Halfords Tour Series 2012
Round 2 – Durham– 17th May
Author: Chris Maher, Pictures courtesy of: Chris Maher | Photography
The Halfords Tour Series cycle race returns for its 4th year. This fast & furious city centre circuit race is played out twice a week over 11 rounds starting in Kirkcaldy, Fife & finishes in Stoke-on-Trent on the 14th June.
This season we have 10 teams of 5 men, challenging for the Halfords Tour Trophy. Although local guest teams will fill out the field. The race is run over an hour and a quarter, with three Boardman Bike Sprints at 15 minuet intervals. There is a stage winner, but the Team who collects the most points by finishing three of their men closest to the top as possible will win the (Tour) Series trophy. This is a Team event, so finishing the event will prove crucial as the points amass towards the final round.
The second round is in the leafy city ofDurham. This demanding & technical circuit is probably the most physically challenging of the series once more. With cobbled streets, acute corners & steep climbs, the course twists & turns through narrowed sections. Not only will the riders strength play a part, but also the mechanical reliance of their machines riding over these harsh road surfaces. Each rider will be allowed two individual laps out for mechanical faults but will have to get back to the pit area by foot if necessary.
The 1.4 kilometre circuit race got underway at 7.00pm with a sighting lap. The course was damp, so crashes came thick and fast on the bottom corner. A group soon formed of around fifteen riders, including National Crit Champion Graham Briggs and round one winner Scott Thwaites. It was Kristian House that broke away after taking the first sprint of the evening. Spinning his legs up the climb easily, House kept out of danger whist many of the other rides got tangled up or punctured.
House was joined by three more riders including Graham Brigg and Jonny McEvoy, but by the second sprint lap the chasing group had caught them up. House then went on to take sprint number two to increase his tally to 10 points.
From this point on, Rapha Condor Sharp’s Kristian House made a solo effort the stay out in front. A third group formed, but was a lap behind. To make things more difficult, this third group got trapped between House and the chasers. House went on the take the final sprint and the jersey from round one that Marcel Six won.
Team mate Andrew Tennant road closely in the chasing group, but Rapha Condor Sharp were missing their all important third man. Crossing the line to take the stage victory, House did an epic solo victory, having come close in previous years. It was Endura Racing that won the main event, finishing three men over the line in the top five to retain the Tour Series Leaders Jerseys
Standings After Durham
- Endura Racing 20
- Team Raleigh – GAC 16
- Rapha Condor Sharp 15
- Node4 – Giordana Racing 14
- UK Youth Cycling Team 13
- Cycle Premier – Kovert 10
- Team IG – Sigma Sport 9
- Metaltek Scott Pro Cycling 5
- Herbal Life – LeisureLakeBikes.com 4
- Team Hope Factory Racing 4
Durham Race Top 10
- Kristian House Rapha Condor Sharp
- Scott Thwaites Endura Racing
- Ian Bibby Endura Racing
- Graham Briggs Team Raleigh – GAC
- Jonny McEvoy Endura Racing
- Andrew Tennant Rapha Condor Sharp
- Yanto Barker UK Youth Cycling Team
- Peter Williams Node4 – Giordana Racing
- Steve Lampier Team IG – Sigma Sport
- Simon Richardson Team IG – Sigma Sport
Round 1 – May 15th – Kirkcaldy
Endura Racing’s Scott Thwaites wins the race
- Endura Racing 10 points
- UK Youth Cycle Racing 9
- Team Raleigh – GAC 8
Round 2 – May 17th – Durham
as above
Round 3 – May 22nd – Oxford
Endura Racing’s Scott Thwaites wins the race
- Endura Racing 30 points
- Rapha Condor Sharp 23
- UK Youth Cycle Racing 22
Round 4 – May 24th – Redditch
UK Youth Cycle Racing’s Niklas Gustavsson wins the race
- Endura Racing 40 points
- UK Youth Cycle Racing 31
- Rapha Condor Sharp 30
Round 5 – May 25th – Aberystwyth
Rapha Condor Sharp’s Kristian House wins the race
- Endura Racing 47 points
- UK Youth Cycle Racing 41
- Rapha Condor Sharp 39
Round 6 – May 29th – Peterborough
Rapha Condor Sharp’s Ed Clancy wins the race
- Endura Racing 56 points
- Rapha Condor Sharp 47
- UK Youth Cycle Racing 46
Round 7 – May 31th – CanaryWharf
Endura Racing’s Zak Dempster wins the race
- Endura Racing 66 points
- Rapha Condor Sharp 55
- UK Youth Cycle Racing 53
Round 8 – June 05th – Torquay
Node4 – Giordana’s Marcin Bialoblocki wins the race
- Endura Racing 74 points
- Rapha Condor Sharp 62
- Team Raleigh – GAC 60
Round 9 – June 07th – Colchester
Team Raleigh- GAC’s Graham Briggs wins the race
- Endura Racing 84 points
- Rapha Condor Sharp 70
- UK Youth Cycle Racing 68
Round 10 – June 12th – Woking
Round 11 – June 14th – Stoke onTrent
For further information, reports & results go to the official website www.tourseries.co.uk
You can catch the racing on ITV4 the following day at 8.00pm