News: Eddie Soens Memorial attracts top field

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In the first big clash of the top riders in 2013, the Eddie Soens with 250 riders is set to be yet another classic event on the British calendar.

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When: Saturday, 2nd March, Aintree (Merseyside)

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The finish of the race in 2012 and Russell Downing wins for Endura Racing.

For this early season classic, several top British UCI teams (not all) are sending strength in numbers hoping to repeat what Endura Racing did in 2012. Back then, the Endura Racing team dominated the event with Russell Downing winning ahead of Scott Thwaites and Jonny McEvoy in a 1-2-3 for the team.

But Endura and those three riders are now part of the German NetApp team and unable to ride the race. Which leaves it open for other teams and riders to make a name for themselves.

A few new teams have emerged in Britain and one of the most high profile rides The Soens. Madison Genesis with ‘local’ Ian Bibby who top 10’d in a stage of the Challenge Majorca recently. He’ll be joined (if those entered ride) by Jack Pullar also from the North West, South Yorkshire’s Dean Downing and West Midlands World Champion (2012) Andy Tennant.

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In a race dedicated to the memory of legends Eddie Soens and Ken Matthews, Madison Genesis will face a truly international line-up from Raleigh, perhaps the strongest team on paper. Graham Briggs leads a team packed full of international riders entered such as Rob Britton (Canada), Mark Christian (Isle of Man), Richard Lang, Lachlan Norris, Samuel Witmitz & Mark O’Brien, all from Australia.

They also have Tom Scully from New Zealand as well as Brits Russell “big power” Hampton, Evan Oliphant, Tom Moses and Matthew Holmes. They will with such numbers try and boss the race but they certainly won’t have it all their own way as the quality of riders is spread across a lot of teams.

Another strong team in numbers, is the one led by Olympic hero Ed Clancy (Rapha Condor JLT) who is down to ride post Track Worlds. His team have plenty of riders including many who have spent the winter in Australia.

Will Stephenson, Elliott Porter, Richard Handley, Michael Cuming, Felix English (6th in ‘The Soens’ in 2012 and first of the riders entered), Luke Grivell-Mellor, Edward Laverack, Hugh Carthy and the wise old head of the team’s ‘grand-daddy’ James McCallum from Scotland.

Another potential winner is Matt Cronshaw from Team IG – Sigma Sport and his teammates include Chris Whorrall (Isle of Man), Jake Hales, Matt Jones and the very strong time trialist Ryan Mullen who races for Ireland.

Other names that stand out is a certain Hamish Haynes for Team Hope Factory Racing. Hamish won the British Road Race Championship in East Yorkshire and  is one three top riders signed by the Lancashire team; others being Ben Greenwood and James Gullen.

Richard Hepworth from the new line up for Node4 – Giordana Racing is on the entry list as is Tom Murray who races for his new team post training camp, Metaltek – Knights of Old Racing Team.

Jack Sadler (VanillaBikes.com), son of a former winner Gary, had success locally in the North West in a midweek circuit race league in 2012 rides for VanillaBikes.com while there are three paralympic heros down to race as well, Jon-Allan Butterworth, Terry Byrne and Jody Cundy MBE.

Looking through the list, there is another name I like purely for self-indulgent reasons – Wojciech Kosciuszko. Why? Well, the highest mountain in Australia is Mount Kosciuszko so I couldn’t help but pick out his name and if the wind blows, and the rain comes down like last year, the race will feel every bit as tough as trying to climb said mountain.

The entry list is also packed with so many promising young riders it will be interesting to see who takes the race to the stars of the day and brings them down a peg or two.

The race is 50 miles or 30 laps of the ‘Club Circuit’ at the world famous Aintree Racecourse and open to all categories of riders as its run on a handicap basis. Very rare does the junior group stay away but a few years ago a certain Joshua Edmondson did just that and won the race and look at him now, 6th on the mountain stage of the Tour of Algarve over the weekend riding for Sky. He is just one of many ‘name’ winners.

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James Stewart beats World Team Pursuit Champion in 2012 Andy Tennant to add his name to the list of winners

Doug Dailey was a prolific winner of the race and a rider who finished 4th in the Worlds, Les West won it way back in 1968. Willi Moore is another winner as is Ian Hallam.

In 1978, some-one who is a treasured supporter of the VeloUK website and a now famous British designer of bikes Terry Dolan won the race. The only female winner is Terry Dolan’s better half, Julie Hill.

Someone enjoying life in Australia now and a former member of the GB Team Pursuit team Matt Illingworth is a former winner as is the person who was in charge of road cycling at the 2012 Olympics, Simon Lillistone

Top time trialist Matt Bottrill has won it as has BMC pro Steve Cummings who won it as a junior. Another top time trialist, Julian ‘rambo’ Ramsbottom won it as did the legend that is Rob Hayles. Tony Gibb like Doug Daily, is a prolific winner whilst British RR Champion Ian Stannard has his name on the winners list too.

There is no doubting the importance of this race, the biggest cycling event that Liverpool sees during the season and fingers crossed the weather is kind to the event this year. For sure, there are enough top riders in the race to make it tough for the challengers but as we have seen before, sitting in the wheels can be remarkably easy and so the prospect of a speedy surprise launching themselves out of the pack at the end is a very real one…

List of Competitors
1 Dillon Byrne Champion System/Maxgear/Base E 4
2 Thomas Bustard Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes.com E 4
3 James Sampson Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes.com E 4

4 Ian Bibby Madison Genesis E 4
5 Dean Downing Madison Genesis E 4
6 Jack Pullar Madison Genesis E 4
7 Andrew Tennant Madison Genesis E 4

8 Matthew Pilkington Metaltek – Knights of Old Racing Team E 4
9 Richard Hepworth Node4 – Giordana Racing E 4

10 Aaron Buggle Rapha Condor JLT E 4
11 Edward Clancy MBE Rapha Condor JLT E 4
12 Michael Cuming Rapha Condor JLT E 4
13 Richard Handley Rapha Condor JLT E 4
14 James McCallum Rapha Condor JLT E 4
15 Will Stephenson Rapha Condor JLT E 4

16 Simon Wilson Team Corley Cycles E 4
17 James Gullen Team Hope Factory Racing E 4

18 Matt Cronshaw Team IG – Sigma Sport E 4
19 Andrew Griffiths Team IG – Sigma Sport E 4
20 Jake Hales Team IG – Sigma Sport E 4
21 Matthew Jones Team IG – Sigma Sport E 4
22 Ryan Mullen Team IG – Sigma Sport E 4
23 Peter Williams Team IG – Sigma Sport E 4

24 Graham Briggs Team Raleigh E 4
25 Mark Christian Team Raleigh E 4
26 Russell Hampton Team Raleigh E 4
27 Matthew Holmes Team Raleigh E 4
28 Richard Lang Team Raleigh E 4
29 Thomas Moses Team Raleigh E 4
30 Evan Oliphant Team Raleigh E 4

31 Ben Ives Team Sportscover E 4
32 Harry Tanfield Teamwallis CHH Racing Team E 4
33 Tom Barras Wheelbase Altura MGD E 4
34 Adam Duggleby Wheelbase Altura MGD E 4
35 Stuart Reid BC PM 1 4
36 Michael Ashurst Biketreks Racing Academy 1 4
37 James Newey Cadence Sport 1 4
38 John Holt County Cycles Racing Team 1M 4
39 Dave Starkey Fred Williams Cycles 1 4
40 James Stewart Kuota – Spinergy – GSG 1 4
41 David McGowan Metaltek – Knights of Old Racing Team 1 4
42 Tom Murray Metaltek – Knights of Old Racing Team 1 4
43 Peter Murdoch Paisley Velo Race Team 1 4

44 Hugh Carthy Rapha Condor JLT 1 4
45 Felix English Rapha Condor JLT 1 4
46 Luke Grivell-Mellor Rapha Condor JLT 1 4
47 Edward Laverack Rapha Condor JLT 1 4
48 Elliott Porter Rapha Condor JLT 1 4

49 Matthew Gee Team Corley Cycles 1 4
50 Hamish Haynes Team Hope Factory Racing 1 4

51 Robert Britton Team Raleigh 1 4
52 Lachlan Norris Team Raleigh 1 4
53 Mark O’Brien Team Raleigh 1 4
54 Thomas Scully Team Raleigh 1 4
55 Samuel Witmitz Team Raleigh 1 4

56 Sam Boast Team Sportscover 1 4
57 Andrew Coupe WHEELBASE.co.uk/MGD 1 4
58 Matthew Robinson All Terrain Cycles 2 3
59 Tom Bracegirdle Biketreks Racing Academy 2 3
60 Frank Pilkington Bill Nickson Cycles RT 2 3
61 Matt Limacher Champion System/Maxgear/Base 2 3
62 Giles Pidcock Chevin Cycles.com Trek 2M 3
63 Lee Tunnicliffe Clay Cross Road Team 2 3
64 Craig Seaman County Cycles Racing Team 2 3
65 Matthew Smithson Crosstrax 2 3
66 Martin Woffindin Cycle Sport Pendle 2 3
67 William Rudgard Dynamic Bicycles UK/RPC 2 3
68 Craig McCulloch Equipe Velo Ecosse/Montpeliers 2 3
69 Ian Donohue Fareham Wheelers Cycling Club 2M 3
70 Christopher Allcott Fred Williams Cycles 2 3
71 Adam Howells Fred Williams Cycles 2 3
72 Mike Hutton GMP Racing/McAuley Financial 2 3
73 Ryan Pike High On Bikes 2 3
74 Malcolm Freeman High Wycombe Cycling Club 2M 3
75 Andy Edwards Kingston Whls CC 2M 3
76 Leigh Cowell Kuota – Spinergy – GSG 2 3
77 Michael Rawson Kuota – Spinergy – GSG 2 3
78 Sam Dobson Lune RCC 2M 3
79 Dominic Jelfs Madison Genesis 2 3
80 David Hooper MJS Racing 2M 3
81 David Lowe Newcastle Racing Club 2001/Vekta Velosport 2 3
82 Matt Lee NFTO 2 3
83 Terry Byrne Para-T Cycling Team 2 3
84 Tim Challinor Para-T Cycling Team 2M 3
85 Jody Cundy MBE Para-T Cycling Team 2 3
86 Jon-Allan Butterworth Performance Cycle Coaching 2 3
87 Stephen Swindley PMR@Toachim House 2 3
88 Dominic Smith Retford & District Wheelers 2 3
89 Sion Jones Rhos On Sea Cycling Club 2 3
90 Matthew Ryan Rhos On Sea Cycling Club 2 3
91 Paul Ray Ribble Valley CRC 2M 3
92 Scot Bullivant Rock And Road Cycles 2 3
93 Taylor Cardus Rock Racing Team UK 2 3
94 Stephen Johnson Slipstream Bikes Race Team 2M 3
95 Chris Nicholson Spin Rotor Primal C-Originals RT 2 3
96 Richard Line Stourbridge Velo 2M 3
97 Joseph Moses Team Sportscover 2 3
98 Karl Freeman Team Wheelguru 2 3
99 Mark Hammersley Team Wheelguru 2M 3
100 Robert Crampton Terra Footwear – Bicycle Line 2 3
101 Daniel Fox Airedale Chemical RT 3 2
102 Matt Chester BC PM 3M 2
103 George Richardson BC PM 3 2
104 Owen Jeffries Bristol RC 3 2
105 Darren Howitt Clay Cross Road Team 3 2
106 Neil Hamilton Cleveleys RC 3M 2
107 Peter Windsor Clwb Beicio Dwyfor Cycling Club 3M 2
108 David Shields Deeside Olympic 3M 2
109 Chris Whittle Deeside Thistle CC 3M 2
110 Aled Pugh-Jones Fibrax Wrexham Road Club 3 2
111 Graham Howell Forza Cycles Racing Team 3 2
112 Peter Banham Fred Williams Cycles 3 2
113 Mark Cooper Fred Williams Cycles 3 2
114 Paul Horton Fred Williams Cycles 3 2
115 Robert Wilson Glasgow Couriers 3M 2
116 Gary Williams High On Bikes 3M 2
117 Andrew Webster High Peak Cycles RT 3 2
118 Nicholas Selibas Lichfield City CC 3M 2
119 Mike Welburn Lichfield City CC 3M 2
120 Chris Edwards Liverpool Mercury (Dolan) CC 3M 2
121 Jason Dobson Manchester Whlrs Club 3 2
122 Mark Barfield MJS Racing 3M 2
123 Robert Bishop MJS Racing 3 2
124 Matthew Jones New Brighton CC 3 2
125 David Lee NFTO 3M 2
126 Graham Lee NFTO 3M 2
127 Matthew Hacker North Cheshire Clarion 3 2
128 Adam Blakeley Pendle Forest CC 3 2
129 Ben Mountford Red Kite Cycles 3 2
130 Jonathan Clarke Rhos On Sea Cycling Club 3M 2
131 Seb Horner Slipstream Bikes Race Team 3 2
132 Duncan McLaren Stockport Clarion CC 3 2
133 Darren Reynolds Stockport Clarion CC 3 2
134 William Boyes Team Cystic Fibrosis 3 2
135 Christopher Whorrall Team IG – Sigma Sport 3 2
136 Tom Mazzone Team Manx Telecom 3 2
137 Jack Cracknell Team V-Sprint Racing 3 2
138 Neal Preston Team V-Sprint Racing 3M 2
139 James Varnish Team V-Sprint Racing 3M 2
140 Ryan Bonser Team Wheelguru 3 2
141 Christian Ellis Team Wheelguru 3M 2
142 Dan Spashett Team Wheelguru 3 2
143 Matthew Winston VC St Raphael 3 2
144 William Goulbourne V-Sprint 3 2
145 James Locker V-Sprint 3 2
146 John Wright Wakefield CC 3M 2
147 Giles Bett Weaver Valley CC 3 2
148 Kristian Zentek Weaver Valley CC 3 2
149 Paul Conneely Witham Wheelers Cycling Club 3M 2
150 Jacob Ragan Champion System/Maxgear/Base J1 2
151 Christopher Lawless Kuota – Spinergy – GSG J1 2
152 James King Team Sportscover J1 2
153 Jacob Scott Team Sportscover J1 2
154 Connor Swift Bike Box Alan/Whiston Velo J2 2
155 Joshua Knights Champion System/Maxgear/Base J2 2
156 Rhys Thomas County Cycles Race Team J2 2
157 Peter Cocker Forme Bikes UK J2 2
158 James Shaw Forme Bikes UK J2 2
159 Callum Ferguson Halesowen A & CC J2 2
160 Joe Evans Hargroves Cycles RT-Specialized-Trant-Next-Elliott’s J2 2
161 Luc Hall Kuota – Spinergy – GSG J2 2
162 Jake Kelly Manx Viking Whls CC J2 2
163 Gerallt Allen Marsh Tracks Race Team J2 2
164 Jack Sadler VanillaBikes.com J2 2
165 Leon Mazzone Team Isle of Man J2 2
166 Jake Womersley Team Sportscover J2 2
167 Oliver Wood Team Sportscover J2 2
168 Jordan Rigby Teamwallis CHH Racing Team J2 2
169 Alex Orrell-Turner V S Cycles Brighouse J2 2
170 Charlie Tanfield Velo29 Cycling Team J2 2
171 Christian Braybrooke Velocity Race Team J2 2
172 Fabio Close Velocity Race Team J2 2
173 Matthew Gibson Velocity WD-40 J2 2
174 Andy Leigh Velocity WD-40 J2 2
175 William Thomas Velocity WD-40 J2 2
176 Adam Lewis Wolverhampton Whls J2 2
177 Benjamin Wheale Adalta Cycling Club 4 1
178 Graham Thompson Anfield BC 4 1
179 Adam Birdsall Batley Cycling Club 4 1
180 Stephen Burns BC PM 4 1
181 Carl Jones BC PM 4M 1
182 Jayson Rees-Hughes BC PM 4M 1
183 Aled Roberts BC PM 4 1
184 Steffan Jones Clwb Beicio Dwyfor Cycling Club 4M 1
185 Tom Trimble Cycle Club Ashwell (CCA) 4 1
186 Pascal Arnoux Derby Mercury RC 4M 1
187 Paul Cookson Graham Weigh Racing 4M 1
188 Graham Kemp Graham Weigh Racing 4 1
189 Mark Tickle Leigh Premier RC 4 1
190 Adrian Hatton Lichfield City CC 4 1
191 Doug Arnold Liverpool Century RC 4 1
192 Declan Hudson Liverpool Century RC 4 1
193 Anthony Weston Liverpool Century RC 4M 1
194 Simon Wilkes Liverpool Century RC 4M 1
195 Paul McNerney Liverpool Mercury (Dolan) CC 4M 1
196 Alexander Paterson Liverpool Mercury (Dolan) CC 4 1
197 Alex Jones Logo 9 MBI Race Team 4 1
198 Mark Hanna Manchester Triathlon Club 4M 1
199 David Grindley North Cheshire Clarion 4M 1
200 Robert Longden North Cheshire Clarion 4M 1
201 Paul Molyneux North Cheshire Clarion 4 1
202 Nick Shingler North Cheshire Clarion 4 1
203 David Yeoman North Cheshire Clarion 4 1
204 Kevin Ainsworth North Lancashire RC 4M 1
205 David Allonby Overplay.net Racing Team 4 1
206 Marc Colclough Rhos On Sea Cycling Club 4 1
207 Paul Griffin Rhyl Cycling Club 4 1
208 James McGhee Slipstream Bikes Race Team 4 1
209 Ben Horton Stockport Clarion CC 4 1
210 Stephen Smith Stockport Clarion CC 4 1
211 Ivan Boyes Team Cystic Fibrosis 4M 1
212 Darran Acton Team Leapfrog 4M 1
213 Martin Spencer Team Wheelguru 4M 1
214 Sam Bradbury The Shed Cycling Club 4M 1
215 Christopher Welburn BC PM J3 1
216 Jack Robinson Base2Racecycles.co.uk Bikeshack J3 1
217 David Bolland Bike Box Alan/Whiston Velo J3 1
218 Aaron Handley Bike Box Alan/Whiston Velo J3 1
219 Sam Mansfield Buxton CC/Sett Valley Cycles J3 1
220 Connor French Cycle Sport Pendle J3 1
221 Oliver Payton Cycle Sport Pendle J3 1
222 Joe Westwood Cycle Sport Pendle J3 1
223 Olivier Arnoux Derby Mercury RC J3 1
224 Joseph Donohue Fareham Wheelers Cycling Club J3 1
225 Jack King Forme Bikes UK J3 1
226 Oliver Maxwell Forme Bikes UK J3 1
227 William Perrett Heanor Clarion CC J3 1
228 William Hyde Lichfield City CC J3 1
229 Jamie Dudley Manx Viking Whls CC J3 1
230 Luke Selibas MJS Racing J3 1
231 Zack Williamson Mossley CRT J3 1
232 Gwyn Lovibond Rhyl Cycling Club J3 1
233 Ethan Lee Solihull CC J3 1
234 Mitchell Cross Team Wheelguru J3 1
235 Henry Hunter Teamwallis CHH Racing Team J3 1
236 Sean McGovern Teamwallis CHH Racing Team J3 1
237 Wojciech Kosciuszko Ythan CC J3 1
238 Adam Britton Champion System/Maxgear/Base J4 1
239 Ellis Kirkbride Border City Wheelers CC YA 1
240 Joe Holt County Cycles Racing Team YA 1
241 Ryan McGillick Mossley CRT YA 1
242 Oscar Williamson Mossley CRT YA 1
243 Alex Harvey Rhos On Sea Cycling Club YA 1
244 Fabian Brennan Salt Ayre Cog Set YA 1
245 John Didsbury Salt Ayre Cog Set YA 1
246 Alexander Braybrooke Velocity WD-40 YA 1
247 Jack Escritt Velocity WD-40 YA 1

Event Website: http://www.ccsdigital.org.uk/Soens_Home.htm

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