Russell Downing, 2012

Russell Downing gave Endura Racing a winning weekend, taking the victory in the Grand Prix de la Ville de Lillers in France on Sunday just 24 hours after winning the Eddie Soens Memorial road race.

Downing won the sprint finish if the 171km long UCI 1.2-ranked race ahead of Jean-Lou Paiani and Laurent Mangel, both of the Saur-Sojasun team.

Downing becomes the second Briton to win the race after Robert Millar won in 1979.

Downing's win is part of Endura's extensive and so far highly successful European campaign that has already seen the Scottish-based squad win the Tour of the Mediterranean and Tour du Haut Var with Jonathan Tiernan-Locke. 

Tiernan-Locke also placed second overall in the Tour of Murcia on Sunday, and currently leads the UCI EuropeTour.

Downing switched to Endura Racing for the 2012 season from the WorldTour-level Sky squad.

Result

Grand Prix de la Ville de Lillers 2012, 171km

1. Russell Downing (GBr) Endura Racing

2. Jean-Lou Paiani (Fra) Saur-Sojasun

3. Laurent Mangel (Fra) Saur-Sojasun

Related links

British professional road wins 2012

Downing wins Eddie Soens 2012

Tiernan-Locke second overall in Tour of Murcia

Russell Downing: Rider Profile

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