2011 Tour of Reservoir winner Ian Bibby returns for Endura Racing in next Premier Calendar event
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RELATED LINK: 2011 Tour of Reservoir report
Top teams go into battle again in the North East next Sunday in the Tour of Reservoir
After a lot of gaps in the race programme of major events on the road in March and April, the next few next months are very busy indeed with two Premier Calendar races (Reservoir and Lincoln GP) which lead straight into the Halfords Tour Series of 11 events.
So far, the road season has been dominated by Endura Racing who next weekend have two races, a two stage race event in Madrid (Spain) and the Premier Calendar.
Jonny McEvoy, a top 10 on the penultimate stage of the Tour of Bretagne yesterday (Monday), leader of the Premier Calendar and winner of the Tour DoonHame three weeks ago. One of a team of possible winners.
The Endura Racing team is revealed exclusively here on VeloUK for the Reservoir and includes last years winner Ian Bibby who has suffered from illness this year and last week a crash on day 1 of the Tour of Bretagne. He’s been on the bike however and will be joined by a powerful line up of potential winners including the 2011 Lincoln Grand Prix winner Scott Thwaites, a rider in form Erick Rowsell, Russell Downing (winner in 2008), Ian Wilkinson (2nd in 2010), Dean Windsor, Rob Partridge and Premier Calendar leader and DoonHame winner Jonny McEvoy.
The Endura Racing line-up, as with any of the teams, will depend on them staying clear of crashes and illness.
This first Prem since DoonHame on April 8/9 has a strong line-up for the race and the Tour of the Reservoir will, weather permitting, be one of the first ‘normal’ races of the year. That may favour the other teams who are attempting to put a stop to the Endura Racing domination of the season.
Last weekend at the CiCLE, Endura Racing may have split the race asunder on the early laps but they had plenty of riders snapping at their heels and it was down to the super form of Alex Blain that won the day for the team.
Simon Richardson (right) has been very consistent in 2012. He was a ‘player’ in the Dengie Marshes race but lacked some climbing at the finish to do better and at the CiCLE Classic was in the chase group before bad luck struck. A former winner of the Reservoir, the course will be more to his liking we expect.
As well as Endura Racing’s two former winners in Ian Bibby & Russell Dowining, the race also sees another from the honours list, Simon Richardson (IG Sigma Sport) return. He that will be wearing number 1 for a team that looks very strong and capable of taking the fight to Endura Racing. Also included in IG-Sigma Sport’s entry are Dan Craven, Steve Lampier, Wouter Sybrandy and more riders capable of winning the event.
A smaller team, VanillaBikes.com also has a former winner in their line-up, Ben Greenwood. The former Rapha rider can climb and was riding well in DoonHame and is a good bet for the podium on such terrain.
For Rapha Condor Sharp, who boast two former winners in their squad, one of them, Andy Tennant who won a World title in the Team Pursuit in April, will be at Reservoir. He will be joined by fellow World and also Olympic Champion, Ed Clancy who also rode the CiCLE classic and there can’t be anything more different than going from a record breaking 4k race on the track to an epic race like that over farm tracks in freezing rain.  Kristian House, the former British RR Champion, who has twice been second in the race and who’s ridden well in the Tour of Korea is also riding as is Rapha’s James McCallum who had great form in the CiCLE Classic (3rd).
Richard Handley too is known for his climbing and could make a name for himself there and completing the line up will be Aussie Richard Lang, Oliver Rossi and Felix English.
Jamie Sparling, second at the CiCLE Classic shows he has good form.
That’s it for the former winners and their teams but within the rest of the squads are plenty of possible winners which shows the strength in depth of the sport right now. The GB Academy return to a race their coach, Chris Newton, has won and they’ve yet to really show themselves since the win in the Jock Wadley and they may make that break-through in the North East after a lot of racing in April.
UK Youth have a former podium rider in their line-up, Niklas Gustavsson and after their teams Yanto Barker and Magnus Backsteadt got in amongst the contenders at CiCLE, they will for sure be a threat.
Perhaps the biggest threat though will come from Node4. Their Mike Northey (New Zealand) has showed in UCI races he can win against top level opposition and the team has a lot of options to play like Pete Williams who rode strongly at the CiCLE Classic for 6th place. Raleigh-GAC meanwhile have been getting on the podium a lot too with Canadian Jamie Sparling second in the CICLE Classic and Bernie Sulzberger always a threat as he has been so far in 2012. Their lineup for the race has been confirmed and will be Australian Bernie Sulzberger, Scotland’s Evan Oliphant, British Circuit Race champion Graham Briggs, Jamie Sparling, Daniel Holloway, Simon Holt, Tobyn Horton and first year senior Matt Holmes.
Pete Williams, best for Node4 at the CiCLE Classic. He’s had a lot of wins already this year and his team, defending champions in the race (1-2 last year) Â have a lot of options.
It promises to be a cracking race and we’ll have more news on team line ups as changes come in to us!
The Course
This long running event is based in Edmundbyers in Northumberland and circles the Derwent Reservoir in a race that will see the riders covering almost 100 miles. The distance will certainly favour the riders with the stage races in their legs giving them some depth to call on in the latter stages of the event. Or the riders who have trained well of course so they too can race hard at the end of four hours.
Last year saw the race won in a sprint by Ian Bibby from a small group and that may well be the case again this year once the right combination goes and the major teams call a halt to the chase. It means the contenders in the smaller teams will need to be vigilant at the front for dangerous moves.
That is where the strong squads with many potential winners have an advantage in that they can cover more of the moves with different riders but the astute rider will know instinctively when the ‘right’ move goes.
Yanto Barker, fifth at CiCLE and one of the most experienced riders in the race.
The course doesn’t have any mountains but does contain a steep climb on each of the eight laps of the 12 mile circuit. The finish this year too has changed according to the race info. Instead of the flat sprint across the reservoir, there will be a sting in the tail as the riders will be racing up a 6 or 7 per cent long climb up to the reservoir before they sprint it out.
This means at the finish of lap eight through Edmondbyers, riders do not turn left as in previous years but will continue down over the Derwent bridge and enter the grounds of Northumbrian Water to finish at the top of the hill as in previous years.
As well as the steep climb to The Manor House Inn, the course has several other short sharp climbs and with the in-between bits rolling, the circuit is either up or down and will for sure be one of those ‘wearing down’ courses for the riders who don’t manage their energy levels well.
Headquarters: Blanchland Village Hall, Blanchland, Hexham, Northumberland, DH8 9SR
Start: 10.20 am Blanchland Village, Northumberland.
Event Website:
BCpremiercalendar Video Preview
Former winners
2011: 1. Ian Bibby, 2. Marcin Bialoblocki, 3. Dean Downing
2010: 1. Simon Richardson 2. Ian Wilkinson 3. Niklas Gustavsson
2009: 1. Andrew Tennant 2. Russell Downing 3. Robert Partridge
2008: 1. Russell Downing 2. Kristian House 3. Simon Richardson
2007: 1. Dean Downing 2. Gordon McCauley 3. Robin Sharman
2006: 1. Ben Greenwood 2. Kristian House 3. Matthew Stephens
2005: 1. Dean Downing 2. Kevin Dawson 3. Russell Downing
2004: 1. Shaun Snodden 2. Neil Swithenbank 3. Richard Sutcliffe
2003: 1. Chris Newton 2. Mark Lovatt 3. Malcolm Elliott
2002: 1. Mark Lovatt 2. John Tanner 3. Kevin Dawson
2001: Not held
2000: 1. Mark Lovatt, 2. Jeffrey Wright 3. Chris Young
1999: 1. Mark Lovatt 2. Neil Swithenbank 3. Christopher Anelay
1998: 1. Jeffrey Wright, 2. Chris Young 3. Christopher Anelay
Last Years Photo Album
RIDERS
1 Richardson S Team IG Sigma Sport E
2 Murray T Team IG Sigma Sport E
3 Sybrandy W Team IG Sigma Sport E
4 Peter Hawkins Team IG Sigma Sport E
5 Lampier S Team IG Sigma Sport E
6 Gaywood S Team IG Sigma Sport E
7 Craven D Team IG Sigma Sport E
8 Last T Team IG Sigma Sport E
9 Atkins G 100% ME E
10 Yates S 100% ME E
11 Kelly J 100% ME E
12 Harrison S 100% ME E
13 Slater A 100% ME E
14 Moses T 100% ME E
15 Doull O 100% ME E
16 Lang Richard Rapha Condor Sharp E
17 Felix English Rapha Condor Sharp E
18 Rossi Oliver Rapha Condor Sharp E
19 Handley Richard Rapha Condor Sharp E
20 Ed Clancy Rapha Condor Sharp E
21 McCallum J Rapha Condor Sharp E
22 Andy Tennant Rapha Condor Sharp 1
23 House Kristian Rapha Condor Sharp E
24 Backstedt M Team UK Youth Pro Cycling E
25 Barker Y Team UK Youth Pro Cycling E
26 Gustavsson N Team UK Youth Pro Cycling E
27 Johansson F Team UK Youth Pro Cycling E
28 Stevenson C Team UK Youth Pro Cycling E
29 McGowan D Team UK Youth Pro Cycling E
30 Opie C Team UK Youth Pro Cycling E
31 Tanguy R Team UK Youth Pro Cycling E
32 Ian Bibby  Endura Racing E
33 Rowsell E Endura Racing E
34 McEvoy J Endura Racing E
35 Partridge R Endura Racing E
36 Thwaites S Endura Racing E
37 Windsor D Endura Racing E
38 Russell Downing  Endura Racing E
39 Wilkinson I Endura Racing E
40 Berling M Cycle Premier- Kovert 1
41 Adams S Cycle Premier- Kovert 1
42 Moore G Cycle Premier- Kovert 1
43 Mozley J Cycle Premier- Kovert 1
44 Falder R Cycle Premier- Kovert E
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46 Jones M Team Corley Cycles/Blue E
47 Cox A Team Corley Cycles/Blue E
48 Cartland R Team Corley Cycles/Blue 1
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52 Six M Metaltek SCOTT E
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56 Lloyd R Metaltek SCOTT 1
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58 Stockdale B Metaltek SCOTT E
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61 Gilham K Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes.Com E
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71 Shannon D Twenty3c.co.uk-orbea E
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83 Williams P Node4 Giordana Racing E
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85 Sampson J Node4 Giordana Racing E
86 Higgins M Node4 Giordana Racing E
87 Frend K Node4 Giordana Racing 1
88 Moss J Node4 Giordana Racing E
89 Davis L Node4 Giordana Racing E
90 Daniel Holloway Team Raleigh- GAC E
91  Graham Briggs Team Raleigh- GAC E
92 Evan Oliphant Team Raleigh- GAC E
93 Matt Holmes Team Raleigh- GAC E
94 Bernie Sulzberger Team Raleigh- GAC E
95Jamie Sparling Team Raleigh- GAC E
96 Tobyn Horton Team Raleigh- GAC E
97 Simon Holt Team Raleigh- GAC E
98 Sharpe J Team Hope Factory Racing 2
99 Thompson J Team Hope Factory Racing 2
100 Williams M Team Hope Factory Racing 1
101 Knight M Team Hope Factory Racing 2
102 Ward S Team Hope Factory Racing 2
103 Boast S Team Hope Factory Racing 2
104 Kipling M Velo29 OTR Vankru E
105 Mark C Velo29 OTR Vankru 2
106 Smith D Velo29 OTR Vankru 1
107 Rees J Velo29 OTR Vankru 1
108 Carter R Velo29 OTR Vankru 1
109 Timothy T Velo29 OTR Vankru 2
110 Hutchings N CS Grupetto E
111 Parry C Wilier/Live2Ride E
112 Bjergfelt W Wilier/Live2Ride E
113 Brown A Sportscover Altura RT 1
114 Moralee D Sportscover Altura RT 1
115 Tanner J Sportscover Altura RT 1
116 Humphrey C Sportscover Altura RT 1
117 Duggleby A Sportscover Altura RT E
118 Greenwood B Vanillabikes.com 1
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120 Rutherford A Vanillabikes.com 1
121 R Grey H Vanillabikes.com 1
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124 R Holmes D VO2 Development Team 2
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128 R Murison A Performance Cycles CMI U23 1
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132 R Townshend B Team Raleigh- GAC E
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140 R Jones J Beeline Bicycles RT 1
141 R Vincent P Mid Devon CC 1
142 R Snook C banjocycles.com 1
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144 R Camier A RM Cycles 1
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146 R Sihelsky M Kuota GSG Spinergy 1
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148 R Wilson H Wilier/Live2Ride 1
149 R Robinson A Team Leslie Bike Shop/Right Move Windows 1
150 R Glen L The Kinesis Morvelo Project 2
151 R Adlard R Team Wheel Guru 2
152 R Semple R www.doley’s-cycles.co.uk 2
153 R Gibson S Peak RC 2
154 R Kellett B VS Cycles Brighouse 2 (V)
155 R Lowthorpe D Langsett Cycles RT 2
156 R Kipling R M.T.S. Inkland 2
157 R Alder J VC Briganti/Cycleways RT 2
158 R Shuster J XRT Elmy 2
