Revolution #24 (Manchester)
21-Feb-2009
Report: Eddie Allen | Photos: Larry Hickmott - Courtesy of British Cycling The final Revolution of the 2008/09 season had everything. Retiring heroes, young riders coming of age, a former 400metre runner taking to the boards, Daley Thompson and the theme from Allo Allo. Eddie Allen reports on a typical big night out in Manchester. Madison Event If the Madison Championship was good, the Revolution madison was even better as Chris Newton and Luke Rowe fought off a big challenge from the Spanish team to win that race. 3 Chris Newton O2 Elite Team 12.5km Points Race Points race specialist Newton and young endurance rider Luke Rowe took a comfortable victory in the Elite Team 12.5km Points race. Newton and Luke Rowe were always going to be a classy pairing, with leg speed and guile to spare. And you certainly needed both in this 'points race with a difference'. The race was split neatly down the middle, with man one from each team riding the first half of the race before swapping with man two for the remainder. Add in sprints every 10 laps and you realise that to win this one you need to be chess-player, mathematician and athlete all rolled into one. Newton and Rowe ticked all the boxes. 3 Chris Newton O2 21pts Elite Team 1 Lap Flying Time Trial Ed Clancy and Steven Burke took top honours in yet another new Revolution flavour - an interesting event which continued the heavy Madison theme of the evening. The event went like this: The opening rider led out then hand slinged (or slung) the second into a flying one lap effort. Gibb and Murray were first up and it seemed that nobody could else could break the 14 second barrier and offer them a challenge. Their time stood for most of the evening, until first Newton and Rowe, then the irrepressible Clancy and Burke deposed them with a stunning 42mph ride. 1. Clancy/Burke 13.243
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