Hardest effort since September says Russell Downing of Holdsworth on his third at the Roy Thame Cup
 |
Pre-Race Chat: Russell Downing
It’s that time of the year where riders will have done a few race efforts in training but it’s not until you get into a race that you really get to feel what it’s like to be in the hurt locker again as you get a battering from your closest rivals.
A rider having his first race on Saturday last week was Russell Downing, at the Roy Thame Cup, a race in memory of the former manager of the original Holdsworth Team and so an event that meant a lot to the new Holdsworth team.
Speaking before the Jock Wadley, Russell explained “it was good to get a hit out. I got in the breakaway as I needed a good leg opener and that was probably the hardest I have been since last September. It was good for the team though – we tried to get in the race and while I got in the break, the lads got caught behind a crash and then there was a split and so on”.
“The group I was in wasn’t working well so I took my chances and attacked and had Matt Langworthy with me and he was going pretty well. I thought we were going to get away but no, we got caught and then it was cat and mouse. The Tifiso guy was up the road (Rupert Graham, winner) and he was going well. He rode away and everyone was looking at each other and we never saw him again”.
Asked about racing versus training, Russell told me “It is totally different to training. I have started to feel not great in training but have been good the last few weeks but yesterday (Roy Thame Cup) it was hurting and everyone was saying how grippy it was. I need to race back to back though and then relax this week”.
Good luck to Rus in the forthcoming races…
Cycle Division’s New Shop
Send your results as well as club, team & event news here
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- News: National Series calendars announced for 2026 season
- Features, Reports, Results
- CX Result: Central CX League #9
- CX Result: Shimano Lazer WMCCL Rd 11
- CX Result: Inter Regional Short Track Cyclocross
- National Trophy Round 5 | Day 2
- CX Results: Eastern Region CX League Round 8
- CX Result: National Trophy Cyclocross Round 5
- CX Result: SWCX Round 7
- Question Time! Harrison Evans (Prologue Junior Racing Team)
- BMCR FEATURE: ROY CHAMBERLAIN INTERVIEW
- CX Result: NWCCA Round 5
- CX Result: CXNE 2025/26 Round 7
- CX Result: London and South East CX League Rd 7
- CX Result: Lincolnshire Cyclo Cross Rd 8
- CX Result: Eastern Cyclo-Cross League Rd 7
- CX RESULT: Shimano Lazer WMCCL Rd 10
- CX Result: Yorkshire CX League Round 6
- Result: Manchester Regional Track League
- CX Result: NDCXL 2025 Rd 5
- News: British Cycling Competition Framework
- Team News: New role for Geraint Thomas as Director of Racing
- BMCR Feature: Gavin Howell Q&A
- CX Result: Welsh Cyclo-cross Championships
- TLI CYCLING FEATURE: Alan Forrester Q&A
- Question time! Ollie Swinburn Q&A (Prologue Junior Racing Team)
- Result: Manchester Regional Track League
- CX Result: Central Regional Championships
- CX Result: South East Regional Championships
- CX Result: North of England Champs
- CX Result: Eastern Cyclo-Cross Championships
- CX Result: Southern Regional Cyclo-Cross Championships
- CX Result: East Midland Regional Championship
- CX Result: Scottish Cyclocross Championships
- CX Result: West Mids Regional Champs
- CX Result: South West CX League/Champs
- Feature: The Pedal Club Lunch (November)
- 2026 BMCR EVENTS: Stallard & Championships
- TLI CYCLING FEATURE: Graham Waller Q&A
- NATIONAL TROPHY CYCLOCROSS STANDINGS – ROUND 4
- CX Result: East Kent Cyclo Cross League #3
- Q&A: James Calvert
Other News on VeloUK
- News: British Cycling Competition Framework
- Team News: New role for Geraint Thomas as Director of Racing
- Feature: The Pedal Club Lunch (November)
- 2026 BMCR EVENTS: Stallard & Championships
- Q&A: James Calvert
- BMCR Feature: Masters Spotlight: Michael Bell
- News: National Series calendars announced for 2026 season
- This Weekend: National Trophy Round 3 (Clanfield)
- Rider Feature: Riley Tonner
- Track Worlds Day 5: GB Report
- Track Worlds Day 4 – GB Team Report
- Track Worlds Day 3 – GB Report
- Track Worlds Day 2 – GB Report
- EVENTS: 2025 HILL CLIMB CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Cavendish Speaks at Pedal Club Dinner
- News: GB for Track Worlds
- Sad News: Max Pendleton Passes Away
- NEWS: CLIMBING TRAINING CAMP
- Tour of Britain 2026 News
- Startlist: National Trophy Round 1 (Derby)
- News: Indoor Champs Coming to Derby
- Report: Harry Hudson wins World Title!
- BMCR National Circuit Championships
- Feature: Eddie Dunbar – Building towards the Tour de France & beyond
- FEATURE: The Pedal Club September Lunch
- News: GB for Road Worlds (Rwanda)
- BMCR Event: National Championship
- Report: Men’s Tour of Britain Stage 5
- New Team for Cyclocross Champion Xan Crees
- Tour of Britain Stage 1
- Men’s Tour of Britain Provisional Start List
- Tour of Britain News: GB Team for Race
- FEATURE: The Pedal Club Lunch (August)
- Winners! Ribble Outliers Latvian Triple!
- GB FOR JUNIOR TRACK WORLD CHAMPS
- Beaumont Trophy/Curlew Cup 2025
- STAGE ROUTES ANNOUNCED FOR MEN’S TOUR OF BRITAIN
- TOUR OF BRITAIN NEWS – THE TEAMS
- Startlist: RTTC National 25 Mile Championship
- Ribble Cycles CGR – Commute, Gravel, Road range
