James McCallum ponders some off-road action in the Rutland-Melton CiCLE Classic this weekend
Real racing has started when the Drummond Trophy kicks off, a race which always attracts a quality field & plenty of riders from outside Scotland. The 2014 edition was won by a rider who Rouleur Magazine carried a fascinating feature on recently, Dave Clarke (issue 41 if you’re looking). He just edged out Peter Murdoch in a 2 man sprint, an absolutely fantastic result from the experienced Scotsman, the Paisley Velo rider looks like he’s on to a fantastic season if this result is anything to go by, there are no fluke top placings in ‘The Drummond’.
Other News
We have an interesting interview from a winners of an early season Scottish road race, provided by the eclectic & sometimes quirky Veloveritas website (I don’t think they liked me calling them mainstream last time, so I hope that’s a fitting description?). I’ve also picked you out a few other wee gems from recent weeks too, always well worth a read.
- Tom Bustard on the Gifford Road Race win
- Jonny Bellis, on the comeback
- A nice rant, I love a good Ed Hood rant
Event Results
This Weeks Top Blogs
Some great blogs from young riders, well worth a read this week.
- Louise Borthwick (via Braveheart Cycling Fund)
- Mark Stewart (via Braveheart Cycling Fund)
- Jack Carlin (via Braveheart Cycling Fund)
Race Previews
The Cheshire Classic & the Rutland-Melton CiCLE Classic take place this weekend down south, both with protagonists from north of the border.
The Cheshire Classic is an established top women’s event in the UK, featuring world champions like Jo Rowsell, Laura Trott, Sarah Storey & Katie Archibald. Archibald is a rider who never fails to perform & looks to be loving her racing, so we really have no idea what to expect from her this weekend, it’s likely going to be very good, personally or for her team. It really does seem like Scottish women’s cycling is exploding with rising talents & experienced riders, with Louise Borthwick, Jen Taylor, Jane Barr & Eileen Roe all taking part, it’s Commonwealth Games year & a good result in a race like this could secure a spot in Glasgow 2014.
In the Rutland-Melton CiCLE Classic, we have classy road riders Evan Oliphant, Michael Nicholson, David Lines, James McCallum & a Scotland team taking part in the UCI race. In the national team we have Grant Ferguson, fresh from a podium in an under 23 World Cup MTB event & Kenta Gallagher (winner of a cross-country eliminator World Cup). There’s the rapidly improving talent Mark Stewart (I’m tipping this guy for the top in the next few years), track star turned road star Phil Trodden & MTB riders Gareth Montgomery & Iain Paton. Both these MTB riders having placed very highly in recent events, Paton a top 20 in the World Cup & Montgomery who has been quietly knocking up the Commonwealth qualifying rides recently. In this event which requires some serious off road abilities as it’s held partly on farm tracks, the Scottish team in this composition could perform very well, don’t underestimate the MTB riders, most of them have plenty experience of road racing & have been riding in UCI level competition this year.
*Update* Spokes Racing Team have five riders in the junior CiCLE Classic this weekend, biggest hopes lie with the current in-form rider Stuart Balfour, supported by a strong team of Lewis Grieve, Fraser Martin, Ben Forsyth and Hector Lancaster.
(If you have a race preview for a Scottish event, send it & I’ll link it)
Contact
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