DOWNING PROVES A REAL RESERVOIR DOG
A DOUBLE stage winner in the opening round three weeks ago, Dean Downing sprinted to victory in round two of the Premier Calendar, the Tour of the Reservoir in County Durham on Sunday.
The Rapha Condor Racing Team leader from South Yorkshire was part of a 19-rider break which attacked on the first of seven 20-kilometre laps of Derwent Reservoir.
That group was whittled down gradually as the pace increased, leaving four riders to contest the sprint.
Downing attacked with four miles remaining, but despite being pulled back managed to hold off his rivals in the sprint for the line, Gordon McCauley (Plowman Craven RT) taking second and Robin Sharman (KFS Special Vehicles) third.
Downing had just one team-mate in the original break of 19 in Italian Giancarlo Cecchi, while McCauley was one of four Plowman Craven riders in the leading group, and they tried to push home their advantage with a series of attacks.
But they all came to nothing, and eventually both McCauley and Downing found themselves alone in the break as the pace took its toll. As they reached the line Jason MacIntyre (Team Velo Ecosse) hung on to the back of the leaders to take fourth.
Meanwhile a break of 14 had gone off the front of the bunch, but they had left it too late to threaten the leaders, with Andy Roche (Pinarello RT) the best of the chasing group, 1-32 down.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Tour of the Reservoir (Premier Calendar round two, Edmundbyers, County Durham): 1, Dean Downing (Rapha-Condor RT) 140km in 3-40-46; 2, G. McCauley (Plowman Craven RT); 3, R. Sharman (KFS Special Vehicles) all same time; 4, J. MacIntyre (Team Velo Ecosse) at 6sec; 5, A. Roche (Pinarello RT) at 1-32; 6, D. Staite (Maximuscle) at 1-46.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Snowdon Sports is a long-established independent sports news agency, which supplies editorial to a range of media outlets - such as Cycling Weekly - as well as sports governing bodies. Snowdon Sports often covers results at Cycling Time Trials events in the UK and has long been a source of information and imagery to Cycling Weekly.
-
TV coverage of a bike race can leave you with a strange impression of a country
TV footage is deceptive so choose your illusion wisely
By Michael Hutchinson Published
-
Mathieu van der Poel dominates in Leuven to win Gravel World Championships
The Dutchman adds another World Championship title to his palmarès as he solos to victory in the Flemish Brabant
By Joseph Lycett Published