Tour of Reservoir & its new organiser

VeloUK has quizzed the new organiser of the Tour of Reservoir, Steve Walton, who takes on the race following the sad death of former organiser Mike Hodgson during the pandemic #RIPMike

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Tour of Reservoir & its new organiser

On the right, judging the finish with a clipboard in hand, is the new organiser of the Tour of Reservoir Steve Walton who has been involved in the race for a long time as well as other events. VeloUK has quizzed Steve Walton, who takes on the race following the sad death of former organiser Mike Hodgson during the pandemic #RIPMike

It was a race that many riders looked forward to due to it’s hilly nature and picturesque countryside but the Tour of Reservoir was a victim of the pandemic after the sad death of the former organiser Mike Hodgson. It was only a few months before the 2020 version that I was talking to Mike and sending him images of the race before the world came to a stop and Mike was taken from us.

Someone I have seen at the Tour of Reservoir and other events over the years is Steve Walton, who is taking on the role of organiser of the Tour of Reservoir for Men and Women (Alexandra Tour of the Reservoir). Steve says the 2022 race is definitely part of the legacy left by Mike. “The 2019 edition was the most successful ever in Mike’s, and most other people’s opinion” Steve explains.

“When you consider it was for many years, a traditional early season hardman’s event in April when, even when it was dry, the course is quite exposed in many parts and wind sweeping off Derwent Reservoir would cut through you if you were standing on the Dam wall. From this it developed into the only Men’s and Women’s (National Series) stage race outside the Tours of Britain. I can’t imagine next years race being held in any other way than in Mike’s memory as this was something he was immensely proud of”.

Organising a race is no mean feat and Mike took no prisoners in his quest to deliver a race where he would take on a lot of different roles in the organising of the event in order to deliver the race he wanted the world to witness. Mike was proper old school and very hands on with the event. Taking on that challenge for 2022 is a team of people that Steve says is being put together now. “The aim is to develop certain areas of the event that weren’t possible before and people will be added as they confirm their availability.”

Mike, who passed away in 2020, was 81 and is pictured being interviewed by TV covering his race in Blanchland

“I got involved when I offered to help a number of years ago due to Mike’s famously staunch reluctance to trust computers so I did a bit of the technical stuff to help him. Ironically, it was only in the last year of his life, he understood the wonders of email. He’d call me and say ‘I can write a letter, send it to a person and see if they have read it, and the exact time they read it!, in about 3 minutes, even if they don’t reply !” Steve replied to him “I know Mike, only been trying to tell you that for something like 20 years now!”

Knowing Mike as I did as a photographer on the race, he was a great talker and he did like to talk on the phone as well and once he got started, you had better sit down as it was going to be a while LoL. He was never shy to talk about the goings on at meetings with British Cycling which was always quite revealing. He wasn’t a fan of the organisation but he didn’t let them stop him putting on a race he put his own money into just to make sure it happened for the good of the sport and the event’s sponsors.

Steve explained that at the moment, the race will continue as a two day race. “At present, it’s still going to be a two day, two stage event for Men and Women as it was 2019. We did consult with quite a few of the teams a few years ago about adding a time trial either on a Friday evening or as part of a shortened Saturday, but the general consensus was that this would make it too difficult for even some of the bigger teams to justify in respect of adding another day and individual riders in the event if it had been a team time trial.”

The sponsor of the event is Project Genesis who are a regeneration trust and who were the main sponsor in 2019. Last year was the 40th Anniversary of the closure of the Consett Steel Works that was by far the areas biggest employer. It was also the 25th Anniversary of Project Genesis being formed and the 2019 event was in effect a test event to see if a race of that stature could be taken into a town centre and run as part of a week of activities last year. That moment has gone now but the hope is to run something similar to replicate what last year would have looked like and thank the local population for their acceptance of the event.”

One thing the race is famous for is the weather and there has been nice warm summer days and winter snow storms. Asked if he’s expecting warmer weather for the race in the event’s new date (August 13/14) Steve replied “as its the North East of England, one thing we’re used to up here is planning for, but not relying too much on the weather but its no where near as bad as the rest of the country makes out. We had near perfect weather in 2019 which was in June”.

The final question for Steve was about the stage routes. The race changed a bit in 2019 but the roads were by and large the same as the race had used for many many years. Steve replied “although we still have to have an initial meeting with the relevant parties, the intention is to run it as the proposed routes that were planned for last year. These were courses similar to the 2019 event but simplified slightly and reduced in length as the 2019 event was generally accepted as a little too confusing, long and hilly, and meant the Men were finishing near on 6pm on Sunday evening.”

“It would be fitting to actually run the event exactly as it was meant to last year. As the races were the first to be held on the National Series calendars of 2020, they were pretty much completed from an organising point of view by the time Covid hit us and put a halt to everything. It would be a nice tribute to Mike to just run the event next year as it was when he left us last year”. It would indeed and Mike for sure, will never be forgotten and our thoughts go out to his family who will no doubt be as proud of Mike’s achievements as we are…

RESULTS FROM 1998 BELOW >>>>


Note: The results from the British Cycling database may or may not be accurate as certain data does not exist to ensure the race/result is correct – https://www.velouk.net/contact-us/


2019

Alexandra Tour of Reservoir

Overall
1 Leah Dixon Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm
2 Jennifer Powell Bianchi Dama
3 Claire Steels Brother UK Fusion RT
4 Christina Wiejak Jadan – Vive le Velo
5 Pfeiffer Georgi Team Sunweb
6 Niamh Fisher Black
7 Dame Sarah Storey Storey Racing
8 Rebecca Durrell Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm
9 Anna Kay Experza Pro CX
10 Emily Wadsworth Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm

Stage 1
1 Rebecca Durrell Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm
2 Pfeiffer Georgi Team Sunweb
3 Anna Kay Experza Pro CX

Stage 2
1 Leah Dixon Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm
2 Jennifer Powell Bianchi Dama
3 Claire Steels Brother UK Fusion RT

Tour of the Reservoir Men
1 James Shaw SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
2 Matthew Holmes Madison Genesis
3 Mark Christian Team Wiggins Le Col
4 Maximilian Stedman Canyon dhb p/b Bloor Homes
5 Alistair Slater Vitus Pro Cycling p-b Brother…
6 Edward Laverack SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
7 Daniel Pearson Canyon dhb p/b Bloor Homes
8 Ben Healy Team Wiggins Le Col
9 Jacob Scott SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
10 Scott Auld Ribble Pro Cycling

Stage 1
1 Oliver Wood Canyon dhb p/b Bloor Homes
2 Jacob Scott SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
3 Thomas Moses Madison Genesis

Stage 2
1 James Shaw SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
2 Matthew Holmes Madison Genesis
3 Steve Lampier Saint Piran


2018

Alexandra Tour of the Reservoir
1 Sophie Wright Torelli-Assure-Cayman Islands
2 Anna Henderson Brother U.K – Cycle Team OnFor…
3 Nicola Juniper NJC – Biemme – Echelon
4 Jessica Roberts Team Breeze
5 Melissa Lowther Storey Racing
6 Georgina Panchaud Bianchi Dama
7 Jennifer Powell NJC – Biemme – Echelon
8 Elizabeth Banks Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling T…
9 Dame Sarah Storey Storey Racing
10 Emma Cockcroft Bianchi Dama

Stage 1
1 Dame Sarah Storey Storey Racing
2 Emma Cockcroft Bianchi Dama
3 Nicola Juniper NJC – Biemme – Echelon

Stage 2
1 Sophie Wright Torelli-Assure-Cayman Islands
2 Melissa Lowther Storey Racing
3 Anna Henderson Brother U.K – Cycle Team OnFor…

Tour of the Reservoir Men
1 Thomas Moses JLT Condor
2 Hayden McCormick One Pro Cycling
3 Ian Bibby JLT Condor
4 Ethan Hayter 100% ME
5 Connor Swift Madison Genesis
6 Thomas Pidcock Team Wiggins Le Col
7 Jack Pullar Canyon dhb p/b Bloor Homes
8 Mark Donovan Team Wiggins Le Col
9 Isaac Mundy Madison Genesis
10 Fred Wright 100% ME

Stage 1
1 Ian Bibby JLT Condor
2 Connor Swift Madison Genesis
3 Ethan Hayter 100% ME

Stage 2
1 Thomas Moses JLT Condor
2 Hayden McCormick One Pro Cycling
3 Alexandar Richardson


2017
Alexandra Tour of the Reservoir
1 Melissa Lowther Team Breeze
2 Hayley Simmonds Team WNT
3 Laura Massey Drops
4 Joscelin Lowden Aprire Bicycles/HSS Hire
5 Elizabeth Banks Storey Racing
6 Natalie Grinczer Team WNT
7 Hannah Payton Drops
8 Genevieve Whitson Isorex NoAqua Ladies Cycling T…
9 Sophie Wright Renvale RT
10 Chanel Mason Storey Racing

Stage 1
1 Melissa Lowther Team Breeze
2 Hayley Simmonds Team WNT
3 Laura Massey Drops

Stage 2
1 Laura Massey Drops
2 Melissa Lowther Team Breeze
3 Elizabeth Banks Storey Racing

Tour of the Reservoir Men
1 Thomas Stewart One Pro Cycling
2 Karol Domagalski One Pro Cycling
3 Ian Bibby JLT Condor
4 Dexter Gardias BIKE Channel Canyon
5 Thomas Moses JLT Condor
6 Jonathan McEvoy Madison Genesis
7 Andrew Tennant Team Wiggins Le Col
8 Matthew Holmes Madison Genesis
9 Hayden McCormick One Pro Cycling
10 Elliott Porter Neon-Velo Cycling Team

Stage 1
1 Karol Domagalski One Pro Cycling
2 Kamil Gradek
3 Thomas Stewart One Pro Cycling

Stage 2
1 Thomas Moses JLT Condor
2 Ian Bibby JLT Condor
3 Jonathan McEvoy Madison Genesis


2016
Alexandra Women’s Tour of the Reservoir
1 Nicola Juniper Team Ford Ecoboost
2 Eleanor Dickinson Drops Cycling Development Team
3 Maddi Campbell
4 Emily Wadsworth Beeline-Gener8
5 Alice Cobb Matrix Pro Cycling
6 Jennifer Holden Brother UK Fusion RT
7 Sophie Wright Renvale RT
8 Anna Turvey Tyneside Vagabonds CC
9 Lucy Shaw Drops
10 Melissa Lowther Team Breeze

Stage 1
1 Grace Garner Podium Ambition p/b Club La Sa…
2 Melissa Lowther Team Breeze
3 Charline Joiner Team Ford Ecoboost

Stage 2
1 Alice Barnes 100% ME
2 Nicola Juniper Team Ford Ecoboost
3 Lucy Shaw Drops

Tour of the Reservoir Men
1 Joseph Fry Pedal Heaven
2 Jonathan McEvoy NFTO
3 Adria Moreno
4 Thomas Moses JLT Condor
5 Taylor Gunman Madison Genesis
6 Connor Swift Cycling Sheffield
7 Erick Rowsell Madison Genesis
8 Dexter Gardias Pedal Heaven
9 Jack Pullar Pedal Heaven
10 James Gullen Pedal Heaven

Stage 1
1 Thomas Moses JLT Condor
2 Jonathan McEvoy NFTO
3 Joseph Fry Pedal Heaven

Stage 2
1 Erick Rowsell Madison Genesis
2 Dexter Gardias Pedal Heaven
3 James Gullen Pedal Heaven


2015

Alexandra Women’s Tour of the Reservoir
1 Danielle Rowe MBE Wiggle High5
2 Ciara Horne Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l
3 Nicola Juniper Team Giordana- Triton
4 Anna Christian Wiggle High5
5 Corrine Hall MBE IKON – Mazda
6 Charline Joiner WNT Development Team
7 Elinor Barker MBE Matrix Pro Cycling
8 Rebecca Rimmington IKON – Mazda
9 Gabriella Shaw Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l
10 Ruth Shier PMR

Stage 1
1 Danielle Rowe MBE Wiggle High5
2 Katie Archibald Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l
3 Charline Joiner WNT Development Team

Stage 2
1 Joanna Rowsell Shand MBE Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l
2 Nicola Juniper Team Giordana- Triton
3 Danielle Rowe MBE Wiggle High5

Tour of the Reservoir Men
1 Erick Rowsell Madison Genesis
2 Steve Lampier Raleigh GAC
3 Andrew Tennant Team Wiggins Le Col
4 Eddie Dunbar NFTO
5 Mark McNally Madison Genesis
6 Yanto Barker One Pro Cycling
7 Marcin Bialoblocki One Pro Cycling
8 Karol Domagalski Raleigh GAC
9 Thomas Stewart Madison Genesis
10 Joshua Hunt One Pro Cycling

Stage 1
1 Erick Rowsell Madison Genesis
2 Steve Lampier Raleigh GAC
3 Mark McNally Madison Genesis

Stage 2
1 Marcin Bialoblocki One Pro Cycling
2 Erick Rowsell Madison Genesis
3 Steve Lampier Raleigh GAC


2014

Alexandra Women’s Tour of the Reservoir
1 Nicola Juniper Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l
2 Alexie Shaw IKON – Mazda
3 Molly Weaver IKON – Mazda
4 Hannah Walker IKON – Mazda
5 Chloe Fraser Deeside Thistle CC
6 Alice Cobb Squadra Donne
7 Lowri Devey Abergavenny Road Club
8 Laura Massey IKON – Mazda
9 Amy King Brother UK Fusion RT
10 Helen Ralston Les Filles Racing Team

Tour of the Reservoir Men

1 Alex Peters Madison Genesis
2 Peter Hawkins Madison Genesis
3 Yanto Barker Raleigh GAC
4 Marcin Bialoblocki Giordana-Mitsubishi Electric R…
5 Thomas Moses JLT Condor
6 Graham Briggs JLT Condor
7 Steve Lampier Giordana-Mitsubishi Electric R…
8 Mathieu Boulo
9 Michael Northey Madison Genesis
10 Evan Oliphant Raleigh GAC

Stage 1
1 Alex Peters Madison Genesis
2 Peter Hawkins Madison Genesis
3 Yanto Barker Raleigh GAC

Stage 2
1 Evan Oliphant Raleigh GAC
2 Jonathan Mould NFTO
3 Ian Wilkinson Raleigh GAC


2013 Tour of the Reservoir Men

1 Evan Oliphant Team Raleigh 07:17:09
2 Chris Opie Team UK Youth 07:17:16
3 Peter Hawkins Team IG Sigma Sport 07:17:19
4 Tom Stewart Team Sportscover/Bioracer 07:17:20
5 Andrew Tennant Madison Genesis 07:17:26
6 Mike Northey Node Giordana Racing 07:17:29
7 Steve Lampier Node Giordana Racing 07:17:30
8 Rob Partridge Team UK Youth 07:17:36
9 Ben Greenwood Team Hope Factory Racing 07:18:07
10 Rob Britton Team Raleigh 07:18:26

Stage 1
1 Chris Opie Team UK Youth (UCI Team)
2 Simon Yates 100% ME
3 Niklas Gustavsson Team UK Youth (UCI Team)

Stage 2
1 Evan Oliphant Raleigh GAC
2 Chris Opie Team UK Youth (UCI Team)
3 Peter Hawkins Team IG – Sigma Sport


2012 Tour of the Reservoir Men
1 Scott Thwaites Endura Racing
2 Peter Hawkins
3 Russell Downing Endura Racing
4 Graham Briggs Raleigh GAC
5 Andrew Tennant JLT Condor
6 Peter Williams Giordana-Mitsubishi Electric R…
7 Marcel Six SportGrub Cycling Team
8 Michael Berling MG-Maxifuel Pro Cycling
9 Evan Oliphant Raleigh GAC
10 Wouter Sybrandy Team IG – Sigma Sport


2011 Tour of the Reservoir Men
1 Ian Bibby Giordana-Mitsubishi Electric R…
2 Marcin Bialoblocki Giordana-Mitsubishi Electric R…
3 Dean Downing JLT Condor
4 Peter Williams Giordana-Mitsubishi Electric R…
5 Jack Bauer
6 William Bjergfelt Giordana-Mitsubishi Electric R…
7 Paul Voss
8 Tom Last Team IG – Sigma Sport
9 Matt Cronshaw Raleigh GAC
10 Rafael Rodriguez Segarra Richardsons Trek DAS


2010 Tour of the Reservoir Men
1 Simon Richardson Team IG – Sigma Sport
2 Ian Wilkinson Endura Racing
3 Niklas Gustavsson
4 Marcin Bialoblocki Wilier/Live to Ride
5 Tobyn Horton Sprocket Pro Cycling
6 Scott Thwaites Endura Racing
7 Jack Bauer
8 Peter Williams Giordana-Mitsubishi Electric R…
9 Wouter Sybrandy Full Gas Racing Team
10 Evan Oliphant Endura Racing


2009 Tour of the Reservoir Men
1 Andrew Tennant Team Halfords Bikehut
2 Russell Downing Giordana-Mitsubishi Electric R…
3 Robert Partridge Team Halfords Bikehut
4 Marcin Bialoblocki Wilier/Live to Ride
5 Dean Downing JLT Condor
6 Evan Oliphant Madison Cycling Team
7 Tom Murray Madison Cycling Team
8 Steve Lampier KUK Kinesis
9 Mark McNally Team Halfords Bikehut
10 Graham Briggs Giordana-Mitsubishi Electric R…


2008 Tour of the Reservoir Men
1 Russell Downing Giordana-Mitsubishi Electric R…
2 Kristian House JLT Condor
3 Simon Richardson Thanet RC
4 Dean Downing JLT Condor
5 Robert Partridge JLT Condor
6 Evan Oliphant Madison Cycling Team
7 Tom Southam Team Halfords Bikehut
8 Liam Holohan Pearl Izumi – Planet X – High …
9 Marcin Bialoblocki Wilier/Live to Ride
10 Alex Higham Madison Cycling Team


2007 Tour of the Reservoir Men
1 Dean Downing Foran CCC
2 Gordon McCauley Madison Cycling Team
3 Robin Sharman K.F.S Special Vehicles – Sabba…
4 Jason Macintyre Edge Racing
5 Andrew Roche Giordana-Mitsubishi Electric R…
6 Dan Staite Bike & Run London
7 Malcolm Elliott Giordana-Mitsubishi Electric R…
8 John Tanner Polypipe Cycling Team
9 Richard Wilkinson JLT Condor
10 Simon Gaywood Madison Cycling Team


2006 Tour of the Reservoir Men
1 Ben Greenwood Recycling Race Team
2 Kristian House Recycling Race Team
3 Matthew Stephens Sigma Sport
4 James Dobbin Arctic Aircon RT
5 C Burrows
6 James Williamson Agisko-Viner -Cycling
7 Alastair Kay BGE
8 Kevin Dawson Agisko-Viner -Cycling
9 Graham Briggs Agisko-Viner -Cycling
10 Philip Dixon Science In Sport


2005 Tour of the Reservoir Men

1 Dean Downing Team DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed
2 Kevin Dawson Polypipe Cycling Team
3 Russell Downing Team DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed
4 John Tanner Polypipe Cycling Team
5 Robin Sharman Recycling Race Team
6 Simon Richardson Ace Racing Team
7 Shaun Snodden Recycling Race Team
8 Mark Lovatt Polypipe Cycling Team
9 Steven Kenny Kuota – GSG
10 Ian Wilkinson Science In Sport.com


2004 Tour of the Reservoir Men
1 Shaun Snodden Recycling Race Team
2 Neil Swithenbank MK Cycles
3 Richard Sutcliffe Chalon En Champagne – Cyclo 51
4 Steven Kenny Kuota – GSG
5 Peter Hinchliffe Race Scene CC
6 Julian Gromett Cottingham Coureurs RT
7 Alastair Kay York Cycleworks
8 Paul Oldham Giant Factory Off-Road Team
9 Ben Greenwood Recycling Race Team
10 Christian Varley Team Maestro


2003 Tour of the Reservoir Men
1 Chris Newton Recycling Race Team
2 Mark Lovatt Polypipe Cycling Team
3 Malcolm Elliott Giordana-Mitsubishi Electric R…
4 John Tanner Polypipe Cycling Team
5 Hamish Hutchinson Midlothian RT
6 Mark Wordsworth Peebles CC
7 Gareth Hewitt J.E. James RT
8 David Coulson J.E. James RT
9 Alastair Kay York Cycleworks
10 Ben Greenwood Recycling Race Team


2002 Tour of the Reservoir Men
1 Mark Lovatt Polypipe Cycling Team
2 John Tanner Polypipe Cycling Team
3 Kevin Dawson Polypipe Cycling Team
4 Julian Gromett Cottingham Coureurs RT
5 Neil Swithenbank MK Cycles
6 Stuart Wearmouth Science In Sport.com
7 Daniel Keena Cottingham Coureurs RT
8 James Sharp York Cycleworks
9 Jonathan Muir York Cycleworks
10 Michael Pluckrose Andersons Racing


2000 Tour of Reservoir
1 Mark Lovatt Polypipe Cycling Team
2 Jeffrey Wright Life Repair Cycle Racing Team
3 Chris Young Ilkley Cycles RT
4 Glen Turnbull Bannatyne Cycle Racing Team
5 Ian Hellawell Middridge CRT
6 Neil Brown Deeside Thistle CC
7 Paul Rennie North Beach / Dooleys RT
8 Michael Pluckrose Andersons Racing
9 Daniel Fox Airedale Chemical RT
10 Gordon Kemp Velo Schils – Interbike RT


1999 Tour of Reservoir
1 Mark Lovatt Polypipe Cycling Team
2 Neil Swithenbank MK Cycles
3 Christopher Anelay Triangle RT
4 Chris Young Ilkley Cycles RT
5 Alastair Kay York Cycleworks
6 Michael Pluckrose Andersons Racing
7 Andrew Critchlow Cycle Force 2000
8 Andrew Jackson E.C.St Etienne-Loire
10 Daniel Fox Airedale Chemical RT


1998 Tour of Reservoir
1 Jeffrey Wright Life Repair Cycle Racing Team
2 Chris Young Ilkley Cycles RT
3 Christopher Anelay Triangle RT
4 John Flanagan Aire Valley Racing Team
5 David Coulson J.E. James RT
6 Ian Hellawell Middridge CRT
7 Russell Thompson Berwick Wheelers CC
8 Gary Proud Featherstone RC
9 Colin Clark Velo Club Lincoln
10 Ian Holmes VC York




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