2009 SportActive Scottish Road Race Championship

Hawick; August 15 2009; Report by Colin Renton


Ross Creber lands the Scottish Road Title. Photograph by Emma Parsons

With a powerful line up that included defending champion Evan Oliphant, a win for Endura Racing in the SportActive Scottish Road Race Championship at Hawick was no huge surprise. However, the new name on the role of honour was perhaps not the man many would have tipped for victory, and the runner up might also have eluded those who had made pre-race predictions.

And, while the win for Ross Creber and runner up slot claimed by Callum Wilkinson are evidence of Scotland’s emerging talent, it was the fourth place finish of the senior man in the top four, Paul Coats – outsprinted for bronze by James McCallum – that drew most admiration from his fellow riders in the post race assessment.

As had been the case last year, the dreadful conditions that prevailed during the morning’s support race had eased by the time the main race rolled out alongside the swollen Teviot River for the 81 mile event.

A strong tail wind helped the riders on the stretch to Denholm for the first time and as they skirted the village green the pace was already high. By the time they had returned to the village after the first of nine circuits, a group of 12 riders had gone clear. The Endura men were evident among the pursuers, where Jason Roberts and Coats were also hard at work.

Their efforts enabled them to bridge the gap, taking the front group to 20 riders by the half way point in the race. But the intensity of the pace, combined with the effects of the wind and the short sharp climbs took their toll and on lap seven the group splintered into four smaller bunches, leaving James McCallum, Wilkinson, Creber, Roberts, Coats and Rennie in the lead, while Alex Coutts led the chasers a minute down in the company of Scott McRae, Gary McCrae, Jack Woodward, Eddie Addis and Stuart McGregor.

Passing through Denholm for the penultimate time, Wilkinson edged the pace up another notch and that eventually forced Roberts to relinquish his place among the leaders. McCallum and Coats appeared to have made the decisive attack when they went clear but Wilkinson and Creber bridged the gap, leaving Rennie in no man’s land and trimming the contenders to four with 10 miles to race.

Wilkinson was again the aggressor when it came to the crucial attack with three miles left and Creber responded making it a two man race up the long finishing straight into a headwind. He was first to show and still held pole position with 200 metres to race. Just as Wilkinson appeared set to pounce, Creber kicked again and crossed the line, arms aloft, with several bike lengths to spare.

McCallum had the misfortune to puncture in the closing stages but managed to outsprint a gutsy Coats, whose brave efforts left him just outside the medals. Admitting that he had been forced to dig deep after missing the initial break, Creber said, “I had to make a big effort to ride across to the breakaway. I knew that was the move so it was all or nothing.

Of the final mile, he added, “It was a really draining circuit and I knew I had to be strong at the end. I knew we were both very similar in the sprint. I went really early into the headwind. I just had the legs and I was able to win it so I’m chuffed.”

JUNIOR & WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS


The women's podium (Photograph by Ian Bell)

Earlier in the day, with the conditions at their most foul, the 46 mile support event had decided the women’s and junior titles. Attacks were repeatedly reeled in and the outcome was wide open as the leaders entered final mile. Gavin Shirley was first to attack but the move was covered by Scott McCrossan who powered past his rival and snatched the win in impressive fashion.

The 16 year old explained his tactics, saying, “I just stayed in the top 20 or so and out of trouble. I was gaining time on the corners but I was struggling on the straights because I was riding junior gears. “Gavin Shirley beat me in the Falkirk Trophy, so I know he can sprint but I decided to wait it for it and I got the win. It’s my first victory on the road.”

And, although the quantity of training has been less than he might have liked, while he has focused on his studies this year – he achieved five Highers and is set for a place at Strathclyde University – McCrossan has benefited from the quality of his training rides. “I ride with the ‘Bundy’ – Graham McGarrity and these guys – and that has really brought me on”, he explained. 

The race was also a triumph for Claire Thomas, who has had an outstanding season. She has had a win in the British Masters Road Race and currently leads the British Cycling Series. She also has an eye on the World Masters in Austria later this month, with a podium place as her target. But, the job in hand was to atone for last season’s narrow defeat to Kerry Lang over the same course, and it was mission accomplished for a mud spattered Thomas after she safely negotiated the rain swept circuit and launched a well-timed sprint to see off her colleague Anne Ewing.

“It was a tough race”, said Thomas. “It was really hairy on the corners so I tried to keep myself up at the front. With the wind, it was a lot about positioning. It was only myself and Anne Ewing in the lead group. It was quite a battle into the headwind to see who would get it, but I managed to get the win.” 

Once again, the event, generously sponsored for the second year by SportActive and several local businesses, was superbly organised by the Hawick club, with support from the townsfolk and police cooperation. 

Eventual winner Scott McCrossan (yellow shorts in the middle of the picture) well to the fore in the first race of the day. (Photograph by Ian Bell)

E/1/2/3
1 Ross  Creber Endura RT  ELITE 03:26:18
2 Callum Wilkinson Endura Racing  1  @3
3 James McCallum Endura RT ELITE  @58
4 Paul Coats Squdra ViaMazzini RaceTool Bicy 2  @01:08
5 Jack  Woodward Thebicycleworks.com 3  @02:00
6 Eddie Addis  Stirling Bike Club/Wheels of Ca 3 @02:33
7 Scott Macrae  Endura Racing  1  same time
8 Alex  Coutts  Heraklion Nessebar Castro Elite same time
9 Gary  McCrae Team Leslie Bikshop - Right Mov 2nd Vet  @02:35
10 Stuart MacGregor Dooleys RT 2  same time
11 Veli-Matti  Raikkonen Granite City RT - Ledingham Cha 2 @03:38
12 Jason Roberts Glasgow Nightingale CC 2nd  same time
13 Robin Wilkins Stirling Bike Club  2  same time
14 Paul Rennie Dooleys RT  1  @03:51
15 Craig Adams Falkirk BC 2  @04:28
16 Paul Mace RAFCC 2  same time
17 Cameron Fraser La Fuga.CC 3 same time
18 Andrew Matheson Musselburgh Roads CC 3 VET  same time
19 Alan Thomson Glasgow Couriers 2  @04:31
20 Alister Watt Granite City RT Ledingham Chalmers 1 Vet  @04:37
21 Lewis Oliphant Velo Ecosse 2  @04:48
22 Graham McGarrity  Dooleys RT  1 same time
23 Gordon Murdoch  Endura RT Elite same time
24 Barry Crumlish Glasgow Couriers- DB Developments 2  same time
25 Keith Smith Glasgow Wheelers 2 @07:41
26 Euan Pope Glasgow Couriers - DB Developments 2  @07:57
27 David Lindsay www.TheBicycleworks.com 3 same time
28 Paul McInally Rock & Road Cycles 2  same time
29 Rab Wardell KUK Kinesis  1  same time
30 Barry McGurk Glasgow Couriers/D.B. Developments 3  same time
31 Tom Anderson Falkirk BC  2Vet same time
32 Mark Baugh Stirling Bike Club / Wheels  3 same time
33 Alastair McNicol Edinburgh 3 same time
34 Richard Chapman  Thebicycleworks.com 3 same time
35 Paul C Smith Sandy Wallace Cycles 3  @08:04
36 Ian  Brown  Deeside Thistle CC 3 Vet @08:13
37 Stuart McManus Glasgow Wheelers 1  @08:23
38  Callum Gough Onimpex RT- Bioracer MaxGear 3 Vet @08:28
 
W/J/V/4th
1 Scott McCrossan Pedal Power 3 junior 02:01:17
2 Gavin Shirley Nevis Cycles Racing Team 4 same time
3 Malcolm Paterson Glasgow Nightingale CC @3
4 Kristoffer Aksnes Glasgow Wheelers 4  same time
5 Claire Thomas Edinburgh RC Woman/1st  same time
6 Anne Ewing Edinburgh RC Woman/2nd same time
7 Richard McDonald  Glencroft Rabble 4 same time
8 Michael Graham Classic Walls RT V50 same time
9 Geoffrey Martin  4 same time
10 David Brandie Moray Firth CC same time
11 Craig McCulloch 4 @11
12 Derek Martin Perth United CC  4V same time
12 Graham Scobie PedalPower.org.uk / Endura RT  4  same time
13 Neil Baxter  Tyne RC 4  @19
14 Georges Avraam Edinburgh RC V4 (50) @23
15 John Milligan Dundee Wheelers CC 4 Vet same time
16 Keith Jones St Christophers CC 4 VET  @43
17 William McMillan  V60+ @49
18 Matthew Ansell Edinburgh RC - The Bicycleworks 4  @01:49
19 Andrew Fuller No club 4  @03:14
20 James Whitworth Edinburgh RC @04:07
21 Andrew Kilpatrick Fife Cycling 2000 V 4t  @04:15
22 Alan Hay Stirling BC V50+  @05:04
23 Chris Bown Stirling Bike Club 4V same time
24 Jordan Stokes Pedal Power RT 4 same time
25 Duncan Warwick Deeside Thistle CC 4th/V40  same time
26 Kamil Pompe 4th  @05:13
27 Sarah Gleave Glasgow Nightingale CC woman @05:20
28 Jack Barrett Stirling BC Junior @08:22
29 Lucy Coldwell Hardrock CC 4  @08:24
30 John Gordon Glasgow Couriers Bennet Develop  4  @08:33
31 Gordon Jackson Hawick CC 4th @10:35
32 Alasdair McGill Deeside Thistle CC V4 @12:32
33 Ross Calder Deeside Thistle CC  4th @13:35
34 Jane Barr Stirling Bike Club woman @15:23
35 Anne Murray  woman  @20:59
36 Laura Sinclair Deeside Thistle CC Woman 3rd same time
37 Brian Hamilton Pedal Power 4  vet  @21:33
38 Liz Chellingsworth Deeside Thistle CC woman 3  @29:35
39 Matthew Alexander City of Edinburgh RC  @29:42
40 Aaron Wright Peebles CC  same time