Result: West Lothian Grand Prix

Ciaran McSherry, James Burnett & Isla Easto winners at the West Lothian Grand Prix on April 6 at Linlithgow (Scotland)

Result: West Lothian Grand Prix
Thanks to Matthew Ball for the report…

REPORT: Easto and McSherry dominate the West Lothian Grand Prix — The West Lothian Grand Prix on Sunday 6th April was played out under blue skies with Linlithgow’s West Lothian Cycle Circuit bathed in warm spring sunshine. There was a nagging easterly, which off the bike wasn’t a noticeable but along the home straight the breeze was a race winning feature.

The women’s and men’s elite podiums were sponsored by Brookfield Metal Recycling and the the prize list encouraged a stellar start sheet containing Scottish champions in both events.
On the run up to the woman’s elite race, Isla Easto (Solas Cycling) was the bookies favorite. During the first half of the race the bunch was glued together and the under 23 rider was content to let her competitors take the wind.

The intermediate sprint sponsored by Strangers Brewing played a pivotal role in the race. Junior Tess Byrne (Solas Cycling) attacked and split the bunch but was matched day Karen Outram (Falkirk Bicycle Club). Sensing the danger Easto bridged across with Byrne bagging the mid-way prime.

In a classic move Easto jumped away as the trio slowed and used her time trailing prowess to build a gap. After 5 laps the bunch behind regrouped, and caught Byrne and Outram leaving the Solas rider to eke out a bigger lead.

Going into the penultimate lap and Easto’s lead unsurmountable, first Byrne and then Outram attacked. The Falkirk rider kept her gap going into the last lap but couldn’t bridge to the younger rider up front.

Easto held out to the finish and had enough time to punch the air as she crossed the line. In the gallop behind, Outram was swamped by the marauding bunch, Byrne came second and Alexandra Hayden (Vanelli-Project GO) third with the courageous Outram 4th.
The last event of the day was the Men’s elite race, Cat 1 riders Keir Gaffney (Vanelli-Project GO) Sam Barbour (Cycling Sheffield) and Liam Scott Douglas (JG Cycles) were seen as podium potential but Ciaran McSherry (Defined Cycling Team) had been performing well in time trials running up the race. Ex-GB rider Ross Birrell (Moonglu Spatzwear) was also recognised as a threat after coming back from illness.

The first rider to attack was the junior Brodie Duncan from the host club West Lothian Clarion Race Team. He teased the bunch for a few laps before being reeled in. The peloton wasn’t letting anyone get out of sight at this stage and was lined out as they zipped round the twisting circuit.

The first Strangers Brewing sprint was taken by birthday boy Sam Barbour in a bunch all in for the ale!. Soon after Ciaran McSherry ghosted off the front of the bunch. Before the pack really noticed the Defined Cycling rider had eked out a small gap of 10 seconds.
Into the headwind on the home straight no one was willing to burn matches pulling the leader back.

Mcsherry has excelled against the clock this year and he used his aero position and threshold power to pull away. Within 2 Laps at 40 minutes he increased the gap to 20 seconds and then to 25. Back in the peloton Brodie Duncan was very active, always looking for a weakness but never managing to make decisive break. Birrell, Barbour and Ben Gibson (Team PB Performance) all tried their hand to drill the front but they couldn’t match McSherry’s consistency, who took the second Strangers Brewing Sprint.

With 5 laps to go the fight had gone out of the bunch as they switched to thinking about final sprint, this gave McSherry the chance to lap the field, with everyone taking the bell together.
In a fierce Sprint for the line it required the finish line camera to split the field, of course McSherry was first, but Sam Barbour threw himself into second with Ben Gibson a tyre width behind

Afterwards worthy winner McSherry said “I didn’t really attack, I spotted a gap behind and then wound up the speed and before long I knew there was potential in my efforts. My tactic was to go hard into the head wind and make up time in the chicanes where the bunch would be slower”

A successful and thrilling day’s racing promoted by the club. We’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who raced, spectated and most of all volunteered. A Big thanks to Martin Harris for timing and the Commissaires Jan and David and finally Pedal Power for the coffee truck

Our Sponsors Brookfield metal Recycling and Strangers Brewing made it a special day indeed https://www.brookfieldmetalrecycling.co.uk

Photos Liz Henry and Ed Crowley

E/1/2/3 Open
1. Ciaran McSherry, Defined Cycling Team
2. Sam Barbour, Cycling Sheffield
3. Ben Gibson, Team PB Performance
4. Liam Scott Douglas, JG Cycles CC
5. Keir Gaffney, Vanelli-Project Go
6. Ross Birrell, Moonglu SpatzWear
7. Hamish MacLaren, Defined Cycling Team
8. Brodie Duncan, West Lothian Clarion CC
9. Cian Leveridge, Team PB Performance
10. Marc Cunningham, Livingston Cycling Club
11. Alastair McNicol, dooleys cycles
12. Kevin Barclay, dooleys cycles
13. Mengyang Dong
14. Nico Anelli, Ride Revolution Coaching
15. Geoffrey Martin, West Lothian Clarion CC
16. Raphael Jacquemet-Ross, West Lothian Clarion CC
17. Rory Fleming, West Lothian Clarion CC
18. Chris Young, Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT
19. Matthew Dawson, Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT
20. Cailean Vorster, West Lothian Clarion CC

4th Cat Open
1. James Burnett, Edinburgh RC
2. Luca Grinceri
3. Sam Beattie, Scotia Offroad Race Team (SORT…
4. Jamie Madden
5. Murray Gray, ROTOR Race Team
6. David Johnstone, RC Cumbernauld & Kilsyth
7. Neil Shannon, Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT
8. Christopher Reid
9. Calum Nicol, West Lothian Clarion CC
10. Douglas Kelsall
11. Thomas Jacquemet, Kinross CC
12. Mark Bruce, Glasgow Ivy CC
13. Stephen Maddison, Dundee Thistle RC
14. Joseph Perkins, University of Exeter Cycling C…
15. Stuart Maccallum, Dundee Thistle RC
16. Ewan Murray, Glasgow Green Cycle Club
17. Alistair Downie
18. Ewen Berube, Glasgow University Cycling Clu…
19. John-Michael Howison, West Lothian Clarion CC
20. Karim Kmicha

E/1/2/3 Female
1. Isla Easto, Solas Cycling
2. Tess Byrne, Solas Cycling
3. Alexandra Hayden, Vanelli-Project Go
4. Karen Outram, Falkirk Bicycle Club
5. Diana Farrell, Hervelo Cycling