, Simon Richardson and Chris Newton. Liam Holohan had missed the decisive split and was now heading a group of riders about 25 seconds behind.

With 50 miles of racing behind them and three laps of the 10 mile finishing circuit left the leaders settled down to destroying each other. The pace was high and soon Malcolm Elliott, Chris Newton, Kit Gilham and Will Bjergfelt had been dropped. Gilham was soon back up to the leaders, but riding off the back of his team car resulted in a warning from the moto-commissaire and he was lucky to stay in the race.

On the second lap of the finishing circuit the race winning move was formed. Cat and mouse racing between the leading group had caused the weaker riders to lose contact. The finger of blame can be firmly pointed at the Downing Brothers. Russell Downing was by far the strongest rider in the break, he spent 80% of his time driving the break and trying to get others to do their share. The Downing brothers give value for money and they know how to race, on opposing teams they have little if any family loyalty and they try to ride each other into the ground. Dean would attack and Russ would quickly be glued to his wheel. Seconds later Russ attacked and soon the Downing?s had only Simon Richardson for company.

With a time check of 25 seconds back to the chasers the lead group of Russ Downing, Dean Downing and Simon Richardson looked as though they had the podium sorted with 1 lap to go. Just behind Chris Newton (Rapha/Condor/Recycling) and Evan Oliphant (Plowman Craven) were still trying to make contact with the Downing group. Their team managers were relaying information up to Dean Downing for the Rapha squad and Richardson for The Plowmans. The result being Dean Downing and Richardson stopped working with Russell.

Russell was furious but stayed at the front and drove the break as though his life depended on it. Dean Downing was torn and could be seen glancing back to try and work out if Newton was getting any closer. On the last climb of Waitwith Bank Chris Newton finally made contact with the leaders, as he rode up to them Russell Downing attacked and Dean went with him, leaving Richardson and Newton struggling. Chris Newton was enraged and immediately began shouting into his radio.

With about 8 miles to go Russell Downing was leading his brother Dean. Simon Richardson clawed his way back to the brothers and suddenly came to life. He must have now realised that team mate Evan Oliphant was not going to get up to them and that Chris Newton posed a big threat to his chance of a podium position. Richardson went to the front and as the riders crossed Hipswell Moor for the final time Chris Newton had finally been dropped.

The three leaders had now only to negotiate the tricky descent into the finish at Richmond. The class of Russell Downing must have been clear to see for his breakaway companions and he was always the favourite to take the win in Richmond Market place. At the foot of the cobbled climb up to the finish it was the two Downing brothers who were neck and neck. Russ got the jump on his elder brother and flew up the steep finish to cross the line 3 seconds ahead of Dean. Simon Richardson held onto third place with a very disappointed Chris Newton crossing the line 23 seconds behind the winner.

Results

1 Russell Downing CandiTV - Pinarello RT
2 Dean Downing Rapha Condor Recycling
3 Simon Richardson Plowman Craven
4 Chris Newton Rapha Condor Recycling
5 Kristian House Rapha Condor Recycling
6 Malcolm Elliott CandiTV - Pinarello RT
7 David Clarke Team Lacuna
8 Robin Sharman SigmaSport
9 Kit Gilham Kinesis
10 Evan Oliphant Plowman Craven