Preview – CiCLE Classic 2015

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This Sunday sees the first of the UCI races for 2015 in Britain, the popular and exciting CiCLE Classic with up to 200 riders taking to the start

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Preview – CiCLE Classic 2015

Related: Interview with the only double winner, Ian Wilkinson of Raleigh GAC

Latest news: Resemblence between the Tour of Flanders and the CiCLE Classic became closer today with the announcement that in the same way that this year’s Ronde featured a special ‘Beer’ sprint, the Grainstore Brewery of Oakham confirmed that they ware offering an award of a riders weight in beer (estimated at 15 crates!) to the first rider passing under the archway on the second passage of Owston in Sunday’s race.

 

This Sunday sees the first of the UCI races for 2015 in Britain, the popular CiCLE Classic which precedes a very busy start to the 2015 season of major events with the Tour of Yorkshire, the Wiltshire Grand Prix and then the Tour Series following all in May.

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Now in its 11th year, the event will bring to the local area top professional cycling teams from across Europe and beyond containing riders from over 20 countries. Race Director Colin Clews, said “Each year we say that the event is going to be bigger and better than ever before, and the actuality of this never disappoints”.

He continued “This year the interest in the race from sponsors, riders, associated companies, spectators and cycling fans has been greater than ever and the prospects for the races on Sunday are breathtaking.”

For anyone involved in Elite men’s racing, it is the start of a very busy six months of racing and after two Prems to get the teams warmed up and in the groove, the CiCLE Classic will be yet another great bike race for riders and spectators alike.

The Race
Over a distance of 180 kilometres, the race will see 34 teams from Britain and abroad, all battling for the honour of winning this prestigious race. With such a huge field on small roads, the race does have that European feel about it.

It starts with two laps of the Rutland Water circuit and whilst there are no sectors of gravel, the opening hour of racing invariably sees a break get away that sticks to the end, with other riders who have some strength left after many hours of racing, bridging to it and then contesting the finish in Meltow Mowbray.

Between Rutland Water and Melton Mowbray though are three and half hours or so of aggressive racing in the narrow lanes around Owston including many gravel sectors that will test the bike handling skills of the best riders in the race.

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Of the sectors, the most well known are Somerberg, a long gravel track through a farmer’s field to be raced over in both directions and Sawgate which comes around 15 minutes from the end of the race. There are also gravel strewn tracks around Owston as well and if the gods are smiling on the lucky few not to puncture, it may end up being their day as luck will always be a major part of the race.

As well as the gravel tracks and narrow lanes, there are the ‘bergs’, energy sapping climbs that will have the riders climbing a lot of metres on top of the racing on the gravel roads. It’s a tough course, a real challenging one and those with the form, the tactical nous and the required luck, may well find themselves contesting the finish. Odds are it will be a small group sprinting for the win although last year, Tom Moses rode in alone to show that can be done too.

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The Contenders
When you have a field as big as this and it’s a whopper (the race is limited to 200 riders), there are going to be a lot of contenders so many names stand out. Wearing number 1 is Tom Moses and whilst we haven’t seen the form he had at this time last year, he certainly can’t be discounted. Tom Moses was the youngest rider to win the race at 21 years.

JLT Condor have not yet seen the podium in the major races and after a few races abroad, they may find that time in the gutter in France gives them good legs for this ever important race. One of the favourite teams though will be Madison Genesis who won the Tour of Reservoir with a brilliant display of teamwork and were also in the mix in two European races last weekend.

Anyone of their riders could win the race and whilst they may not control the race like they did Reservoir with only six riders (eight in Reservoir), they will certainly be all over the front of the race I expect. Team Raleigh GAC have a double winner in their ranks and Ian Wilkinson has the experience and bike handling to win the race. He’s yet to show the form required but then the races so far have hardly suited him and he will rise to the occasion that you can be sure.

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Ian Wilkinson on the attack around Rutland Water in 2014.

The Raleigh squad have plenty of fire power as well as Wilkinson though. Steve Lampier has twice been second in Prems this year whilst Karol Domagalski showed in Scotland last weekend that if you let him gap you, he’ll spank you severely.

Team Wiggins have made the podium once this year with Andy Tennant at Reservoir and also have Jon Dibben and Mark Christian who on their day could be on the top step.

NFTO come to the race with a World Tour stage winner in Steele Von Hoff who came into road racing from mountain biking so this race may well suit him down to the ground and seeing him do a ‘Zak Dempster’ and win the race with his searing sprint would not be a surprise. Ian Bibby has come close several times at CiCLE and after Chorley has shown he’s back to his best whilst you can never discount Jonny McEvoy as well. One press of that ‘awesome button’ and it could be over for their rivals!

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Already a winner in Britain of the early season classic, the Jock Wadley, Steele Von Hoff is one of many favourites

ONE Pro have shown some winning form already as well and have a team of possible winners whilst there are quite a few teams like locals SportGrub Kuota who are expected to be in the mix. Melton based SportGrub-Kuota name consistent CiCLE Classic performer Will Bjergfelt along with Leicester’s former World Professional Pursuit Champion and British National Road Race Champion Colin Sturgess.

The team also enter young Ollie Maxwell who will be making the transition from a second place in last year’s Junior CiCLE Classic to the professional ranks. Pedal Heaven and Wheelbase-Altura-MGD are another two teams who could spring a surprise and are expected to be in the overall mix of racing on Sunday.

Foreign teams

An Post – Chain Reaction always field strong teams wherever they go and with riders of the calibre of 2014 World’s Under 23 TT silver medallist and former World Track Champion Aaron Gates on their roster, they are not expected to be happy to leave Melton with anything less that another top three placing this year.

Whilst ParkHotelNL from Valkenburg are yet to name their full squad, last year they brought along former Tour of Britain stage winner Kai Reus and their team is expected to be equally as strong this year, with a local interest angle by the inclusion in the team of James Judd, the Netherlands based Kiwi nephew of the CiCLE Classic race organiser Colin Clews.

Meanwhile Bike Aid for Africa have named among their possible team, Mekseb Debesay from Eritrea, the current holder of the UCI Africa Tour and no stranger to climbing, a feature that he can no doubt put to good use at CiCLE.

With 15 wins to their name in 2014, top Czech Team Sparta Praha return to the CiCLE Classic after a few years absence and will no doubt put their experience of the race to good effect, whereas CCT-Champion Systems and 3M are both new to the race but enthusiastic to make a name for themselves, especially the latter who made their Tour of Britain debut last year.

3M have named Jake Tanner, son of legend John Tanner and Elliott Porter who also comes from a family with a rich and successful history in cycling.

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JUNIORS TOO
Earlier in the day starting at 9am, the Junior CiCLE Classic involving the best 17/18 years old cyclists in Britain will start and finish in Oakham High Street covering five laps of a circuit around Teigh, Market Overton, Thistleton, and Edmondthorpe. Finishing around 11.25.

The Junior CiCLE Classic race introduced for the first time in 2014 is once again repeated, this race newly established as a major counting event in the National Junior Road race series. Commenced as an introduction to greater levels of spectator support and presentation than most Junior races receive, the Junior CiCLE Classic has this year received an astonishing 176 entires for the 100 places available.

Whilst the picking of a winner to any Junior race is always difficult, the quality of the inaugural winner of the 2014 Junior CiCLE Classic, James Shaw, is not in doubt, as he has since gone on to join the Lotto –Saudal professional team’s under 23 development team in Belgium.

SPONSORSHIP

This Sunday sees the first of the UCI races for 2015 in Britain, the popular CiCLE Classic
Particularly significant this year is the addition of a number of new first time local sponsors amongst those supporting the race. Melton based Watch and Clock repairer Vortex Watch & Clock Centre are sponsoring the race timing system, ‘The Whipper In’ in Oakham are sponsoring the King of the Hills competition, and The Grainstore Brewery in Oakham are the new sponsor of the numbers worn by the riders in the CiCLE Classic. The Grainstore Brewery will also sponsor a new award of a quantity of their beer for the first rider reaching the sprint line point in Owston village outside Manor Farm.

With the introduction of the circuit finish through Melton in 2013, the race has a much greater focus and spectator appeal in the town and this year ‘Ye Olde Porke Pie Shoppe’ will sponsor an award on the finish line of the first passage of the race through Sherrard Street of a specially commissioned pork pie. What more could a tired cyclist want along with a Duvel beer after 180 kilometres of racing?

First time through the finish line in Melton for the riders in 2014 ; but in 2015, the effort to reach this point will be far more rewarding thanks to ‘Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe’ and Duvel !

Main sponsorship of the race will again be provided by the Giant Store (Rutland Water), Schwalbe UK, and Dare2b clothing, the latter also supporting the ‘Rutland weekend ‘of wider events including the Rutland CiCLE Tour on Satuday 25th April, when over 1500 participants are expected to test themselves over varying distances of sportives from 22 to 100 miles, and the Junior CiCLE Classic held to and from Oakham earlier in the morning of the CiCLE Classic.

For anyone wishing to ride the sportifs entries are still available at www.itpevents.co.uk.

JLT Condor
1 Thomas MOSES
2 Graham BRIGGS
3 Kristian HOUSE
4 Richard HANDLEY
5 Michael CUMING
6 Felix ENGLISH

Edward CLANCY to replace one of the above

Reserves

Joseph MOSES
Luke GRIVELL-MELLOR
Edward LAVERACK

Madison- Genesis
7 Thomas SCULLY
8 Mark MCNALLY
9 Mike NORTHEY
10 Eric ROWSELL
11 Thomas STEWART
12 Tobyn HORTON

Reserves
Martyn IRVINE
Matt CRONSHAW
Dominic JELFS

Team Raleigh -GAC
13 Ian WILKINSON
14 Steve LAMPIER
15 Morgan KNEISKY
16 Evan OLIPHANT
17 Karol DOMAGALSKI
18 Calvin BENEKE

Reserves
Andrew HAWDON
Samual LOWE
Liam STONES
Veli-Matti MANNINEN

Team Wiggins
19 Andy TENNANT
20 Steven BURKE
21 Mark CHRISTIAN
22 Iain Paton
23 John DIBBEN
24 Dan PATTEN

Reserves
Mike THOMPSON

Bike Aid (GER)
25 Timo SCHAFER
26 Maarten DE JONGE
27 Christoph SCHWEIZER
28 Yannick MAYER
29 Nikodemus HOLLER
30 Jacob SCHWINGBOTH

Reserves
Mekseb DEBESAY
Meron AMANUEL
Matthius SCHNAPKA

An Post
31 Mullen Ryan
32 Dunne Conor
33 Gate Aaron
34 Kruopis Aidis
35 Siskevicius Paulius
36 Slater Alistair

Reserves

Edmondson Joshua
Downey Sean
Meurisse Xandro
Vandenbogaerde Jens

Catford CC-Equipe Banks (GBR)
37 Lawrence CARPENTER
38 Henry LATIMER
39 Tom NEALE
40 Ben CHAPMAN
41 Jez McCANN
42 Harry GODDING

Reserves
Chris FENNELL
Josh GREEN
Liam YATES

ONE Pro Cycling (GBR)
43 Yanto BARKER
44 Marcin BIALOBLCKI
45 George ATKINS
46 Jonathan MOULD
47 Chris OPIE
48 Peter WILLIAMS

Reserves
Joshua HUNT
Sam WILLIAMS
Mark HESTER

Keith-Mobel-Partizan (ESP)
49 Carlos OYARZUN
50 Jose Luis ROLAN
51 Esteban PLAZA
52 Juan Jesus MARTINEZ
53 Juan Carlos RAMIREZ
54 Juan Jesus MATA

Reserves
Javier VALERO
Carlos LORENTE

3M (BEL)
55 Connor McCONVEY
56 David MONTGOMERY
57 Elliott PORTER
58 Jake TANNER
59 Fabrice MELS
60 Kevin PANHUYZEN

Reserves
Martijn DEGREVE
Dylan VAN ZYJL
Melvin VAN ZYJL

SportGrub – Kuota (GBR)
61 Will BJERGFELT
62 Dan FLEEMAN
63 Oliver MAXWELL
64 Gary HAND
65 Colin STURGESS
66 Ben STOCKDALE

Reserves
Adam MARTIN
Stephen ADAMS
Adam DUGGLEBY

Park Hotel Continental Team (NED)
67 Beukeboom , Dion
68 van Breda, Rick
69 van Diemen, Jurgen
70 Judd, James
71 Nolten, Bram
72 Ockeloen, Jasper

Reserves

Easton- Ritte (GBR)
73 Charlie TANFIELD
74 Anthony MOYE
75 Ioannis SPANAPOLOUS
76 George FOWLER
77 Al MURISON
78 Bevan HUMPHREYS

Reserve
Ben CARTY

NFTO
79 Dale APPLEBY
80 Tom BARRAS
81 Ian BIBBY
82 Sam HARRISON
83 Jonathan McEVOY
84 Steele VON HOFF

Reserves
Robert PARTRIDGE
Eddie DUNBAR
LOWSLEY-WILLIAMS James

CCT – Champion System (NZL)
85 Morten GADGAARD
86 Sascha WEBER
87 Denis FLAHAUT
88 Yuma KOISHI
89 Tanzo TOKEDA
90 Josh HAGGARTY

Reserves
Darijus DZERVUS
Tom GOOVAERTS
Ryan WILLS
James SPRAGG

Pedal Heaven RT (GBR)
91 Alex PATON
92 Griff LEWIS
93 Simon HOLT
94 David McGOWAN
95 Max STEADMAN
96 Steve WILLIAMS

Reserves
Rory TOWNSEND
Will FOX
Mitch WEBBER

Wheelbase-Altura-MGD (GBR)
97 Ben DAVIS
98 Callum BRIEVE
99 Alex ORRELL-TURNER
100 Stuart REID
101 Lewis CRAVEN
102 Andy COUPE

Polypipe
103 Russell HAMPTON
104 Simon WILSON
105 Tom MAZZONE
106 Declan BYRNE
107 Dominic SMITH
108 Connor SWIFT

Neon Velo Cycling Team (GBR)
109 Hugo ROBINSON
110 Alex MINTING
111 Jacob TIPPER,
112 Peter MURDOCH
113 Steven LAWLEY
114 Jeremy DURRIN

(CZE) AC Sparta Praha
115 Martin CERVENKA
116 Jindrich DIASK
117 Petr FIALA
118 Tomas HOLUB
119 Pavel STOHR
120 Lukas KOBES

Reserves
Jan RYBA
Jiri NESVEDA
Jan STOHR

Team Asea (IRL)
121 Roger AITKEN
122 Bryan McCRYSTAL
123 Damien SHAW
124 Fraser DUNCAN
125 Ali McAULEY
126 Chris REILLY

Reserves
Neill DELAHAYE
Joe FENTON

Team Moda – Anon (GBR)
127 Joshua LAWLESS
128 Andrew TURNER
129 Zack WILLIAMSON
130 Julian PEARSON
131 Andrew WEBSTER
132 Rhys CLEGG

Velosure Starley Primal Pro Cycling (GBR)
133 Jack PULLAR
134 James GULLEN
135 Davie LINES
136 James DAVEY
137 Marius CORDIER
138 Stephen BRADBURY

Spirit Bikes Race Team (GBR)
139 Mark BAINES
140 Ed CLEMENS
141 Chris DREDGE
142 Jack BEEZER
143 Stuart TRAVIS-BEAMES
144 Jake HALES

Achieve Skinnergate Racing
145 Jack REES
146 Tom TIMOTHY
147 Ben HETHERINGTON
148 Will BROWN
149 Ben ROWE,
150 Bradley STOKES

Zappis Racing (GBR)
151 James NEWEY
152 Callum FERGUSON
153 James LOCKER
154 Owen JAMES
155 Scott AULD
156 Alex FANSHAW

Reitumu-Delfin (LAT)
157 Andris SMIRNOVS
158 Andris VOLSEKALNS
159 Armands BECIS
160 Deins KANEPEJS
161 Lars PRIA

Nunn-Sigma Sport -London RT
162 Wouter SYBRANDY
163 Simon LEWIS
164 Andy BETTS
165 Tony LOCK
166 Chris SNOOK

Audlem Cycling Club
167 Richard WILKINSON
168 Mike HARRISON
169 Alex O’SULLIVAN
170 Dan BOOTH
171 John BACKHOUSE

All Terrain Cycles (GBR)
172 Peter BARUSEVICUS
173 Mark PERRY
174 Matthew BULMER
175 Duncan MORALEE
176 Hamish GRAHAM

East Midlands Region (GBR)
177 Peter COCKER
178 Harry BROWNING
179 Edward PICKARD
180 Ashley COREY

Reserves
Joe PERKINS
Paul COX

Richardsons – Trek (GBR)
181 Rhys HOWELLS
182 Luke RYAN
183 Jamie CALDWELL
184 Keiran BRADY

SPOKES Racing Team (GBR)
185 Lewis GRIEVE
186 Fraser MARTIN
187 Sean NOON
188 Ruari YEOMAN

Giordana- Mitsubishi Electric Manager (GBR)

193 David CLARKE
194 Nathan EDMONDSON
195 Tommy BUSTARD
196 Andrew MAGNIER

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