Team News – Top 20 for Lampier in Yorkshire

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Team Raleigh GAC’s Steve Lampier managed an impressive top 20 finish in the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire

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Team News – Top 20 for Lampier in Yorkshire

by Joey Severn | Team Press Release
Team Raleigh GAC’s Steve Lampier managed an impressive top 20 finish in the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire

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Steve on the road in the Tour of Yorkshire for Raleigh GAC

The 31-year-old battled it out with some of the biggest teams in the world to finish 18th over the tough climbs of stage three which saw the peloton roll out of Wakefield and end in Leeds.

Thousands of meters of climbing lay ahead of them and with such small time gaps at the business end of the race it was only a matter of time before the race began to split. Steve said: “The first break that went away was just too dangerous and Sky worked to bring it back, but then when the group of seven went off we just rode a good tempo up to Hebden Bridge”.

“The climb out of town isn’t a massive obstacle but it is long and exposed over the top and the race began to split up”.

Some good work from team captain Ian Wilkinson over the climb put Steve and Polish rider Karol Domagalski in a good position for the next climb. Steve said: “It was fast but it wasn’t horrendous but coming into the Cow and Calf climb they just went so hard. It was lined out and I didn’t come into it in a great position so I had to ride up through the bunch”.

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Ian Wilkinson all smiles before the start of the final stage

“I managed to claw my way to the back of the group and then we descended and went up over the Chevin which is a hard climb. I was riding with some of the best riders in the world, we’re talking grand tour stage winners and classics champions, and they were dishing out some serious pain.”

Going up the climb Steve said he felt good and knew there was just one more short but hard climb between him and a relatively flat finish into Leeds.

He said: “That climb was a real sting in the tail. I knew it was there but it took the other riders by surprise a little and they backed off. Had they known about it I think they might have attacked it a lot harder. Once we were over that, I was holding on for the sprint because I knew there wasn’t a lot of really fast guys there”.

“With about 500 metres to go I set myself up and then tried to go at 200 metres but just cramped up.”

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Steve cramping as he crosses the line on the final stage

Steve’s final place of 13th was the highest the team managed over the three days, with team captain Ian Wilkinson taking 15th the day before in York. Overall Steve said he was happy with his performance but was tinged with disappointment after the first day of racing. He said: “The move went away right next to me on the first day and I just couldn’t get to it”.

“But I’m happy with the top 20, especially when you look at the people we were racing against.”

Overall the team were placed ninth of the 18 teams that started the race and Karol and Morgan both placed in the top 40 in GC, coming in 26th and 39th respectively. And while the racing was good the crowds that lined the route throughout the three days were incredible.

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More than a million people turned out to see the riders and from inside the peloton those fans gave the race a very special atmosphere. Ian Wilkinson said: “There was so much support every day. Even from Wakefield, the town centre was full despite the weather, and every day was fantastic”.

“I went to watch the Tour de France last year and that was really impressive and this was exactly the same. Normally we have to wait for the Tour of Britain for this sort of ambiance. Folk are loving cycling at the minute, it’s a free sport on the side of the road”.

“There was a lot of love for Raleigh from the crowds as well, people shouting the team name, and that was really nice.”

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And for Karol Domaglaski (above), who rode in Spain for four years and competed in last year’s Vuelta a Espana, the crowds were akin to those on the Continent. He said: “The crowds were fantastic. They were like the crowds in the Basque country back in Spain which is an amazing thing to be able say.”

As a legacy event from the Tour’s depart last year, the riders could not have asked for more and all are looking forward to seeing what the roads of Yorkshire have in store next year”.

Steve added: “The crowds were absolutely mental. You couldn’t even hear yourself breathing at points which is pretty cool. ASO, Tour de Yorkshire, Gary Verity, all those guys, can hold their heads up high because this has been a fantastic event. They have showcased Yorkshire really well and I can’t wait for next year.”

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Final checks for the Raleigh Militis bikestag01

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