CDNW Dolphinholme Road Race
Cycling Development North West, Sunday 16th August 2009
Report and photos by Ian McVety (macbiskit1@tiscali.co.uk)
Categories: Elite, 1/2
A tough day and tough conditions saw a deserved winner in Dave Clarke (Pendragon) win the 13th event of the year run by Cycling Development North West with the assistance of the Lune Road Cycling Club on the edge of the Forrest of Bowland in north Lancashire. Windy conditions prevailed, but the rain held off making for a fast pursuit over the elevated moorland above the Duke of Westminster’s estate in Abbeystead.
Above: Dave Clarke, (Pendragon) and Tom Last (Sigma Sport) lead the group out of the Duke of Westminster’s Estate at Abbeystead.
Whilst the race managed to stay together for the first lap, it was not long before a select group broke away using the tough hilly circuit and the strong windy conditions to create a lead group of 10 riders. Team Halfords Bikehut was well represented with Andy Tennant and Welsh National Champion Rob Partridge and Mark McNally making the cut. Other riders included eventual winner Dave Clarke (Pendragon), Richard Hanley (Kinesis UK), Liam Holohan (Rapha Condor), Ashley Finn (Team Herbalife/WHEELBASE.co.uk), Richard Wilkinson (Sportsbeans/Wilier) and Matt Stephens and Andrew Guy (Science in Sport).
Above: Andy Tennant, (Team Halfords Bikehut) climbs Cow’s Mouth
The remainder of the field by now was starting to fragment into several smaller groups. Jack Pullar, (Kinesis UK) unfortunately found himself stuck in no man’s land and very exposed to the elements. Behind him a small grupetto had taken the sensible option of forming for survival against the elements. With the strongest riders in the field using every up hill opportunity to attack, the lead group eventually split.
Clarke seized every chance to drive hard, using the Cow’s Mouth climb and the finishing hill until he, Tennant and Hanley eventually broke away from their group. A chasing group formed, containing Partridge, Holohan, Finn, Andrew Guy, (Science in Sport) and Mike Cummings, (Raleigh Avanti) later to be joined by Hanley. McNally and Stephens never gave up the chase and were later joined by Finn who completed the final lap together.
Above: Ashley Finn, (Team Herbalife/WHEELBASE.co.uk), Mark McNally, (Team Halfords Bikehut) and Matt Stephens, (Sigmasport. Specialized. Sportful) on the penultimate ascent of the finishing climb.
On the final ascent to the finish it was neck and neck until Clarke, with only yards to spare, gained the advantage over Tennant to raise his right hand triumphantly and Partridge managed to overhaul Hanley. After the top ten had finished their ride it was a further five minutes before the judges were troubled again and a further ten minutes until the last of the finishers completed their battle.
Above: Dave Clarke, (Pendgragon) raises his fist in victory.
Result:
1. Dave Clarke, (Pendragon)
2. Andy Tennant, (Team Halfords Bikehut)
3. Rob Partridge, (Team Halfords Bikehut)
4. Richard Hanley, (Kinesis UK)
5. Liam Holohan, (Rapha Condor)
6. Andrew Guy, (Science in Sport)
7. Mike Cummings, (Raleigh, Avanti)
8. Mark McNally, (Team Halfords Bikehut)
9. Ashley Finn, (Team Herbalife/WHEELBASE.co.uk)
10. Matt Stephens, (Sigmasport. Specialized. Sportful)
Categories: 3 & 4
The support race for categories 3 and 4 was no less keenly fought. On the first ascent of the Cow’s Mouth climb, a short but tough 25% Adrian Dalgleish (Lune RCC) attacked, taking with him Robert Whitfield of the self named R Whitfield Racing Team. On the climb out of Abbeystead the two had opened up a 15 second gap and it was not until after the main climb that a furious attempt over the fell road, assisted by a strong tail wind that the chasers managed to make any in-road to them. Peter Hey, (West Pennine Road Club), Mathew Pilkington, (Dulwhich Paragon), William Haynes, ( Energy Cycles), James Dunlop, Team Herbalife/WHEELBASE.co.uk), Samuel Jackson, (Cleveleys Road Club), along with several others all scrambled up Cow’s Mouth to eventually form the winning break.
Above: Adrian Dalgleish, (Lune RCC) ascends Cow’s Mouth pursued by Robert Whitfield (R. Whitfield Racing Team)
Behind them a second chase group had formed, but never really troubled them, though managed to stay away from the main peloton. Sadly for Dalgleish the place of his attack was to be his undoing. On the fast approach to Cow’s Mouth the rider has to break hard for a sharp left uphill bend to be immediately greeted by a right hand bend that rises sharply to 25%, not allowing any speed to be carried through. It was here that he clipped a pedal on the steep inside of the bend and unfortunately rolled his tub. Not to be deterred he prised it back on and re-mounted.
On the penultimate ascent of the main climb, Hey attacked, Pilkington saw this immediately and followed in his wheel. Dunlop riding his first season on his local roads had the good sense to bridge the gap along with Haynes. The long climb from Four Lane Ends was always going to be a tactical one, but it was the canny veteran Hey, that showed the young lads how to win a race, out-sprinting Pilkington and Haynes. Dunlop came in 22 seconds later for a great result and Dalgleish finished a frustrating ninth place 6 minutes 36 seconds behind.
Peter Hey, (West Pennine Road Club) wins the Dolphinholme Road Race for Categories 3&4
Result:
1. Peter Hey, (West Pennine Road Club)
2. Mathew Pilkington, (Dulwich Paragon)
3. William Haynes, (Energy Cycles)
4. James Dunlop, (Team Herbalife/WHEELBASE.co.uk)
5. Samuel Jackson, (Cleveleys Road Club)
6. Robert Whitfield, (R. Whitfield Racing Team)
7. Sam Clark, (Buxton CC/Sett Valley Cycles)
8. John Kent, (Birkenhead North End CC)
9. Adrian Dalgleish, 9Lune RCC)
10. Jason Wiltshire, (Lancashire RC)
CDNW would like to thank Lune RCC, all the marshalls members of the National Escort Group and St John’s Ambulance for their assistance in this race.
More photos at:
Elite,1,2: http://www.flickr.com/photos/40814262@N08/sets/72157621931407125/show/
3 and 4: http://www.flickr.com/photos/40814262@N08/sets/72157622056053626/show/
