Plowman Craven/Madison Chas Messenger Road Race
Sunday, May 3, 2009; Buckinghamshire
A British Cycling Premier Calendar Event
Report and Photos by Larry Hickmott
(Thanks to Welsh NEG Motorcycle pilot Phil Jones for his help in the race) 
After Ian Wilkinson lead it out, Russell Downing made no mistake as he wins the Chas Messenger for the second year in a row in a sprint at Dorton (Buckinghamshire).
REPORT:
The Plowman Craven/Madison Chas Messenger road race was won today by Russell Downing in a four up sprint. The race started with 90 riders and whilst it took a long time for the splits to happen, the final few laps certainly saw lots of action with a break of a dozen getting away with two to go and then that break splitting soon after.
That left four riders in the lead for the bell lap and despite lots of attacks on that final lap, it was a sprint that decided that the race. Wilkinson lead it out on the up hill, headwind finish with 200 metres to go but it proved to be a long 200 metres and Russell Downing, came from behind, switched the right side of the road and lifted his arms to repeat his victory from 2007 when the event was a two day event.
The area where the race is held is very picturesque. Here the field are still waiting for the flag to drop after the start as they ride through Long Crendon on their way to the circuit.
The Race
A field of 90 riders lined up in Thame for the Premier Calendar race on Sunday with the sun showing itself from time to time and a strong wind providing the riders with a talking point before a pedal had even been turned in anger. At 10.30am, the field set off with 10 NEG riders around them for safety and the five mile ride to get to the course proper and the start of the action.
At the course, with a large group of volunteer marshals on the junctions, the race commenced and I picked it up at the bottom of the Ashendon climb. At this point it was like the race the week before – plenty of moves being made but no breaks able to stick. What does stick in the mind is the image of new Sport Bean/Wilier rider Jonathon Tiernan Locke at the front of the peloton.
He had the AJM Fire Risk Assessment Services KOM competition on his mind and he was joined at the front of the peloton by riders from many of the teams such as Sigma Sport/Specialized and Endura. With still 90 miles of racing to go, the attacks were coming thick and fast. Ian Wilkinson, Simon Gaywood were but two I photographed but there were many more.
Looking at the peloton from a distance, it looked small and I wasn’t sure whether it was because it was 90 riders instead of 200 like last week, or it was indeed smaller. It was the latter and the peloton had split up the Ashendon climb and a group including many from the Arctic-Premier team were chasing hard.
In the front group was a good mix of the teams, and the pace was quick, but it wasn’t because of a well drilled organised effort at the front but thanks to the efforts of the attacks and only a few of the riders willing to make the effort. Riders who the teams had given the task of working hard early on to make the break a success before the team leaders took over.
Halfords Bikehut and Sport Beans were but two teams who had riders at the front and Plowman Craven chose to keep the pace of the big break going by having James Millard go it alone for a good few miles before he was reeled in.
The pace was certainly on and a good four laps in and whilst Millard was making his effort, there were quite a few groups trying to stay in the race. At the front was a group of around 20 but behind were groups of various sizes and in the second group was Malcolm Elliott who has tasted success on this course before. The splits though were short lived and the race came together for a short moment.
Above: Sarah shows the riders how many laps to go and in case of an accident, St John's Ambulance is close at hand.
Then, on the climb out of Dorton, three riders including Ben Greenwood, Ian Wilkinson and a BMC UK rider were away but that was short lived. Dean Downing, Matt Stephens and a few others then put some daylight between themselves and the peloton but again it came back. Another break, this one with the likes of Plowman Craven rider Tom Murray, Jody Crawforth (Arctic-Premier), Rhys Lloyd (Rapha Condor), a Sigma Sport rider and Malcolm Elliott (CandiTV-Marshalls Pasta) in it then got away and it was a key moment in the race.
Mark McNally of Halfords Bikehut had made it into the break but had a problem and dropped back. Signal a problem for Halfords then because with other teams represented they had to chase and chase they did. David Fletcher was especially strong and the effort to bring the race together saw the peloton reduced in numbers.
As the gap came down, on the climb out of Dorton and the riders exploded into action and attacks were going all over the place as Fletcher rode off the front with Evan Oliphant and Kristian House in tow. Russell Downing attacked, Pete Williams was going for it, the action was all over the place and a few miles down the road with the break a few seconds ahead, the race was in pieces. 
Above: Behind a break, all hell breaks lose up the climb at Dorton as Russell Downing is just one of many having a go at getting across.
The selections were now being made and at last, we really did have a bike race on our hands. No sooner had the race, or what was left of it, come together than Russell Downing was up to his usual trick of attacking. The peloton again split into three and whilst what was left of the peloton came together before the climb of Ashendon, what Olympic bronze medalist Chris Newton did up Ashendon caused major problems for many and a juicy selection of possible winners made.
Newton drove it long and hard up Ashendon and by the top, a small group was away. Riders spotted in it included Dean Downing, Tom Murray, Jonathon Tiernan Locke, Ian Wilkinson, David Fletcher, Ian Bibby, Yanto Barker, Kristian House, Chris Newton, and Russell Downing. Past the finish line, and Sarah was adding some glamour to the race by showing the lap board with a big number 2 on it showing two laps to go. Race on!
What was left of the peloton was only 15 seconds back on the break but we knew it was over for them. This was a very strong lead group and they were working hard to make it succeed. The chase group were being lead by the Endura team with Sigma also there but with teammates up the road, the likes of Dan Craven (Rapha Condor) and Malcolm Elliott were hardly likely to help the cause of the other teams to bring the leaders back.
At the front, the break was racing ahead, opening up a gap and behind them, a lone Tom Murray was fighting a losing battle to stay with them and going backwards. Perhaps it was a mechanical, or perhaps it was the attacking going on in the break. When we rejoined them, they were in full attack mode and soon a split in the group appeared. 
Above: Chris Newton splits the race with three laps to go up the climb at Ashendon. It was the start of the winning break and the most exciting part of the race!
Yanto Barker was the big loser, finding himself losing ground on the break with Chris Newton, Ian Bibby and Pete Williams, all of them having teammates up front. We had six in the lead now, Russell and Dean Downing, Jon Tiernan Locke, Kristian House, David Fletcher and Ian Wilkinson. Two Rapha, two Halfords and one each from Sport Beans and CandiTV.
Russell got on the radio and a little later on the Ashendon climb, he attacked. Dean Downing went backwards first and David Fletcher also let a gap open up in front of him. It was down to four. House went to the radio too to find out what his team’s situation was and Wilko was at the back of the four hoping Fletcher would get back on as he was only a few seconds adrift at this point. Russell Downing though was having none if and he drove it hard at the front. It took a while but the foursome saw off the rest and when it was clear, and no-one was coming back to the fold, they all started to work with one lap of the race to go.
Behind, Fletcher continued to chase alone, and behind him, the next group was lead by Dean Downing trying to get Chris Newton and himself back into contention. Through the feed zone, Newton was away with Bibby and chasing the leaders who were working well until they approached the climb of Ashendon. Before that, Ian Wilkinson had had a dig but the others were on him straight away and it wasn’t until the climb of Ashendon before the attacks resumed. 
Above: Final climb, and Russell Downing counters an attack by Kristian House and the break loses a rider.
Kristian House went but the others responded, then Russell Downing attacked and it was all too much for a cramping Tiernan Locke who lost contact on the ascent. Whilst the leaders continued to try and gain the upper hand on their rivals, we went to the finish only five k away and awaited the leaders. As it happened, they were still all together and leading the sprint out was Ian Wilkinson.
Watching through the long lens, I knew the Halfords rider had gone too early and sure enough, Downing bided his time and soon came out from behind, switched to the right and could soon see his challengers had gone and he raised two hands in victory. Again, what a race!
Above: Podium of Ian Wilkinson (2nd), Russell Downing (1st) and Kristian House (3rd).
Result
1. Russ Downing Candi Tv-Marshalls Pasta Rt 03:52:32
2. Ian Wilkinson Halfords Bike Hut St
3. Kristian House Rapha Condor St
4. Jonathon Tiernan Locke Sports Bean-Wilier St
5. Ian Bibby Halfords Bike Hut 01:19
6. Chris Newton Rapha Condor 01:42
7. Mathew Kipling Kuk Kinesis 02:38
8. Malcolm Elliot Candi Tv-Marshalls Pasta Rt St
9. Stephen Adams Plowman Craven- Madison Ct St
10. Will Bjergfelt Sports Bean-Wilier St
11. Matt Stephens Sigma Sport-Specialized-Sportful Rt St
12. Yanto Barker Lecol-Colnago St
13. Dan Craven Rapha Condor St
14. James Sampson Candi Tv-Marshalls Pasta Rt St
15. Evan Oliphant Plowman Craven- Madison Ct St
16. Callum Wilkinson Endura Racing St
17. Tom Last Sigma Sport-Specialized-Sportful Rt St
18. Ben Greenwood Rapha Condor 02:56
19. Tom Murray Plowman Craven- Madison Ct St
20. Duncan Urquhart Endura Racing 03:36
21. Simon Gaywood Team Corley Cycles St
22. Peter Williams Candi Tv-Marshalls Pasta Rt St
23. James Stewart Kuk Kinesis 04:27
24. Alex Bhogal Kuk Kinesis St
25. James Moss Kuk Kinesis St
26. Christopher Mcnamara Team Corley Cycles St
27. Walter Sybrandy Sigma Sport-Specialized-Sportful Rt St
28. Dean Downing Rapha Condor 05:38
29. David Fletcher Halfords Bike Hut St
30. Mark Wordsworth Team Corley Cycles St
Premier Calendar Standings
1. Russell Downing, Candi TV - Pinarello, 338
2. Andy Tennant, Team Halfords-Bikehut, 239
3. Ian Wilkinson, Team Halfords-Bikehut, 228
4. Marcin Bialoblocki, Sport Beans-Wilier, 222
5. Kristian House, Rapha Condor, 168
6. Peter Williams, Candi TV - Pinarello, 128
7. Simon Gaywood, Team Corley Cycles, 118
8. Tom Murray, Plowman Craven-Madison, 117
9. Will Bjergfelt, Sport Beans-Wilier, 105
10. Rob Partridge, Team Halfords-Bikehut, 101
Post Race Rider Reactions
Russell Downing (winner): Talking about the early laps laps, he says “you could feel the tension and I knew from five out it was going to split but when we were not sure.” Russell then talked about the final section of the race when the peloton was reduced down to twenty or thirty riders.
“We kept trying to split that and I saw Dean (his brother!) was struggling so I put a really hard one in, and then it was similar to last year where Kristian was sitting on because Chris Newton was coming across, and I was like, oh no, I’ve been here before!”
“I’m not having this again so I just rode. Wilko (Ian Wilkinson) was in a bit of a tricky situation because Ian Bibby was with Chris Newton so I just said to Jon, just roll and it went up to 25 seconds and we held it there and then it went up again and I said to Kristian, it’s a minute, come on, and he started working.”
Talking about the strength of the field, Russell told us “we were looking at the programme last night and there were 80 riders and you could see all these big teams. In the moves, there were riders from a lot of the teams in them and it was a bit like checkmate at times when no one wanted to commit. When I saw the distance today, and how lumpy it was, I thought perfect, natural selection and that was it. It was a wearing down course and everyone in the break was legless so it was who ever had the most left at the finish”.
Above: Kristian House has a go at getting away on the climb to Ashendon.
Kristian House (3rd): “Chris (Newton) was coming across on the last lap so I could sit on but when I heard the gap was too big for them to cross, I started to work and I attacked on the last climb but the only one we got rid of was Jonathon Tiernan Locke. After that, there weren’t many places to have a go so it came down to a sprint.”
“It was tough course today and it wears you down. In the beginning it was like these climbs are not that bad but on the last few laps I knew they would be hard. I said to the guys in the beginning, take it easy when we had four guys in that first move. Doing your part but we had no reason to put ourselves into boxes that early”
The break Kristian refers to is the one on the second time up the climb at Ashendon when some one let a wheel go and the peloton split and a large group lost time and had to chase for quite a few laps to get back on. Kristian is now looking ahead to the Lincoln GP, a race he has won before and one of his aims in British races.
Ian Wilkinson (2nd) “I went just before the 200 (metres to go). I thought the best way to beat Rus was to try and gap him to start with and get rid of his jump but he’s a strong rider too. I got to 50 metres to go and started pedaling squares.
“The lads ride brilliantly today. Young Seb (Batchelor) had a great ride early on and Fletch (Fletcher) were strong at the front and Bibs (Ian Bibby) was going for the mountains which covered all them moves so it was a very very good team effort today.”
Ian admitted that he had underestimated the circuit which he said was very tiresome. “I have had a bit of a training week on the quiet and I was going on last years race where the course was easier so I thought I’ll be able to train through it. Hopefully my form though is a good sign for next week. My form on the road is good but I have a bit of work to do but when we get there, it will be golden.”
Above: Jonathon Tiernan Locke on the podium for winning the King of the Mountains prize. Tom Murray and Ian Bibby were his closest challengers for the award.
Jonathon Tiernan Locke (4th): “I’m fairly happy with the ride. I am gutted that I was cramping the last time up the hill and didn’t have the legs to go with the moves but got back on at the bottom corner but I couldn’t sprint either”.
On the team effort, Jonathon says “I haven’t been with the team long but off the back of the success at the Girvan, we have the confidence to take it to them now and start attacking. We like to get involved in the races and not sit back. The course was okay – I would like the climbs to have been a bit longer but by the time we had done 100 miles over them, they were pretty hard.”
