Scottish Power Girvan 3-Day Diary
7th - 9th April, 2007
by Ed Hood

Day 1 : Day 2 : Day 3 : Winners & Losers

Day 1 - Saturday 7th April, 2007

Stage 1. There's a nip in the air at 07.30 as I stand on Kirkcaldy promenade and await the arrival of Davie and the new Nissan. The big, old Peugeot has gone and he's got a new Micra now, complete with CD - Yuppie!

I'll soon be on a different prom - Girvan; I've just covered another race which involves a windy sea front. De Panne is on the North Sea, just as cold as the Firth of Clyde, which Girvan fronts onto, but there's a lot more sand - and money, in Belgium.

They never seem to stop building luxury holiday flats on the Belgian 'Riviera' whilst Girvan sits quietly with the paint peeling from the B & B windows. Whilst "the Girvan" is a big-deal in it's own right, arguably the most important amateur race in Britain, De Panne is just a piece of the 'build-up to Flanders' jigsaw. Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) rode out of his skin in the last stage time trial - which blasts down the promenade at De Panne - to take overall victory and endorse his credentials as a big threat to Tom Boonen for Flanders on Sunday.

Talking of victory - who's going to win at Girvan? Last year's winner, Kristian House is a pro now, with Navigators, I was chatting to him at De Panne; he may not go the best, but he looks great.

Jason Macintyre - will he become the first home winner since Andy Ferry in 1987? VeloResults editor, 'Mertin' Williamson was sixth in that edition. Even a stage win would be nice; the last Scottish one was Roddy Riddle in 2000, he got one in 1992 too.

Steve Wright didn't finish stage 1.

Dean Downing has to be one of the bookies favourites but there are five previous winners on the sheet - Tanner, Elliot, Randle, Sharman and McCauley, three of those five could win again. As we skirt Ayr, the early mist has cleared and it looks like it's going to be a 'scorcher', as Bill Barclay used to say.

I had to beg a hat from Discovery mechanic, Craig Geater at De Panne to ward-off sun stroke and I'll need to keep my frazzled bald heid well covered at Girvan.

Fast forward - in the Velo Ecosse team car at the first prime, number 22 takes it, Giancarlo Checchi (Rapha Condor RT) then sits-up. He's a handy boy, with a top 10 finish at the Tour de L'Avenir in his palmares.

As well as my duties as Cycling Weekly scribe, I'm mechanic for Gregor's team. I thought there had been a mistake, but no, we don't have a compressor and yes, I had to blow all the tyres up by hand.

There's drama early doors as Greg Roche (KFS Special Vehicles) is taken-out by one of the motor bikes, Kevin Barclay (Plowman Craven) goes down too. Just around the corner, Paul Rennie (Edge RT) is standing beside the road - snapped chain, not a good start to the day for Edge.

Greg Roche recovered from his tumble to later
take an active part in the evening crit.

By the end of the first hour 27 riders have been chopped by crashes, punctures or simply the pace: 85 started so that's 30% of the field.

At 30 miles we're on 1-12 so that's 25 mph - no wonder there's so many casualties.

We've just left Straiton when word comes over race radio - crash!

Ryan Bonser takes a moment to collect his
thoughts before getting back to the bunch.

There'll be no Scottish 20th anniversary winner, Jason has hit the deck - hard. Ryan Bonser went down too but battled his way back, despite the blood.

Jason Macintyre realises his hopes of taking the Girvan are dashed.

There was another crash within five miles, three down, including first prime winner, Checchi, he would get back, but not the other two.

We're nearly back at Girvan for the first time and at last a break has 'stuck', with one lap of the little circuit to go - 15 miles, a group of seven have a 21 second lead. On the climb of Byne hill for the second time another five go across, all the favourites are there now - Newton (Recycling), McAulay (Plowman Craven), Elliot (Pinarello), Downing (Rapha) and Sharman (KFS) . All the big teams are represented so it should stay away.

Sure enough: they still have around 40 seconds coming in to the finish, where former World Points and Team Pursuit Champion, Chris Newton is too quick for John Tanner (Sportscover) and Ian Wilkinson (Science in Sport). That's the third time Newton has win stage one, his total is four. Des Fretwell has the most, with seven.

A savage stage with most of the action being riders going backwards with punctures, crashes and lack of legs. At least the sun was shining.

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Stage 2. Like old Richard Pestes (Pez) says; "What can you say about a criterium, man? Some guys turn up, ride round and round, one guy wins and then they all go home." Good point, Richard.

The stage wasn't as savage as usual, maybe because it wasn't as cold and windy as we're used to, the morning stage was much more of a plane crash.

Jason Allen leads Gordon McCauley out of the final
corner at Mach 2, to set up Tony Gibb up for the win.

There were no breaks to speak of and it was Tony Gibb fastest up the finish straight from Wilkinson and Newton, he's a big strong boy and looks the part. He won the silver in the World Scratch Championships a few years ago, beaten then by my current six day boss, Franco Marvulli.

Newton in Yellow in the Evening criterium.

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Day 2 - Sunday 8th April, 2007

Sunday started at 12.01am in the Roxy, Girvan's answer to Stringfellows.
We drank cocktails, there was Bobby Darrin on the sound system, and the talk with the Prada-clad lovelies was of moving to Saint Tropez for the Spring.The scent of Chanel filled the air.

Na - you know what it was really like; but we only had three beers, so there are no war stories.

Best Scot on GC is Gary Hand in 17th at 0.50; best Velo Ecosse rider is Phil Brown at 10.46 on the sheet, but that's not right, he was in the main group on stage one and only dropped a handful of seconds in the criterium.

Stuart McGregor is 63nd at 17.27 and Owen Jeffries 69th at 21.10; it could be worse - Edge RT have gone completely. Paul broke a chain, Jason crashed, Steve Wright was DNF on stage one and Gary Robson called it a day in the criterium.

Gary Robson calls it a day at the crit.

Scotland's hopes of a Girvan win, 20 years after Andy Ferry have gone.
It was a deceptively hard day yesterday: 30% of the field doesn't wing out the back for nothing. The criterium wasn't as much of a Stalingrad as usual, maybe it was the thought of 108 miles today. The stage starts in Newton Stewart today so we have a 45 minute drive down from Girvan: never a good prospect with Gregor at the helm and a tummy with an "Ayrshire Fry" inside it.

Newton Stewart, and a chat with Phil Griffiths. A blood transfusion truck appears; "Malcolm! Malcolm! It's here! It's arrived!" Big Phil never changes.

The race starts and Ross Muir punctures within a couple of miles. This does not displease Gregor; riders who jump from the Velo Ecosse ship are not easily forgiven.

Ross Muir making his way back to the bunch after puncturing.

A big early break went, Rapha missed it and had to work like madmen to get it back. The first climb is at Creetown and we've got a group of six up the road, including Malcolm and McCaulay but there are a dozen guys out of the back, ten dropped and two with punctures, a couple get back on the descent.

James Stewart (KFS) runs out of road on the gravel - it's an Evel Knievel job but he's OK. The break has 40 seconds at bonnie Gatehouse of Fleet.

On the climb out of Castle Douglas, no. 23, Matt Talbot (Rapha) stops for a comfort break, as he rides back up to the group we can't help but notice he's wearing trainers - bad day to forget your shoes.

On the Bengray climb, Newton moves up with other groups to make it 18 at the front. We've got Newton, McCauley, Sharman and Elliot up there, plus Wilkinson, who has been third and second on the last two stages.

It looks like it's all over and we're only just over half distance.

Dalry, 64 miles and it's 2-50, 76 it's 4-12 - yeah, it's all over.

Checchi has dropped off the front group and slid right through the race to the comfort of the team car. Team mate, Talbot is happy too: he stops and swaps shoes with the Italian.

Matt Talbot promises his DS that he'll never, ever forget his
shoes again, and please can he borrow Giancarlo's.

There's not much to say, the bunch ambles and the gap doesn't grow that much indicating that the break isn't driving either. The big looser is Dean Downing who is trapped in the pedestrian peloton; at least it's sunny so he can improve his tan.

Dailly, inside 10 to go, the bunch is at club run pace now, surely they won't sprint at the end of this? At 19 miles McCauley, Newton and Wilkinson go clear. The laughing group does sprint at the end, and then I have to go like hell to suss-out what happened at the front - we were out of Race Radio range behind the peleton.

Ian Wilkinson won the stage from McCauley and Newton. The three of them sprinted it out, Wilkinson lead it out slowly, jumped first and held-on.
Wilkinson has taken the jersey too; Phil Griffiths reckons that Newton blew it by working in the break with McCauley and Newton, he should have sat on - Phil would know.

There are 67 miles tomorrow, can Newton find those 3 seconds? Tune-in to www.veloresults.co.uk.

Back to the digs, batter out the copy, and then maybe there'll be time to schmooze at the Roxy?

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Day 3 - Monday 9th April, 2007

Ailsa Craig is lost in the low cloud, visibility isn't much beyond the breakwater. The rain is a fine, freezing, stinging mist - it's a perfect day for the last stage at Girvan.

We've just agreed that the guys from Bike&Run London, with their cool all-white kit and matching Looks, opened the curtains and began packing the car for the trip home immediately.

Henry Furniss' (Bike&Run London) kit wouldn't
stay Persil white in Scotland for long.

To make matters worse, it's a lovely day on the east coast, however, Margaret our landlady assures us: "rain before seven, dry by eleven!"
We hope she's right.

'Dave Double-Decks' had the night off at the Roxy last night, so I don't have ringing in my ears this morning it was another three bottles of beer night and we were in bed well before the witching hour.

I have 950 words to do for Cycling Weekly between the stage finish and a 4.00 pm deadline - maybe we should wheel past Victoria Wines and buy a miniature of brandy, so I can calm my nerves.

By the top of the first climb, five have gone backwards, never to be seen again - that's not even three miles. As soon as we hit the wee, twisty, gritty road that leads to the foot of the Nick, via Barr, the serious punctures and casualties of war start. Some get back - most don't.

Right at the start of the Nick, McCauley attacks. It's a mess on the climb, with riders everywhere. At the top of the Nick, McCauley is well clear and has been joined by Dave Clarke. Tairlaw is next and it's misty up there. Phil Brown tries to bridge up with Lee Davis and takes around a minute from the bunch, but McCauley is another minute ahead.

The descent is wild, with punctures and crashes; one rider is so far off the road he looks like a Scots Magazine cover, standing alone amid the heather.

An urban myth is confirmed on the descent as Ronnie Todd, Gregor and I all rub our eyes - a mechanic has turned Ray Wilson's bike upside down, the Orca sits there, balanced on the saddle and pricey brake levers as the spanner man tinkers with the front skewer - I've got witnesses.

Phil and co. get absorbed by the bunch around Straiton, where McCauley's lead is at it's maximum of 2.45. After that, the lead starts to slide and at the nasty Hadyard climb it's down to 1-55.

Tony Gibb punctures just at the bottom and comes past us like a bear after his wheel change; he doesn't know the climb though and we re-pass him as his face tells it's own story.

Up past the wind turbines and it's blown apart, the descent doesn't see much of a re-groupment.

Into Barr 14 spectators watch, then it's time to tackle the Screws; McCauley has 1-13 at the top.

At Dailly it's 45 seconds and at White Cottage 32 seconds.

Through Girvan, all together, Byne Hill, more pain. We make it 17/18 clear at the top. Over the top of the Byne, left onto that sinuous potholed wee road.

The attacks go fast and furious but are always negated until 'Deano' snaps the elastic and hits the main Girvan Road at five to go with a lead of around 12 seconds.

It's winnable from here, Dawson did it, the other year. Deano however doesn't, and it's altogether back into Girvan.

A little figure in black (do you like that retro Rapha kit?) hammers along the bottom of Victory Park, cranks it left and pumps a big one up the finish straight - it's Deano!

He told me later that he took massive risks - but the end justifies the means. The stage is won, what about the GC? Wilkinson's take is that Newton's team mate, Graham Briggs (aka Briggsy) was to lead out his Recycling, ex-twice World Champ gaffer but got carried away and took the sprint for second. If Newton had taken second then he would have won, provided Wilkinson wasn't third.

Final podium of the 2007 Girvan Cycle Race.
From left, Stage 4 Winner Dean Downing, 3rd Overall Gordon McCauley,
Race Winner Ian Wilkinson, and 2nd Overall Chris Newton.

Gregor's new-boy and guest of the Kingrom of Fife rode a stormer today and finished with all the big beasts. I wonder what odds Norrie Drummond will give me on Phil winning his trophy next weekend.

Team Velo Ecosse end up with Phil Brown
19th overall and 1st Scot to boot.

Back to the digs, kindle-up the word processor and gets those words into cyber-space. Gregor has to go early to get the kids, so it's the train home for Ed. Girvan-Ayr-Glasgow-Edinburgh-Kirkcaldy, isn't Scotland diverse ?

Margaret's weather forecast was well wrong by the way, but maybe she meant eleven at night?

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Girvan Winners & Losers

Stage 1

Stage one was good to Chris Newton; “I saw that there was a group up the road and I bridged-up to them on Byne Hill the second time. I’ve been doing a lot of track work and I wasn’t sure of my endurance, so I missed a few turns. Sharman lead it out, but Wilko (Ian Wilkinson) cut across me, it was dangerous really, but I went again and got it. My gallop is good but I’m not sure about my staying power, still, it’s nice to get a win in the bag."

Stage one wasn’t so good to Ryan Bonser (Recycling.co.uk), he landed heavily on his face in the crash which put Jason Macintyre out of the race: “Someone cut across us from the middle of the bunch and took us out, I rode over someone’s wheel and did a full face-plant. My face is a bit swollen but it’s not so bad.”

Stage 2

Stage two was another good day for the track riders as Tony Gibb claimed victory; “It all went to plan tonight, I didn’t show my face all day. We had to change the plan for my lead-out on the last lap, Jason Allan was going to be my last man, but he had to put a lot of work in to get Dean Downing back on the second last lap, so we switched and I came off Gordon’s (McCauley) wheel. I went maybe a bit too early but I’ve got a lot of strength just now, I could have done with a 54 rather than a 53 ring though.”

Stage 3

Big loser on stage 3 was Premier Calendar leader, Dean Downing, who slipped completely out of contention; “It was my own fault, when that big group went early we had to work the team hard to get it back, we were riding at 60 kph in some places. I did the last big spell and it took a lot out of me; when Newton jumped across to the break after Creetown, I just didn’t have the legs.” And will he be going flat-out to salvage a last stage victory? “I might be!”

Stage 4

Going into the last stage, Irishman Raymond Wilson (Tartan Terrors) who rides for Scottish club, Dunfermline CC was lying 20th overall and well on the way to his goal of achieving a top 20 finish. On the tough climbs of the Nick o' Balloch and Tairlaw, he was well positioned. On the misty and sinuous descent of Tairlaw however, the sight of his bike turned upside down and resting on the saddle and brake levers as a mechanic manipulated the quick release skewer on the front wheel didn't bode well and sure enough it was a dejected Wilson who trailed in as part of a small group many minutes down, his dreams of a good Girvan in tatters.

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