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
49Â Jack Cousins* Â Â Â Teamwallis CHH Â Â Â 1 Â Â Â Â Â Â 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
89Â Jacob Tipper* Â Â Â Teamwallis CHH Â Â Â 1 Â Â Â Â Â Â 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
OVERALL
1    Matt Cronshaw    Team Raleigh
2    Zak Dempster    Rapha – Condor @ 2 seconds
3    Jack Bauer    Endura Racing @11 seconds
MOUNTAINS
1    Jack Bauer    Endura Racing 29pts
2    David McCann    Giant Kenda Felt 22 pts
3    Will Bjergfelt    Motorpoint 19 points
Sprints
1    Magnus Backstedt    Team UK Youth 9 pts
2    Matt Cronshaw    Team Raleigh 7 pts
3    Alex Wetterhall    Endura Racing 4 pts
