2009 Hillingdon Grand Prix

May 17, Hillingdon Cycle Circuit (West London)
Report & photos by Larry Hickmott

The first round of the 2009 Men's Elite Circuit Series was won on Sunday, May 17, by the winner of the last round in 2008, Plowman Craven/Madison's Jeroen Jansen. He was part of a three man break that escaped in the second half of the race with Roy Chamberlain (Corley Cycles) and Dan Craven (Rapha Condor) and although there was a fast and furious chase, it was not an organised one and the trio remained clear to the end. In the other National Series event for Women, the race was decided by a bunch gallop where the winner was Janet Birkmyre.


The Youth race gets under way in the rain....

 A day out at Hillingdon
The day dawned bright and sunny at Hillingdon but that soon changed and when I arrived to find the start/finish gantry being assembled, the circuit was engulfed in wind and rain. It was cold too and the Youth riders had the worst of the weather for their event which started at 10.45. Run off in two races, there were races within the races for all the categories with the latter one for the Under 16 riders being won by a sprint finish.

 Whilst the results were being compiled and a presentation held, riders in the 3-4 event, a smaller field than normal at Hillingdon, gathered for their race with the weather now improving although the wind was still blowing as strong as ever.  The race unfolded as many category 3-4 ones do and whilst there were a few riders willing to try and get away, making a break stick was proving impossible until Eagle RT rider Chris Baldwin attacked and opened up a small gap.

The lead he had was only ever a small one, and riders in ones and twos, tried to cross the gap, but no-one managed to do it. The lone leader continued to hold his lead lap after lap and when the riders were given the 5 laps to go board, he looked every part a winner. And so it was because despite a lone chase by youth rider Oliver Rossi, Baldwin held on to win the race from Rossi with Charlie Heffernan coming in for third place.

Russell Painter leads Charlie Heffernan as they pursue Oliver Rossi and Chris Baldwin. Right: A victory for Chris Baldwin

Women’s National Series Race
The weather was a lot better by the time this event was held and a field of riders every bit as big as the race before lined up to do battle around this purpose built cycle circuit. The riders were gridded according to their ranking in the series and then given the call to start racing by chief comm, Colin Docker. Charlie Blackman in her new Bikefit kit was noticeable at the front trying to get away as was Dutch based rider, Emma Trott who also tried hard to get a break going. Natalie Creswick was another who was not afraid to feel the wind in her face as she tried to put some space between her and the bunch but she too was never given any freedom.


Emma Trott trying to escape

 Dani King meanwhile was showing her sprinting form was in good shape in the mid race sprints and establishing herself as a favourite should the race come down to a sprint. But there were the riders who did not want a sprint and another of these was Under 16 rider Hannah Barnes, part of a cycling family. The Pinarello rider tried her luck with Natalie Creswick who had won a stage of the Bedford Two Day recently and the two of them had the best break of the day, staying away lap after lap and looking good for a long time to hold off the bunch.

The peloton however continued to hunt them down and in the closing laps as the bunch gathered momentum for the final sprint, Hannah and Natalie were reeled in. It was going to be a bunch sprint and the Max Gear team got onto the front and did their best to control the pace and the favourites were lined up behind the Max Gear rider with Dani King and Jessica Booth just two of the faces of potential winners all close to the front as the bell rang out.

Eventual winner Birkmyre was still a dozen or so places back at this stage but as the riders rounded the bend at the end of the long straight, it was the veteran track sprinter who had got the better of her rivals, having time to raise an arm in victory as she crossed the line. Victory was hers and on the podium she celebrated the victory by showering the crowd in front of the British Cycling truck with champagne.


Birkmyre wins the sprint for the line in the Women's event.

Elite Circuit Series


Start of the mens race

The final race of the day assembled on the start/finish in the same weather that we had seen at the start of the day – wind and rain. Even the riders from up north were saying how ‘grim’ it was but at least the rain was light and only showers rather than the continuous downpour we had in the morning. Like the women, the riders were gridded and last years winner, Graham Briggs with a cracked rib from the Chas Messenger was on the start line as was British Circuit race champion Dean Downing in his all white skinsuit and bike. British Road Race champion Rob Hayles was also there as was Olympic Gold medallist Ed Clancy.

With the strong wind blowing the rain into my camera lens, the race got underway and the field of 90 riders were soon lined out down the start/finish straight as the team of Plowman Craven/Madison took the race to everyone and were constantly attacking off the front. They were joined by riders from all teams with Rapha Condor’s Dan Craven noticeable off the front in breaks and Dean Downing too getting stuck in and crossing to any break that looked promising. Eventual winner Jeroen Jansen though was looking very promising getting in breaks and constantly at the front of the race.

In one break, again with Dan Craven, Jansen had teammate Tom Murray with him for company but that break, like so many others, came to nothing and as the race wore on, the riders who had looked so comfortable in the wheels early on, were now grimacing and struggling to hold on. With no tight bends to sprint out of, the pace of the race was telling on the legs of many riders but the race still had over half the riders out on the course and together in a big group, constantly lined out and splitting at the front.  One rider who was having problems but it wasn’t the legs was Dean Downing. He could be seen visibly spinning his pedals around faster than anyone else and it wasn’t some new training routine – he was stuck in the 19 sprocket!

Bike problems for Dean Downing

He came into the pits and after some flexing of the cables, the gears appeared to be working and he put into a big gear and went back out into the race, into the peloton with a group of a eight or so riders away at the stage including Olympic Gold Medallist Ed Clancy, Doug Dewey, Stephen Adams, and Jason White. This break came back but another formed, three riders Dan Craven, Roy Chamberlain and Jeroen Jansen. The lead was slender, 20 seconds but they were working well together. Plowman Craven tried to get a second rider to them and two had a go including Tony Gibb but they couldn’t cross the gap even though they got close and the leading trio continued to lead the race.

And that was how it stayed with the peloton seemingly resigned to the podium places going to the three out front over the final 10 laps. But who would win? Chamberlain was more known as a climber and little was known of the sprint prowess of Namibian champion Dan Craven and those who had braved the elements at the finish didn’t have to wait long as Jansen came sprinting round the corner, arms already well aloft and head back smiling in celebration of a great victory. Craven was second and veteran Chamberlain in third, belying his age and doing a ‘Malcolm Elliott’ in a race packed with talented youngsters.


Victory is ever so sweet for Jeroen!

As he waited to receive his champagne and flowers, the winner spoke to me saying “that was brilliant. With all the effort Simon (Barnes) is putting in, I’m glad we can give something back and show what we can do as a team. I did a pretty good Lincoln  I think and I know as a crit rider, I am fairly good so I was confident. I didn’t miss a move today and to finish it like this was brilliant. All of us in the break worked great together and we worked until the last straight and then we sprinted for it and I got it -- I’m well happy now.”

Dan Craven: “I was active today and didn’t expect to be feeling great today but after the first few laps, the legs came, and I was trying to cover moves for Dean. If we have a guy down the road, he can be a little more relaxed in the peloton. When we got away, I didn’t really think we were going to stay away until the gap got up to 40 seconds. On the course, there are some points you can see the chasers and once we went around that corner and I couldn’t see them, that was the first time I thought we could hang on. All three of us worked well together and on the finishing straight, Jeroen got the jump first and I just misjudged it a bit and once he had the jump with the tailwind, there was no catching him. This was a good introduction to the crits to come and this race was easier for me in comparison to those to come because I’m not really a crit rider.”

Dan Craven leads the break from Jansen and Chamberlain (right)

Roy Chamberlain:  “I’m really pleased with that result.  I came here with the intention of helping Simon (Gaywood) and Matt (Higgins) and setting our stall out for the crits to come. I covered a move and away we went. We kept it really smooth and that was the secret today. All it takes is hesitation for five or six seconds and you’re away and whilst we did work hard, the secret was keeping it smooth. I’d look across and see the likes of Rob Hayles purging and unless he’s going to bring the whole lot up in the one go, he’s going to stop at one point and everybody eases off again and you pull away. I was nervous on the first few laps, especially with the bends being wet but it dried out and the circuit was fine. With the quality of the riders here, you can trust those around you and if you bump shoulder’s they’re not going to panic.”

The next event for Roy and his Corley Cycles team is the Tour Series crit in Milton Keynes. His sponsor, Phil Corley, is Milton Keynes based and so the team are excited by the event. “We’re all right up for it. I’ll do as much as I can and it may suit me because its not that technical. Simon loves it dead technical but as I go on, I prefer the simple circuits and if I can help get him into a position for a result, that would be brilliant, on home soil as well. If you can’t motivated for an event like that, what can you?”


Bunch gallop for fourth place.


Elite Circuit Series
1  Jeroen Janssen Plowman Craven/Madison*
2  Dan Craven Rapha Condor
3  Roy Chamberlain Tm Corley Cycles/Cervelo/Pro
4  Ed Clancey Halfords Bike Hut
5  Rob Hayles Halfords Bike Hut
6  Simon Gaywood Tm Corley Cycles/Cervelo/Pro
7  Tony Gibb Plowman Craven/Madison*
8  Jon Mozley Plowman Craven/Madison*
9  Dean Downing Rapha Condor
10  Lee Smith Agiskoviner
11  Malcolm Elliot Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta RT
12  Daniel Duguid Sigma Sport/Specialised/Sportful
13  Stephen Adams Plowman Craven/Madison*
14  Warwick Spence Cyclefit RT
15  Shannon Dean BMC UK/Spuik/Mule Bar
16  Jo Skelton Brixton Cycles
17  Andy Tennants Halfords Bike Hut
18  Darrell Pembroke Agiskoviner
19  George Richardson Pendragon-Kalas
20  Jody Crawforth Arctic-Premier RT
21  Richard Hepworth Arctic-Premier RT
22  Simon Holt Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta RT
23  Rhys Lloyd Rapha Condor
24  Ben Price UKCycleshops.com/Fat Spanner
25  Sylvain Garde Addiscombe CC
26  Nick Abraham BC PM
27  Gary Adamson Science in Sport
28  Matthew Holmes Arctic-Premier RT
29  Andy Tinsley Science in Sport
30  Liam Holdham Rapha Condor
31  Matthew Higgins Tm Corley Cycles/Cervelo/Pro
32  Billy-Joe Whenman Sports Bean/Wilier
33  Peter Johnson Tor 2000
34  Daniel Davies Sabbath-Claytan RT
35  Graham Briggs Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta RT
36  Alistair Rutherford Science in Sport
37  Rider Obscured
38  Doug Dewey Pendragon-Kalas
39  Tim Rowson J E James RT
40  Sam Allen A W Cycles
41  Richard Tanguy Pendragon-Kalas
42  Vincent Halpern A W Cycles
43  Paul Mill Tm Edwardes/Pinarello
44  Rider Obscured
45  Tom Collier Pendragon-Kalas
46  Colin Roshier Tm Quest
47  James Jackson Ciclos Uno
48  Scott Holmes Hillingdon CC
49  Adam Norris BMC UK/Spuik/Mule Bar


WOMEN'S RACE
1. Janet Birkmyre, XRT Elmy Cycles
2. Jessica Booth, Halesowen A&CC
3. Dani King, Vision 1 RT
4. Nicola Juniper, Glendene CC
5. Kelly Moore, Squadradonne/Luciano Cycles
6. Charlotte Colclough, Wielerclub Hand in Hand Baal
7. Emma Trott, R&TC Groenewoud
8. Kara Chesworth, Dysynni CC
9. Harriet Owen, Bicester Millennium CC
10. Cassie Gledhill, DNA Cycles
11. Claire Thomas, Edinburgh RC/Bicycleworks.com
12. Jackie Garner, Max Gear RT
13. Gema Habard, Met Police CC
14. Hannah Rich, Pinarello/Candi TV RT
15. Hayley Edwards, Halesowen A&CC
16. Hannah Barnes, Pinarello/Candi TV RT
17. Number wrongly postioned, Rider Unidentified
18. Elise Laverick, Pearsons Cycles
19. Jayne Paine, Willesden CC
20. Natalie Hill, Hilingdon Slipstreamers
21. Diane Moss, BC PM
22. Marianne Brietten, Max Gear RT
23. Natalie Creswick, Twickenham CC/Evans
24. Cheryl Owens, GS Metro
25. Emma Williams, Twickenham CC/Evans
26. Elizbeth Chittenden, Eagle RC
27. Cath Weiss, M&D Cycles/Specialized
28. Bernadette Hards, Max Gear RT
29. Karen Price, Dulwich Paragon
30. Emma Patterson, London Dynamo
31. Nikki Wheeler, i-team CC
32. Jeanette Caldicott, Max Gear RT
33. Joanne McRae, VC Londres
34. Rohan Battison, DNA Cycles
35. Charlie Blackman, London Dynamo

National Series Primes
First Prime
5pts Emma Trott R&TC Groenewoud
3pts Penny Rowson Tm Mischiefcard
2pts Elise Laverick Pearsons Cycles
1pt Jessica Booth Halesowen A&CC

Second Prime
5pts Dani King Vision 1 RT
3pts Bernadette Hards Max Gear RT
2pts Nicola Juniper Glendene CC
1pt Claire Thomas Edinburgh RC/Bicycleworks

Category 3-4
1  Chris Baldwin Eagle RC
2  Oliver Rossi Glendene CC / Biketrek
3  Charlie  Heffernan VC Jubilee
4  Russell Painter Norwood Paragon
5  Miles Stovold Dulwich Paragon
6  David Williams London Dynamo
7  Dan Hayes VC Lincoln
8  Ben Spurrier Team Mule Bar
9  Jason Ormston Team Quest
10  James Norris High Wycombe CC
11  Scott Amory Gemini BC
12  Kieran Dineen Amersham RCC
13  Mark Walters BC PM
14  David Gayler Kenton Road Club

YOUTH

Under 16 boys 
1. Dante Carpenter, Fit For
2. Tanveer Mann, Hillingdon Slipstreamers
3. Daniel Snow, Welwyn Wheelers
4. David Swan, Fit For
5. Lawrence Carpenter, Hillingdon Slipstreamers
6. Baysal Mehmed, Hillingdon Slipstreamers
7. George Moore, CC Giro
8. Declan Higgins, Twickenham CC

Under 14 boys 
1. Daniel Maslin, Hillingdon Slipstreamers
2. Andy Shackel, I-team
3. Max Stedman, Reading CC
4. Chris Girgis, Hillingdon Slipstreamers

Under 14 girls 
1. Alice Barnes Palmer Park Velo RT
2. Katie Metalli Palmer Park Velo RT
3. Emily Barnes Palmer Park Velo RT
4. Lauren Savage Hillingdon Slipstreamers
 
Under 12 boys 
1. Jake Howes Hillingdon Slipstreamers
2. David Barnes Palmer Park Velo RT
3. Henry Dawson Hillingdon Slipstreamers
4. Jack Bradford Hillingdon Slipstreamers
 
Under 12 girls 
1. Kirsten Savage Hillingdon Slipstreamers
 
Under 10 boys 
1. Harry Tadman Hillingdon Slipstreamers
2. Charles Page Hillingdon Slipstreamers
3. Carl Jolly Hillingdon Slipstreamers
4. Niall Dawkins Hillingdon Slipstreamers
5. Rory Bradford Hillingdon Slipstreamers
 
Under 8 boys 
1. Thomas Barrowcliffe Hillingdon Slipstreamers
2. Matt Farrow Eagle RC
3. Tim Dineen Hillingdon Slipstreamers