Author: Chris Maher, Pictures courtesy of: Chris Maher | Photography

Spring Cup

Lincoln GP – Round Three

Media Release

Who will win the Big One ?

Lincoln Grand Prix and West Common Junior Road Race

Start Sheet

Sunday May 11th 2014

Who will win the 59th Annual Lincoln Grand Prix is an open question and there are lots to choose from for the biggest ever event on Sunday May 11th.

Certainly NFTO’s Russell Dowing is up for it and really wanting to make it Win Number 5 and exceed the record number of wins held by himself and Paul Curran. Russell is currently sporting a fine growth of beard but said on a recent visit to Lincoln ‘If the beard has gone on May 11th then he is the one to watch’ He also carries his lucky number 12 on his back so the signs may be good.

But there is plenty of opposition amongst the cast of 160 of the country’s best riders and teams. Perhaps Rapha Condor’s Tom Moses can repeat his Rutland CiCle Classic win or Tour of the Resevoir winners Alex Peters of Madison-Genesis and Evan Oliphant of Team Raleigh will be to the fore again. Team Raleigh also have their three French riders Alexandre Blain, Morgan Kneisky and Mattieu Boule on the line up to give added strength to the team and Rapha have Olympic medallist Ed Clancy MBE in their strong line up.

Second place last year to Peter Kennaugh, Marcin Bialoblocki rides for Velosure Giordana and will want to correct that result and be on the top of the podium this year. Kristian House is missing this year so that could open up the Brian Cosavella Michaelgate Trophy Points Competition which Kristian has tried to make his own in recent years.

There are obviously lots more who would want to add a Lincoln victory to their tally and a hard race can be expected for the many thousands who come to Lincoln’s popular tourist area each year to watch this great race. This is the third and final counter in British Cycling’s Elite Road Series Spring Cup events with the winning individual and teams in this competition to be presented after the race.

This year’s race has a new format and will follow the route and distances to be used for the 2015 British National Championships to be held in Lincoln and the surrounding area on June 28th. The race will cover 2 laps of a 30 mile start loop before coming back to the usual Grand Prix circuit for 8 laps of this 8 mile challenging and very popular route. This start loop looks easy on the map but can be very difficult as it is in open countryside where the wind can play a part and lots of double bends on quiet rural roads which will string out the peleton making it difficult for those sheltering at the rear. There are also 2 climbs on this circuit, the first at Ingham which will test the legs and then at the completion of each lap the hard climb through North Carlton village The distance will also be the longest for many years with a total of 121.5 miles to cover before the winner is known.

The Grand Prix will start at 11.15 and is preceded by the West Common Junior Road Race which has been introduced as a replica for the Women’s Championship in 2015. It was intended to have a Women’s event but the unfortunate clash with the new Women’s Tour of Britain ruined that idea so the Juniors will have an event in place of this and start at 10am from the Yarborough Leisure Centre to complete one lap of the start loop followed by 4 laps of the Grand Prix circuit, a distance of 65.4 miles. The junior races so far this year have been dominate by HARIBO’s James Shaw but there will be 77 others wanting to change that on May 11th.

The start for both events is at The Yarborough Leisure Centre with access via Breedon Drive off Burton Road. There will be a large parking area there for those wanting to see the start and then ‘Park and Walk’ to the finsih area in Castle Square.

Total Prize money on offer is £5,430 which should make it a major target to race for.

Full details are on the event web site www.lincolngrandprix.org.uk

A new introduction this year will be a 170 seat grandstand on the finish line with seats shortly to go on sale on the event web site at £10. Any not taken up will be available on the day and with racing from 10 am to 4.30 pm these could be a great option for those wanting to rest their legs and get a great view of the finish. Numbered seating will allow people to have a wander down Michelagate and around the tourist shops before taking up their seat for the latter stages of both events. This is another try out for next year’s National Championships where seating could be a really popular addition to the finish area.

British Cycling will also have the popular Go-ride events starting at 10 am in Castle Square with short races for schools and club members. With the Grandstand taking the place of the usual presentation stage the winners will receive their awards in Exchequergate with the might of Lincoln Catheral as a superb back drop. The Expo and Farmers Market, with those Venison and Ostrich Burgers, move to the walls of Lincoln Castle and the popular Bike Park will again be there for those arriving on bikes to leave them in a secure area for the day.

Major support for this year’s event comes from Lincolnshire County Council, The City of Lincoln Council, Plumbase, the University of Lincoln, Pygott & Crone and Lindum Group. Presentation flowers are again provided by Bluebells Flowers, promotion equipment from Impsport, Race HQ from Active Nation and our web site www.lincolngrandprix.com by Ellmore Group with cars from Audi and Marshall Land Rover.

The web site carries full details of this year’s events with all riders listed and a Google Map course overlay allowing you to zoom in and see the contours.

The Santini Lincoln Grand Prix Sportive on Saturday May 10th gets even more popular with 1,600 riders expected to cover one of the four distances on offer this year. All the routes finish with the climb of Michaelgate to Castle Square to mimmick the finish of the Grand Prix and West Common races next day. All riders start in their groups from the Yarborough Leisure Centre from 7.30 am onwards with finishers reaching Castle Square from 11 am. See www.itpevents.co.uk for complete details of the Sportive.

Tour of the Reservoir

Round One Series Leaders