Report: Stage 2 of DoonHame

Photo album added: Stage 2 of the Tour of DoonHame finishes in a bunch kick with Jonny McEvoy winning from Zak Dempster and Magnus Backstead.

The Tour Doon Hame , Promoted by Wallacehill Cycling Club, Race Report by Carl J Lawrenson

Stage 2: Dumfries – Dumfries, 81 miles, Sunday 24th April 2011

In a welcome contrast to the savage conditions of stage 1, the second day of racing dawned with blue skies and the promise of sun once the early mist had cleared. The 118 riders who remained in contention gathered for the start of the shortest and – on paper – least testing stage of the 2011 Tour Doon Hame.

Matt Cronshaw (Team Raleigh), resplendent in the yellow Scottish Power Renewables jersey of race leader carried a 9 second advantage over second place Zak Dempster (Rapha Condor Sharp) with the powerful kiwi Jack Bauer of Endura Racing 11 seconds off the lead in third.

Wearing the green jersey but lying second to Cronshaw in the sprints competition was big Magnus Backstedt (Team UK Youth) and a second place in the opening hot spot at Keir Mill (birthplace of the modern bicycle) was enough to give the Swede the jersey by right at the end of the stage.

Frequent early attacks were swiftly neutralised by a vigilant Team Raleigh, with Rapha also forcing the pace in the interests of second placed Dempster. Tom Southam in particular was the Rapha man in all the early moves. With only two classified climbs, both rating no higher than third category, Bauer’s efforts to retain the polka dot jersey were aided by a second place over the summit of Dalveen Pass, the spectacular scenery of the area shown to it’s best advantage by the now unbroken sunshine.

A further placing on the second climb at Glengonnar would retain the Endura man’s grip on the climbers prize.
It was on the descent from Dalveen Pass with 32 miles covered that the peloton split into several groups and provided the ideal springboard for the attack launched by Dean Downing (Rapha Condor Sharp) and James Williamson (Sigmasport-Specialized). Covering the roads around Wanlockhead in the reverse direction to stage one, the two breakaway riders gradually increased their lead to a maximum of 1 minute 12 seconds by the 52 mile point. With both riders starting the day 1 minute 10 seconds behind Cronshaw, it made Downing the yellow jersey on the road.

Maintaining a similar gap for the next ten miles, despite Raleigh driving hard, it was the Dutchman Maarten de Jonge (Endura Racing) who broke clear and bridged the gap to the two leaders. Followed shortly afterward by five further attackers, the lead group now numbered eight with Evan Oliphant (Endura), Peter Williams (Motorpoint), Ross Creber (Cyclepremier-Metaltek), David McGowan (Team UK Youth) and David McCann (Giant Kenda/Felt Colbournes) joining the other three.

Approaching 15 miles to go it looked like the peloton would soon have them back as their advantage was reduced to just 15 seconds, but the gap grew again and stood at 40 seconds by the 70 mile point.

With the race once again on narrow twisting roads, and Team Raleigh again driving hard for Cronshaw, the gap began to close again. Despite an attempt by Oliphant and McCann to remain clear, the race was all back together within 5 miles of the finish, and a sizeable bunch sprint for the finish line in Dumfries was the prospect in store for the enthusiastic crowds lining the barriers by the riverside.

With a downhill approach to the line, it was Johnny McEvoy (Motorpoint) who produced the best sprint to take the stage victory with Zak Dempster again having to settle for second.

With one day to go, Cronshaw holds on to the yellow jersey by just 2 seconds from Dempster.

The final stage covers 91 miles and will see the race finally decided in Castle Douglas – the location at which Chris Newton secured his race win at the inaugral Tour Doon Hame in 2010.

Results

1 Johnny McEvoy*     Motorpoint     E          03:11:16
2 Zak Dempster     Rapha – Condor     E         st
3 Magnus Backstedt     Team UK Youth     E         st
4 Marcel Six     Twenty3c – Orbea     E         st
5 Chris Opie     Pendragon – LeCol     E         st
6 Matt Cronshaw     Team Raleigh     E         st
7 Tobyn Horton     Motorpoint     E         st
8 Simon Gaywood     Corley Cycles     E         st
9 Graham Briggs     Rapha – Condor     E         st
10 Yanto Barker     Pendragon – LeCol     E         st
11 Scott Thwaites*     Endura Racing     E         st
12 Dean Downing     Rapha – Condor     E         st
13 Jack Bauer     Endura Racing     E         st
14 David Lines     Endura Pedal Power     E         st
15 Jack Adams     Forme Sanlamere     E         st
16 David McCann     Giant Kenda Felt     1         st
17 Tom Murray     Sigma Specialized     E         st
18 Jon Mozeley     Pendragon – LeCol     1         st
19 Alexander Ray*     Pasta Montegrappa     E         st
20 Steve Lampier     Sigma Specialized     E         st
21 David McLean     Pasta Montegrappa     E         st
22 Simon Wilson     CyclePremier.com     E         st
23 Rafa Rodriguez     Twenty3c – Orbea     1         st
24 Steve Adams     Sigma Specialized     1         st
25 Maarten de Jonge     Endura Racing     E         st
26 Dale Appleby     CyclePremier.com     E         st
27 Ashley Brown     Sportscover     1         st
28 John Tanner     Sportscover     E         st
29 Will Bjergfelt     Motorpoint     E         st
30 Richard Hepworth     CyclePremier.com     E         st
31 Alistair Rutherford     Anglo Scottish     E         st
32 J. Lowsley-Williams*     Team UK Youth     2         st
33 Wojciech Szlachta     Pasta Montegrappa     E         st
34 James Sampson     Motorpoint     E         st
35 Gruff Lewis     Team UK Youth     2         st
36 Evan Oliphant     Endura Racing     E         st
37 Alex Wetterhall     Endura Racing     E         st
38 Matt Higgins     Corley Cycles     1         st
39 Chris McNamara     Corley Cycles     E         st
40 Pete Williams     Motorpoint     E         st
41 Richard Mardle     Giant Kenda Felt     1         st
42 Jake Tanner*     Sportscover     1         st
43 Liam Holohan     Team Raleigh     1         st
44 Steven Burke     Team UK Youth     1         st
45 Ian Bibby     Motorpoint     E         st
46 Robert Hassan*     Endura Pedal Power     1         st
47 Simon Richardson     Sigma Specialized     E         st
48 Paul Londors     Anglo Scottish     1         st
49 Jack Cousins*     Teamwallis CHH     1         st
50 Marcin Bialoblocki     Motorpoint     E         st
51 Dexter Gardias*     Forme Sanlamere     1         st
52 Tom Barras     CyclePremier.com     E         st
53 Ashley Cox     Corley Cycles     E         st
54 Kit Gilham     Sigma Specialized     E         st
55 Eddie Addis     Velo Ecosse     2         st
56 James McLaughlin*     Pendragon – LeCol     2         st
57 Robin Wilkins     Velo Ecosse     1         st
58 Andrew Griffiths*     Twenty3c – Orbea     1         st
59 Andy Lyons     Twenty3c – Orbea     E         st
60 Matt Jones*     Team Raleigh     E         st
61 Harry Grey     Vanillabikes.com     2         st
62 Matt Kipling     Team Raleigh     E         st
63 David McGowan     Team UK Youth     1         st
64 Gael LeBellec     Team Raleigh     E         st
65 Dave Henderson     Giant Kenda Felt     1         st
66 Robert Smail     CyclePremier.com     1         st
67 Alan Thomson     Glasgow Couriers     2         st
68 James Williamson     Sigma Specialized     1         st
69 Peter Murdoch     Second Helpings     2         st
70 Scott McCrossan*     Endura Pedal Power     2         st
71 Alex Coutts     Giant Kenda Felt     E         st
72 Kristian Downs     Twenty3c – Orbea     1         st
73 Dan Fleeman     Team Raleigh     E         st
74 Will Fox     Forme Sanlamere     E         st
75 Richard Meadows*     Pendragon – LeCol     1         st
76 Jack Anderson     Endura Racing     E         st
77 Kevin Dawson     Sportscover     E         st
78 Jake Hales*     Corley Cycles     1         st
79 Calum Wilkinson     Endura Racing     E         st
80 Ross Creber     CyclePremier.com     E         st
81 Richard Handley*     Team Raleigh     E         st
82 Gary Hand     Endura Pedal Power     1         st
83 Michael Smith     Corley Cycles     2         st
84 Rowan Dever     Pasta Montegrappa     E         st
85 Gordon Murdoch     Second Helpings     2         st
86 Rob Orr     Forme Sanlamere     2         st
87 Craig Adams     Second Helpings     2         st
88 James Sparling     Team Raleigh     E         st
89 Jacob Tipper*     Teamwallis CHH     1         st
90 Collin Humphrey     Sportscover     1         st
91 Duncan Moralee     Sportscover     2         st
92 Mike Cuming*     Twenty3c – Orbea     E         st
93 James McCallum     Rapha – Condor     E         st
94 Wouter Sybrandy     Sigma Specialized     E         st
95 Tom Last     Sigma Specialized     1     at     00:28
96 James Stewart     Team UK Youth     E     at     00:46
97 James Gullen*     Teamwallis CHH     E     at     01:07
98 Ben Greenwood     Rapha – Condor     E     at     02:19
99 Tom Southam     Rapha – Condor     E         st
100 Jamie Kennedy     Glasgow Couriers     2     at     03:18
101 Filip Rudenstam     Team UK Youth     1     at     05:34
102 Gunnar Gronlund     Twenty3c – Orbea     1     at     14:15
103 Jordan Stokes*     Endura Pedal Power     2     at     16:12
104 Liam Cowie*     Endura Pedal Power     2         st
105 Tim Lawson     Anglo Scottish     1     at     24:53:00
106 John Wager     Giant Kenda Felt     E         st
107 Joe Perrett*     Twenty3c – Orbea     1         st
108 Felix English*     Anglo Scottish     E         st
109 Peter Wager     Giant Kenda Felt     E     at     24:55:00
110 Dan Craven     Rapha – Condor     E     at     25:03:00
111 Tom Fernie     Velo Ecosse     2     at     32:42:00