Team Report: pedalpower.org.uk/Endura RT

News Posted: 18 Sept 2008

The team pose after some excellent recent results

The Scottish based team of pedalpower.org.uk/Endura RT had a great back to back two weekends racing when the clenched the final round of the Scottish Power Re-newables Super Six Series, sealing all three jerseys which went to Gordon Murdoch (Overall) Gary Hand (king of the mountains) and Scott Macrae (Sprint) Following on from this success they then went on to take the first two spots in the Scottish Criterium Championships - Full Story below.

Scottish Power Re-newables Super Six Series

Round 6 of the Scottish Power Re-newables elite event did over 72 miles comprising of four large laps and four smaller circuits. The pace was fast from the outset and by the first long climb just a few miles into the race, there were already some strugglers.

Several riders made attempts to break clear but it was Matt Cronshaw (Kinesis UK) and Callum Wilkinson (Bicycleworks) who made the main move of the day on the second of the four large laps and by the time they reached the highest point on the circuit, they had established a gap of 40 seconds on a group of five pursuers that included pedalpower.org.uk/Endura team mates Gary Hand and David Lines with Glasgow Couriers pair, Jim Cusick and Alan Thomson, with two more chasers - Aidan McIlroy (Edinburgh RC) and Micky Mallen (GS Metro) a further 20 seconds adrift.

ScottishPower Re-newables Super 6 Series Round 6 winner Gary Hand with team mate gordon Murdoch 2nd

The two escapees continued to work together and saw their advantage peak at 1 minute 40 seconds before the bunch started to make inroads.

With conditions now better than they had been for the whole afternoon, albeit there was still a distinct chill in the air, the changes at the head of the field continued to come. Cronshaw remained up front but, by the bell, he had been joined by Hand and Murdoch - a trio that led by 28 seconds from Finn and Wilkinson, who in turn had 1 minute 23 seconds to spare over a group of seven riders dangling off the front of the main bunch.

As he had done in the earlier laps, Hand pushed on up the hill at the start of the lap, taking Murdoch with him, and they gradually shrugged off the attentions of a tiring Cronshaw, making the final descent together, before Hand crossed the line arms aloft to clinch the win by half a length from his colleague.

Cronshaw bagged a well deserved third spot, 51 seconds down, Finn edged out Wilkinson for fourth ahead of Finn and Jamie Henderson (Spokes RT) led home the bunch 1 minutes 38 seconds down.

Hand, winner of the opening race in the series was delighted to have book ended it with victory in the final leg and he was equally pleased that the race had gone according to plan.

"I knew Callum and the Kinesis guy up the road were pretty strong. There was no point in going across to them straight away so we just kept them at a steady one minute and caught them on the finishing circuits", he said. "Gordon came across on his own and we worked together. Due to the slippery roads and surface water we weren't taking any risks today, but we've been training hard and our strength just came through at the end. It's a great series, with organizer James McCallum doing a fantastic job and of-course it was good to end the last one the way we started the first one."

"We've got a great bunch of guys in the team that work there socks off for each other so to win 4 from the 6 events, all three jerseys and the team prize is amazing! I am really proud to be part of the setup. We're hoping to expand the team larger next year with the addition of some new riders with the goal of winning at Premier Calendar level, but the dream of the riders and sponsors is to gain Continental status and ride the Tour of Britain"

Results

1 Gary Hand pedalpower.org.uk / Endura RT 03:12:30
2 Gordon Murdoch pedalpower.org.uk /Endura RT same time
3 Mtthew Cronshaw Kinesis UK @51 secs
4 Ashley Finn @01:12
5 Callum Wilkinson Bicycleworks same time
6 Jamie Henderson Spokes RT @01:38
7 Aidan McIlroy Edinburgh RC - The Bicycleworks same time (ESCA Champion)
8 Chris Thomson VC Astar same time
9 David Robertson Active Bikes same time
10 Stephen Russell East Kilbride RC same time
11 Ross Crook Edinburgh RC - The Bicycleworks same time
12 Neil Cameron Falkirk BC same time
13 Ian Taylor MTS cyclesport/inkland same time
14 Damien Smith Wheelbase same time
15 Graham McGarrity Dooleys RT same time
16 Liam Cowie Aberdeen Wheelers J same time
17 Alister Watt Granite City RT V same time
18 Scott Macrae PedalPower.org.uk/Endura RT same time
19 James Cusick Glasgow Couriers - DB Developme same time
20 Tom Anderson Falkirk BC same time

Scottish Criterium Championships

One week on and the pedalpower.org.uk/Endura RT were at the head of affairs again, this time the boys in tartan had there eyes on the Scottish Criterium Championships.

Wet conditions did not stop the fast pace being set from the start, there were a few attacks most noticeable from the Dooleys pairing Graham McGarrity and Paul Rennie but it only took three laps of the 800m tight circuit to establish the race winning move which contained pedalpower.org.uk/Endura team mates Scott Macrae and Kevin Barclay and a gritty looking Paul Rennie.

Kevin Barclay winning the Scottish Criterium Championships 2008 with team mate Scott Macrae 2nd

The threesome gained an excellent advantage over the restless peleton and after the halfway point of the 1hour plus 5laps managed to re-gain the tail end of the peleton to lap the field. Not happy to sit on the back, the threesome rode incredibly aggressive more notably 20yr old Kevin Barclay whom attacked the peleton again, eventually distancing himself with team mate Scott Macrae and a lapped rider they gained the advantage they needed.

Arms aloft Kevin Barclay took the gold, team mate Scott Macrae silver and a well deserved bronze medal going to Paul Rennie.

After thanking his team mates Kevin explained how the race panned out.

"Once myself and Scotty got away with Paul I knew it was the move, we had 2 v 1 and I knew my team mates behind would try slow up the bunch and keep the lid on things" "I was surprised to catch the bunch again, but the legs felt good so I decided to go again" In crossing the line Kevin toke his first Scottish Criterium win but the 20yr old explained "The Scottish is a great win, but I am determined to have a solid winter to really focus on the British Criterium Championships next year."

Results

1 Kevin Barclay pedalpower.org.uk/Endura RT
2 Scott Macrae pedalpower.org.uk/Endura RT
3 Paul Rennie Dooleys RT
4 Alistair Rutherford SIS
5 Gary Hand pedalpower.org.uk/Endura Rt
6 Stephen Russell East Kilbride RC
7 Graham McGarrity Dooleys RT
8 Chris Thompson VC Astar
9 Brian Pool Anderson's RT
10 Barry McGurk Team Icarus