Scottish
25 Mile Time Trial Championships
Sunday 15th June, 2008
by Ed Hood
Recording exactly the same time - 52:15 - as the
last occasion he won the 25 title, in 2005, Fort William's Mark Atkinson
(Sandy Wallace Cycles) regained his crown on a cool and windswept
Laurencekirk by-pass on Sunday morning.
VeloResults correctly
tipped the top three, but got the order wrong.
We had Mark down to win ahead of Dooley's duo, Arthur Doyle and Gary
Robson, but a personal best 52:46 by Robson gave him the silver by
nine seconds from Doyle.
New 25 Mile TT Champ Mark Atkinson (Sandy
Wallace Cycles).
It was cool and breezy as the top seeded last ten
starters rolled south on the A90 from the start at Fordoun. There
was a lot of north in the wind, which as well as making for cool air,
meant that most starters had to contend with a tough cross wind.
Gary Robson (Dooley's Cycles), aero and concentrated,
rides to second place.
Robson was first of the favourites to go, off 98
and setting the mark for the others to chase. He was certainly looking
the part as he sliced past us at around five miles into the course.
Jock Shaw. A master at work.
We had the very real honour of having Jock Shaw,
SC president as our guest in the car for the day - this kept the swearing
to a mimimum and meant I couldn't get my usual action pics from the
car, but it did mean we had very accurate time checks.
Joe Wilson (Samdy Wallace Cycles).
Two minutes behind came Joe Wilson, already down
on Robson and destined for an eventual 55:25 - well shy of what's
required in these super-fast days.
Jonathan Copp rides his Planet-X bike to 5th
place, and second team.
Jonathan Copp (Sandy Wallace) was on top of the
job and would stop the watch with an eventual equal fifth 53:26.
Arthur Doyle (Dooley's Cycles).
Arthur Doyle was next and he just didn't look like
he was going, as Jock Shaw said; "In the 10 he had a beautiful
smooth action, but it wasn't there today." He was wearing
compression tights; "I knew I wasn't going to be at my best
today, so I treated it as training," he would tell us later.
Dave Gibson (Dooley's Cycles).
Mr Consistency - 'Davie Gee' was on his way to
backing Robson and Doyle to the team award, his final 53:41 was a
quality ride.
Chris Smart (Glasgow Couriers).
Glasgow Courier's much improved Chris Smart would
stop the clock with 53:13 for fourth place, and the wind speed was
rising as he flashed past on his Bianchi.
Carlos Riise (Shetland Wheelers).
A few years ago, this would have been a day for
Carlos Riise (Shetland), but not today.
Hugh Jamieson (Dooley's Cycles).
Hugh Jamieson (Dooleys) was flying with the tail
wind, but his 55:59 wouldn't get him in the winning team.
David McGraw (Arctic).
Artic Premier's David McGaw was looking the part
on his De Rosa but was down on the leaders.
There was just one man to come - Atkinson; there
are no half measures from the Fort William man, he gives 100% effort
and even at this stage, it looked like the race was between him and
Robson.
On the tough return leg, the gaps opened up and
some of the lesser lights were down to what looked like 50 revs per
minute.
One of the rides of the day has to be Glasgow Courier's
veteran Davie Miller's 56:54 - wow!
Jim Cusick (Glasgow Couriers).
Jim Cusick looked well on top of the job, keeping
the gears down and pedalling into the chilly breeze; he was bronze
medallist last year but was half a minute away from that slot today
with his 53:26.
Atkinson was chewing up the tar between himself
and McGaw and looking every inch the winner as a rain squall blew
across from the Grampians.
The finishing straight was a heart breaker, long,
dragging and into the wind - custom made for Atkinson and that poor
tortured Orbea.
Back at the strip, Isobel Smith's organisation
meant that we didn't have to wait long for the final results and it
was time to collar the medallists.
Arthur: "I didn't expect
to win today, I'm changing jobs and things have been hectic so I haven't
been training as I would like. In addtion I've got a bad saddle sore
- I could hardly sit on the bike today."
Gary: "I have to be happy,
I was getting a bit excited towards the end, when I knew I'd beaten
Arthur, but we didn't have Mark's splits at that stage. I had a bad
crash in training the other week, I've just about recovered from it,
but I lost a lot of skin. It was a tough morning, faster on the way
out, a cross/taily, I was 24 minutes dead at half distance, so the
return leg was a lot harder. It seemed to be mostly uphill on the
way back - but maybe that was just the wind and the distance catching
up with me.
They're trying to rope me in to riding the 50, but it's not really
my thing.
My next target is the age related in the British Time Trial championship."
Mark: "I drove the course
before the race this morning, I wanted to check out the turn. I used
Dave McGaw as my marker, I wanted to put time into him early. It was
a tough morning and I used gears lower than I usually would, I tried
to keep the revs going into that wind. It's a cracking course, suited
to my riding style, very few gear changes are required - it'll be
fast on the right day."
Both Gary and Mark mentioned Jason MacIntyre in
their medal speeches - a nice touch lads.
Results
1 M. Atkinson Sandy Wallace 52.15
2 G.Robson Dooley’s Cycles 52.46
3 A.Doyle Dooley’s Cycles 52.55
4 C.Smart Glasgow Couriers 53.13
5 J.Copp Sandy Wallace 53.26
6 J.Cusick Glasgow Couriers 53.26
7 D.Gibson Dooley’s Cycles 53.41
8 C.Riise Shetland Wheelers 53.43
9 D.McGaw Artic Premier RT 53.52
10 R.Wilson Sandy Wallace 54.54
11 I.Black Sandy Wallace 55.15
12 J.Wilson Sandy Wallace 55.25
13 J.Hall Sandy Wallace 55.46
14 H.Jamieson Dooley’s Cycles 55.59
15 B.Duncan Edinburgh RC 56.24
16 G.Graham Fullerton Wh 56.38
17 D.Millar Glasgow Couriers 56.54
18 A.Torrance Dooley’s Cycles 57.10
19 S.Blom Glasgow Couriers 57.12
20 N.Skene Granite City RT 57.49
21 K.Lackie Forres Cc 58.23
22 H.Hamilton Fullerton Wh 58.41
23 A.Rowat Musselburgh RC 59.00
24 J.May Edinburgh RC 59.01
25 S.Monaghan DTCC 59.02
26 S.McIntosh Granite City RT 59.11
27 D.Timmins Musselburgh RC 59.22
28 E.Ritchie Angus Bike Chain 59.25
29 R.Sewell Hounslow Wh 59.27
30 O.Del Corto Edinburgh RC 59.28
31 S.Beech Sandy Wallace 59.31
32 D.McLellan Fullerton Wh 59.35
33 D.Harter Forres 59.44
34 K.Philpot Elgin CC 59.51
35 G.Shirley Nevis Cycles 59.53
36 G.Luce Elgin CC 1.00.10
37 N.Laing Edinburgh RC 1.00.11
38 I.Anderson Dundee Wheelers 1.00.12
39 B.Taylor Dooley’s Cycles 1.00.12
40 A.Solway Kennoway Rc 1.00.35
41 N.Anderson DTCC 1.00.43
42 D.Gillies Elgin CC 1.00.46
43 D.Wards Fullerton Wh 1.00.57
44 D.Morris DTCC 1.01.01
45 J.Blunsdon DTCC 1.01.21
46 W.Bunyan Dunfermline CC 1.01.33
47 G.Jones Edinburgh RC 1.02.03
48 M.Pearson RAF CC 1.02.12
49 I.Watson Aberdeen Wh 1.02.18
50 C.Sim DTCC 1.02.26
51 L.Billingham Perth United 1.03.11
52 N.Muir Edinburgh RC 1.03.18
53 L.Cowie Aberdeen Wh 1.03.27
54 K.Tait Edinburgh RC 1.03.36
55 A.McGill DTCC 1.03.37
56 A.Washington Caithness CC 1.03.44
57 S.Walton DTCC 1.03.53
58 D.Gunn Forres 1.03.57
59 F.Young Velo Ecosse 1.04.44
60 C.Jones DTCC 1.04.44
61 F.Toms Nevis Cycles RT 1.05.34
62 R.Clark DTCC 1.05.37
63 I.Sinclair DTCC 1.06.04
64 H.Aitchison Forres 1.06.28
65 S.Mitchell Dundee Wh 1.07.28
66 P.Clark DTCC 1.08.23
67 B.McCabe Aberdeen Wh 1.09.22
68 B.Byth DTCC 1.09.25
69 D.Stewart DTCC 1.09.59
70 A.Speed Fife Century RC 1.10.02
71 P.Winter Ythan 1.10.04
72 G.Grant Forres CC 1.11.14
73 T.Cummings Kirkcaldy&Dis 1.11.23
74 I.Edwards DTCC 1.14.12
75 P.Ettles Forres CC DNF
76 K.Ross Cromarty Firth DNS
77 K.Aksnes Glasgow Wh DNS
78 A.Duncan Ythan DNS
79 I.Brown DTCC DNS
80 J.Millar Dooley’s Cycles DNS
81 A.Whyman DTCC DNS
82 D.McLardie Dooley’s Cycles DNS
83 A.Dow Sandy Wallace DNS
84 P.Black Edinburgh RC DNS
85 G.Walsh Sandy Wallace DNS
Teams
1 Dooley’s Cycles RT: Robson, Doyle, D.Gibson
2 Sandy Wallace Cycles: Atkinson,Copp.Wilson
3 Glasgow Couriers: Smart, Cusick,Millar
Handicap
1 N Laing Edinburgh RC 46.07
2 I.Edwards DTCC 48.06
Vets on Standard
1 D.Stewart Deeside Thistle 22.08
2 D.Millar Glasgow Couriers 20.51
Under 18
1 L.Cowie Aberdeen Wheelers 1.03.27
Ladies
1 J.Wilson-Young Edinburgh RC 58.58
2 C.McLean Shetland Wh 1.00.02
3 V.Hunter Perth United 1.01.57
4 F.Duncan Ythan 1.02.12
5 J.Nicholson DTCC 1.06.38
6 P.Rother Edinburgh RC 1.08.02
7 J.Lang Edinburgh RC 1.08.39
8 C.Middleton Ythan 1.09.48
9 M.Anderson DTCC 1.10.49
10 L.Chillingsworth DTCC 1.11.37
11 E.Thornell Tri Changing 1.11.50
12 R.Jackson Forres 1.13.52
13 Y.Davidson Ythan 1.25.24
Teams
1 Edinburgh RC - J. Wilson-Young, P.Rother
2 Ythan - F.Duncan/Middleton
