Tour Series 2009 - Round 8
Southam Goes Solo while Halfords Win the Team Game
Tom Southam celebrates long and loud after eight laps or so out front alone to win his first round of the Tour Series. More photos can be viewed by clicking the link at the top of the page or this link to view the high res slideshow.
Going into Round 8 of the Tour Series you could have thrown a handkerchief over the top four teams, never mind a blanket. A miserly 4 points separated Halfords Bikehut, Candi TV-Marshalls Pasta, Rapha-Condor and the Madison squads, with the laurels resting on the shoulders of the riders in the leading team, Halfords.
However, as the dust settled on the eighth round's racing, there was a little more daylight in the overall positions after Halfords once more took the spoils following a furious finale.
Colchester delivered the longest and one of the toughest circuits on this year's Tour Series, the drag up Queen's Street being the most significant climb of any round, and following a superb afternoon of support events including schools' races and ‘Pimp my Bike' competitions, the race rolled out at the customary 7.00pm start time.
With a reasonably stiff headwind on the start finish straight, the early pace was relatively sedate by Tour Series standards, with the main players happy to sit in the bunch and ease themselves into yet another round of gladiatorial, city-centre bike racing that even the once-Roman inhabitants of this Essex city would have surely have enjoyed.
The race began with the flag being dropped from the balcony of the Town Hall
As the clock began the one hour countdown, after the five early laps, Dean Downing stretched his legs and was joined by Rapha-Condor team mate Tom Southam on the front, however things were yet to hot up fully until Russ Downing hit the front to take the first Sprint easily. The Candi TV man strung the 50 man field out, lifting the speed considerably and ensuring that the gas was turned up to high.
Round 8 of the 10-round series was beginning to witness some heavy team tactics. Unlike the earlier rounds where furious attacking was prevalent from the off, the leading teams were now very much aware of what was at stake as this inaugural series headed closer towards its conclusion in Southend. The fellow Essex venue of Colchester was witnessing a game of chess.
Twenty minutes in and the Rapha-Condor and Madison squads exchanged some pleasantries in the home straight as the bunch remained intact, tapping out an average speed of 28mph. Then with sprint 2 on the horizon, it was time for Russ Downing to once more show off the Candi TV colours at the head of affairs, dragging a Team Halfords, Rapha-Condor, Sport Beans and Cyclingbargains rider with him as a five-man group gained a little breathing space on the main field.
This promising move was soon to be snuffed out by the chasing group however.
Interestingly, as the race passed the half-way stage, the new overall leading Team of Halfords BikeHut were conspicuous by their absence in any significant moves. However, the boys in gold have become race-savvy in this new form of competition and as their tactics showed in Peterborough, Blackpool and Southport the team race is won in the last few laps and the Halfords legion was yet to unleash its arsenal.
Sprint 3 saw Endura rider Evan Oliphant making one of his signature forays off the front to take the 5 points, and as the Scot eased over the line, that man Russ Downing hammered up to his back wheel to take second. With eight laps to go, the whole field were back together with another Tour Series bunch gallop looking evermore likely
With six to go however, Rapha-Condor launched the inform Tom Southam off the front as the Teams looked at each other for a reaction. Such was the poker game at this stage, that by the time another two laps had passed under their wheels, Southam had a 20 second lead, with Endura's leading light Evan Oliphant once more on the attack trying to bridge the gap to Southam. The main field was a further 10 seconds back.
With three laps and 5km left, the chances of the valiant Rapha-Condor riders' escape succeeding were growing as Halfords rolled four men across the start finish line almost 30 seconds back. Oliphant was still nesstled between the two in no-mans-land.
On the right is Evan Oliphant (Endura) being swallowed up by the Halfords train lead by Ian Bibby.
Into the last lap and Southam's win looked guaranteed as he had a 25 second advantage but the ever aggressive Oliphant had now been swept up by a fast-moving group headed by Team Halfords. Ian Bibby and David Fletcher buried themselves on the last lap ensuring that they gave the chosen-three of Wilkinson, Hayles and Clancy a superb spring-board into the last kilometre.
The individual race was won, and how, by an ecstatic Tom Southam who started his celebration 200 metres out from the line as he rolled over the line, arms aloft. But the all-important team prize was all to play for. At 200 metres to go and the mass of remaining Tour Series teams jostled for positions, lots of argy bargy keeping the sprinters honest with the inevitable trade-mark Rudy Project pink glasses of Candi TV man Russ Downing and big brother Dean leading the charge. It was going to take a photo to sort that lot out.
As the crowd, and team managers alike held their breaths for the Team result it was the Halfords Bike Hut squad who had placed their first three riders highest, with Ian Wilkinson 4th, Rob Hayles 5th and Ed Clancy in 7th ensuring that the Halfords boys took their fourth team win and the eighth round spoils. Rapha-Condor took second on the night, with Candi TV-Marshalls Pasta in third.
The team result only went to cement the overall team leader's position inhabited by Halfords, and as the race moves into the final week of double-headers, Chester and Southend, the boys-in-gold will be a tough act to topple.
Post Race Reactions
Tom Southam (Rapha Condor) "I enjoyed that! I don't win much but I have to make the most of it when I do" he said of his finish straight long celebration. "Our best tactic is to get people down the road and then get Deano and Matt maybe for the sprint."
"Man, that headwind was evil. That really hurt. I know I have good form at the moment and in Canada I was going really well. That effort was like the time trial in Canada. I knew it was similar effort and I was flat out for the last few laps. I couldn't take a breath and even on the descent, when you're in the lead you just keep going. Form is right on cue for a couple of weekend's time "
Russell Downing (CandiTV/Marshalls Pasta): "The legs were on fire tonight which was good. I'm getting used to these things now. It was okay for us to have Tom out there we let him ride and then see what we could do in the sprint."
Russell Downing wins the bunch gallop for second and also won the Sprints award.
Dean Downing (Rapha Condor): "That was a hard hard race. When Tom went, they started chasing with a lot of riders were firing off and then all of sudden he got another ten seconds which in a crit is quite a long way. A lot of teams came to the front and they looked up the road and thought we'll let him go for it."
"Some of the smaller teams were attacking but the bigger teams were waiting for the sprint. Halfords got a good sprint train and so does CandiTV and it was perfect for us to have Tom up the road. The last three laps got progressively harder and the sprint was a right lung buster and there was a lot of argy bargy going on in there but that's sprinting."
"It's the Team thing in these races, everyone is trying to lead each other out and that makes it interesting."
On the misfortune of losing stage winner in Canada last week, Matt Cronshaw, Dean explained "there was a section on the back of the course which was wide and then got narrow all of a sudden and had a pointy curb. Matt was on the outside and got squeezed and ran into the curb. He was right beside me and how he didn't come off I don't know but he flatted and broke the wheel. It was disappointing to lose him because he is a really good sprinter."
Ed Clancy drenchs those around him much to the delight of Colchester's mayor
Ed Clancy (Halfords Bikehut): "It was quite a surprisingly defensive race on a hard course. The descent was a tailwind so not easy to get away and the climb was headwind which also makes it hard. When Tom went at the end, ourselves and Pinarello were thinking about the Team Prize more than the ‘stage' win. We knew we had the firepower for the sprint."
"We got it right in the end and Bibby did a real good job in the lead out. He got on the front and I said to him, you've got two laps, pace yourself and he did it perfect. Half a lap to go, Wilko took it on. In a sprint, Wilko, Rob and myself were happy to bash elbows and I heard a lot of shouting going on across the line and I'm sure it will make great TV."
Ian Bibby (Halfords Bikehut): On how he felt after his accident in Newcastle last Friday when a spectator ran across the course in front of him, he said "I didn't feel too bad to be honest, surprisingly well. I was lucky not to do a lot of damage and although I was a bit sore sprinting, it was alright - the legs weren't so good though! I am enjoying these crits and just smashing it really. Going hard for an hour in these crits is a bit like ‘cross and they have been good."
Superman ie, Ian Wilkinson, flies in for the team award with a little help from his mates
Rob Hayles (Halfords Bikehut) "Bibby took us as far as he could and it was up to the three of us to take it up and it was hard with the wind. That was the slowest, hardest race I have done for a long long time. It was really heavy going out there and there were a lot of tired legs. We didn't want to attack the race tonight. For the last four races we have attacked them and tonight, we went on the defensive."
"We were looking after ourselves the whole race and it was always going to be down to that third rider and we had to make sure that we had a blanket finish which we did."
"Over the last few laps though, it really went ‘off' and I'm looking forward to watching that on TV on Friday night because that final lap is going to be sensational. Us winning the Team award shows how it works with getting all three up in the race. When Tom went, I was up near the front and I signalled to the guys to come up and at the time, I wasn't really sure what we should do with it."
"Within a few seconds though I knew what we had to do and I'm really happy for Tom after what we went through last year together (both rode for Halfords as the only two male riders on the team).
Rob appears surprised to see his teammate Ian Wilkinson hit the front a lap out from the finish.
High 5 for Toby the mascot
The master of the crit, Super Sid Barras gives advice to son Tom before the race
In one of his earlier efforts, Evan Oliphant spent a few laps off the front and held on to win the second sprint.
Team Results - Round 8 - Colchester 18.06.09
1. Team Halfords BikeHut
2. Rapha - Condor
3. Candi TV - Marshalls Pasta
4. Madison.co.uk
5. Team Corley Cycles
6. Sigma Sport Cycling Team
7. Sports Beans - Wilier
8. Endura Racing
9. BMC UK Racing Team
10. www.cyclingbargains.com
Individual Results - Round 8 - Colchester 18.06.09
1. Tom Southam RAPHA-CONDOR
2. Russell Downing CANDI TV - MARSHALLS PASTA
3. Dean Downing RAPHA-CONDOR
4. Ian Wilkinson TEAM HALFORDS-BIKEHUT
5. Rob Hayles TEAM HALFORDS-BIKEHUT
6. Malcolm Elliot CANDI TV - MARSHALLS PASTA
7. Ed Clancy TEAM HALFORDS-BIKEHUT
8. Tom Barras MADISON.CO.UK
9. Jeroen Janssen MADISON.CO.UK
10. John Mozely MADISON.CO.UK
Sprints: Russell Downing
Team Standings after Round 8
1. Team Halfords BikeHut 77 points
2. Rapha - Condor 73 points
3. Candi TV - Marshalls Pasta 72 points
4. Madison.co.uk 69 points
5. Sigma Sport Cycling Team 42 points
6. Sports Beans - Wilier 39 points
7. Team Corley Cycles 35 points
8. Endura Racing 22 points
9. www.cyclingbargains.com 18 points
10. BMC UK Racing Team 17 points
RELATED LINKS
Reports from other rounds
Round 1 - 21st May - Milton Keynes
Round 2 - 28th May - Exeter
Round 3 - 2nd June - Woking
Round 4 - 4th June - Peterborough
Round 5 - 9th June - Blackpool
Round 6 - 11th June - Southport
Round 7 - 16th June - Stoke on Trent
