Posted on: 29 May 2013

Article by: Janette Hazlett, National Events Officer

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The Scottish Road Race Championships were held in the Grampian village of Alford on Sunday 19^th May.  The mens race comprised of two laps of a gruelling 34 mile circuit around Deeside with what the organiser described as a ‘decisive element’ to the race of a ‘fearsome two-mile 1280 ft Suie Hill (which ramps to almost 20% at it’s midway point’)  - which was tackled five miles from the finish.  The Womens race was equally demanding and also included the Suie climb.

The mens race, won by Gary Hand, Herbalife / Leisure Lakes who was first over the line in a three man sprint with  David Lines (2^nd)  and James McCallum (3^rd). Ed Hood of Velo Veritas has kindly allowed us to link into his interview with Gary.

You can read the full interview here:  CLICK HERE

With the numbers of Women road racing in Scotland increasing each year and the 2013 racing season  already being a very competitive year for the women the Scottish Cycling National Road Race for Women was always going to be a very interesting race.  

The Scottish Cycling supported Womens trade team – Breast Cancer Care had four riders in the race – two of which had already taken the championship title; Jane Barr in 2011 and Kayleigh Brogan in 2012 meant the team were looking to produce a winner at Alford on Sunday, 19^th May.    The team were on the attack throughout the race but unfortunately for them missed the decisive break on the infamous Suie climb which saw two riders, Jenny Taylor, Velo Ecosse and Julie Erskine, Granite City RT jump away and form an alliance which was to take them to the finish line 16 seconds ahead  of rest of the riders.

Although  Jenny and Julie worked well together to stay away from the pack the two girls were equally determined to be the winner and a very competitive sprint saw Jenny just edge ahead of Julie by quarter of a tyre width to take the title of Scottish Cycling Womens Road Race Champion.

Scottish Cycling caught up with both Jenny and Julie and both agreed to put give us their side of the days racing.  We also caught up with Louise Borthwick, winner of the Womens Junior title and being a thoroughly modern miss she sent us over the link to her great blog:  http://louiseborthwick.blogspot.co.uk

(Photograph courtesy of Denise Raikkonen – from L-R Louse Borthwick, David Lines, Gary Hand, Jenny Taylor, Julie Erskine and James McCallum)

Firstly, Jenny who has had an impressive start to this years season by taking Gold at the Scottish Olympic Time Trial Championship in April and Silver at the 10 mile Time Trial Championship.

‘It feels amazing to be Scottish Champion, I feel so proud to have the title! It’s still sinking in!! It is quite a shock as I am new to the sport and training hasn’t gone quite to plan due to illness and work interruptions, feels fantastic that my perseverance and hard work have paid off! Such a difference to last year, the Champs was my second ever race, I was so close to being lapped and when I crossed the finish line they were already presenting the medals! I looked on at the girls on the podium and knew I wanted to be there, but I never hoped to do it in one year, especially against such a strong and experienced field.

The race panned out how I had hoped; I was at the front of the race for the final climb. I knew Julie Erskine was a strong climber and so would probably attack too, she was ahead of me in the group, I was ready to go but she went first so I went after her. I didn’t dare look back until we were over the worst, we had a gap! Panting words of encouragement, we then worked together, we turned on to the finishing straight and I could see the line! I couldn’t believe it, now all I had to do was get there first, Julie was just behind me, I saw her start to come round so I went for it and sprinted for the line. It was close, I wasn’t sure who had got it, I was chuffed either way, she’s a fantastic rider and new to racing like me, I was really happy we had made it to the finish on our own!’

Julie has also had an impressive start to the year and her win at the Womens Race in Rosneath which finishes on a very steep hill would have sent signals out to her competitors that this girl can climb!

‘Last weekend I competed in the 2013 Scottish Road Race Championships in Alford, Aberdeenshire.  Having only started road racing last year, this was my first Scottish Champs and to say I was nervous was an understatement!  I had ridden the parcours a few weeks earlier and so knew how tough the course was, especially with a climb of the infamous Suie!

The Women’s and Men’s Scottish Champs were run in-conjunction with Cyclefest and our race began with a procession round the Grampian Transport Museum track behind the pipe band and youth racers.  It was great to see so many youths, who will hopefully be contesting Scottish Champs of the future, and by all accounts they provided some very fast, competitive racing.

The race consisted of a big loop followed by a shorter loop.  For a large part of the first loop we just rolled along until the attacks started with Breast Cancer Care taking turns to jump off the front.  Nothing was sticking though until the second loop where Jen Taylor put in a very strong effort up the Brindy climb.  A group of around 10 of us opened up a gap on the bunch, but it was relatively short-lived before it all came back together as neared the Suie.  I had got into a good position near the front of the bunch and just as we hit the start of the climb I followed the advice from my coach and attacked off the front.  The first part of the climb is probably the steepest and as I got to the hairpin corner I had a quick glance behind.  I saw Jen Taylor had come with me, with a gap opening up to the next rider.  I pushed on to the top with Jen close by to try to gain as much time as possible.  It was a very fast descent and then a time trial effort for the last three or four miles to the finish.  Jen and I worked together to try to hold off the riders behind and it was then an all-out sprint to the finish!  It was such a close call that neither Jen or I knew who had won, but the photo finish showed Jen had taken it by about a quarter of a wheel.  I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a wee bit gutted, but I knew I had given it absolutely everything and the stronger rider won on the day.  I was delighted to finish second and it was a very proud moment standing on the podium to receive my medal.  Thanks to Phil Allan of Granite City Racing Team and all involved in putting on the Scottish Champs.  A big thank you as well to Peter, my coach, and my family, friends and team mates for their continued support.

My plans for the rest of the year are to ride the remaining National Womens Series races and the next big target for me is the British National Road Race Championship in June.  This will be even more exciting as it is on the proposed course for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.’

Breast Cancer Care cycling teams, Eileen Roe won the sprint for 3^rd place to complete the podium positions.  Local girl Mona Petrie took the 4^th spot with newly crown Scottish 10mile time trial Champion, Anda-Jay Burgess taking the 5^th spot.   Louise Borthwick  of Edinburgh RC finished in a very impressive 7^th place and took the Junior title for the 2^nd year in a row.

Scottish Cycling would like to take this opportunity to thank Phil Allan and his supporting team from Granite City RT and Aberdeen ad District CA, Their team sponsor Velocity 44 for supplying service cars and helpers.   Thanks also to the Officials and Marshalls without who the race would not be possible.   

As Julie mentioned in her report, Ythan CC were also hosting their Cyclefest Youth Races at the Grampian Transport Museum in Alford.   The racing saw our stars of the future in action and was a great day out for everybody – with many of the youngsters coming along and watching the finish of the seniors races  and hopefully be inspired by what they saw. 

Full results can be found here - CLICK HERE

Congratulations to Gary, Jenny  and Louise – thanks for making our National RR such an exciting day out!

The Juniors men road race championships will be held this weekend (2^nd June) and is hosted by Spokes RT. 

		Scottish Cycling Women's Road Race Championship 2013
Pos	No	Name		Team	Cat	Time
1	33	Jennifer	Taylor	Equipe Velo Ecosse/Montpeliers	3rd	02:43:32
2	8	Julie	Erskine	Granite City RT	2nd	st
3	26	Eileen	Roe	Breast Cancer Care Cycling Team	1st	16
4	24	Mona	Petrie	Deeside Thistle CC	4th	st
5	5	Anda-Jay	Burgess	Sandy Wallace Cycles	2nd	st
6	7	Fiona	Duncan	Ythan CC	3rd	st
7	3	Louise	Borthwick	Edinburgh RC	2nd	st
8	4	Kayleigh	Brogan	Breast Cancer Care Cycling Team	2nd	st
9	2	Jane	Barr	Breast Cancer Care Cycling Team	3rd	st
10	19	Laura	Murray	Breast Cancer Care Cycling Team	2nd	st
11	22	Gabriella	Nordin	Pedal Power RT	2nd	01:41
12	18	Toni	McIntosh	Ayr Roads Cycling Club	4th	st
13	25	Penelope	Phillips	Moray Firth Cycling Club	3rd	02:08
14	13	Evgenia	Ilyinskaya	Edinburgh RC	3rd	02:09
15	32	Polly	Tandy	Deeside Thistle CC	3rd	02:38
16	31	Sarah	Stephen	Stirling Bike Club	3rd	02:40
17	10	Flora	Gillies	Team ASL360	2nd	03:01
18	30	Jenny	Stanning	Velocity 44 Stirling	3rd	st
19	15	Jacqueline	Laing	Deeside Thistle CC	4th	03:03
20	34	Lynne	Wardrop	Ayr Roads Cycling Club	4th	03:38
21	23	Ashley	Pearson	Deeside Thistle CC	3rd	06:34
22	16	Alexa	Mair	Edinburgh RC	2nd	07:47
23	29	Peggy	Series	Edinburgh RC	3rd	10:39
24	27	Laura	Sarkis	Deeside Thistle CC	4th	11:35

		Scottish Cycling Men's Road Race Championship 2013
Pos	No	Name		Team	Cat	Time
1	25	Gary	Hand	Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes.c	Elite	03:26:55
2	29	David	Lines	MG-Maxifuel Pro Cycling	1st	st
3	33	James	McCallum	Rapha Condor JLT	Elite	2
4	41	Peter	Murdoch	Paisley Velo Race Team	1st	01:13
5	60	Callum	Wilkinson	Bicycles works	2nd	st
6	57	Andrew	Whitehall	Equipe Velo Ecosse/Montpeliers	1st	st
7	3	David	Anderson	Granite City RT	2nd	st
8	40	Ewan	Minty	Berwick Wheelers CC	2nd	st
9	2	Edward	Addis	Equipe Velo Ecosse/Montpeliers	2nd	st
10	44	Lewis	Oliphant	Velo Club Edinburgh	3rd	st
11	47	Euan	Pope	Glasgow Road Club	3rd	st
12	37	Richard	McDonald	Equipe Velo Ecosse/Montpeliers	2nd	st
13	15	Craig	Dale	TheBicycleWorks.com	3rd	st
14	49	Veli-Matti	Raikkonen	Granite City RT	2nd	st
15	28	Steven	Lawley	TheBicycleWorks.com	3rd	01:16
16	5	Jack	Barrett	Velocity 44 Stirling	2nd	01:49
17	1	Craig	Adams	GJS Cruise Racing	1st	st
18	38	Graham	McGarrity	www.Dooleys-Cycles.co.uk	2nd	01:53
19	11	William	Crawford	Granite City RT	3rd	st
20	14	Barry	Crumlish	Glasgow Road Club	3rd	01:56
21	59	Robin	Wilkins	Equipe Velo Ecosse/Montpeliers	2nd	st
22	9	Andrew	Cox	TheBicycleWorks.com	2nd	st
23	35	Scott	McCrossan	Rock to Roll Cycles Ltd	Elite	01:58
24	43	Tommy	Murray	www.Dooleys-Cycles.co.uk	3rd	02:29
25	34	Stuart	McCluskey	BESTE ALDE/S.C.DURANGUESA	2nd	st
26	13	Duncan	Ewing	TheBicycleWorks.com	3rd	st
27	10	Barry	Cranstoun	Icarus Racing	3rd	02:31
28	6	Tim	Blathwayt	Velo Club Edinburgh	2nd	02:48
29	42	Gordon	Murdoch	Icarus Racing	2nd	02:55
30	58	Lee	Whitelaw	Edinburgh RC	3rd	02:57
31	50	David	Reed	Deeside Thistle CC	3rd	st
32	51	Keith	Robertson	Granite City RT	2nd	03:02
33	56	Alister	Watt	Granite City RT	2nd	03:06
34	55	Craig	Wallace	ASFRA Racing Team	1st	st
35	26	Michael	Henderson	Moray Firth Cycling Club	2nd	03:08
36	7	Greig	Brown	www.Dooleys-Cycles.co.uk	2nd	03:25
37	39	James	McPake	GJS Cruise Racing	2nd	03:37
38	45	Ayrton	Pellet	Edinburgh RC	2nd	04:39
39	62	Bradley	Stokes	Pedal Power RT	2nd	04:48
40	20	Tom	Fernie	Velo Ecosse	3rd	05:08
41	4	Kevin	Barclay	TheBicycleWorks.com	2nd	05:46
42	54	Christian	Touderache	Granite City RT	3rd	st
43	19	Ryan	Fenwick	Williams Racing Academy	2nd	st
44	23	David	Griffiths	Glasgow Whls	2nd	09:25
45	61	Finlay	Young	Equipe Velo Ecosse/Montpeliers	2nd	st
46	27	Jamie	Kennedy	Paisley Velo Race Team	1st	09:27