Archer International Grand Prix - NE

Buckinghamshire, UK, April 15, 2007

2006 results Results Preview Start List Past winners

British Premier Calendar moves south for Archer GP

By Gerry McManus

The British Cycling Premier Calendar moves down to Buckinghamshire for the Archer Grand Prix on Sunday 15th April. 100 Elite riders will line up for the 115-mile race which is the fourth counting event in the series currently being led by Chris Newton (Recycling.co.uk).

This year’s Archer race is on two circuits with the first taking the riders on the scenic route in the Chiltern Hills to ascend Longdown and Whiteleaf five times. Whiteleaf has proved to be the killer climb and you can be sure that a group will be clear by the time the peloton travels back past the HQ at Hazelmere to move onto the Penn Street finishing circuit. The route severity, combined with the race distance, will ensure the crowds at the finish in Winchmore Hill will see a worthy winner cross the finishing line first after around five hours of racing.

Three previous Archer winners are on the start sheet. John Tanner (Planet X) 1997 & 2005, Chris Newton (Recycling) 1995 and Gordon McCauley (Plowman Craven) 2001 & 2002. Newton leads the Premier Series after three events having secured victory in the Bikeline 2-day in March and finished second Girvan 3-day over the Easter weekend. Newton has been battling with Ian Wilkinson (SIS), Dean Downing (Rapha), Rob Sharman (KFS Special Vehicles) and McCauley and the five guys will know each others strengths and weaknesses well by now. Wilkinson has come to the fore this year and overall victory in the Girvan will have given him even more confidence. McCauley’s reputation as the tough guy for tough races will see him as one of the favourites for Sunday’s gruelling race and whilst team mate Tony Gibb is expected to be there or thereabouts at the finish it remains to be seen if the remainder of his team can help to shape the result for the New Zealander.

Dean Downing won the Tour of the Reservoir on April 1st and now sits third overall in the Premier series. Dean’s brother Russell (Team Health Net) returns home from the USA where the former British road race champion has shown form finishing fourth in the USA Elite Open Championships earlier this month. Russell might be the one to sneak away to victory while the other favourites watch each other.

If you add in the undoubted talents of Matt Stephens (Sigmasport), Malcolm Elliott and Andy Roche (both yellow RT) and the experience of Kevin Dawson (Yellow RT), Mark Lovatt and Wayne Randall (both Planet X) then spectators will be treated to a tough race from start to finish. The riders complete 5-laps of the finishing circuit with the best spectator viewing point at the top of hill at Penn Street village.

The race starts from the HQ at 11am and the weather forecasters promise a sunny 26 degree C day to make things even tougher.

For local interest look for Joel Stewart (www.agiskoviner.com) from West London who has managed to stay up with the full time professionals in local races this year and won the Welwyn Hilly time trial on Good Friday. Steve Goller rides for the local High Wycombe CC and should know the race route better than anyone. Alex Dowsett (100% ME) rides alone but the talented youngster could get a high finish if he gets into the right break.

Start list

1 Malcolm Elliot (Pinarell RT/Rudy Project/Most/Continental)
2 Lee Davis (PinarelloRT /Rudy Project/Most/Continental)
3 Kevin Dawson (PinarelloRT /Rudy Project/Most/Continental)
4 Andy Roche (PinarelloRT /Rudy Project/Most/Continental)
5 Richard Prebble (PinarelloRT /Rudy Project/Most/Continental)
6 Adrian Timmis (PinarelloRT /Rudy Project/Most/Continental)
7 Andy Collis (PinarelloRT /Rudy Project/Most/Continental)
8 Alex Dowsett (100% ME)
9 Allister Tullett (Arctic Building Services/Shorter Rochford RT)
10 Tim Bayley (Arctic Building Services/Shorter Rochford RT)
11 Danny Axford (Arctic Building Services/Shorter Rochford RT)
12 Darren Barclay (Arctic Building Services/Shorter Rochford RT)
13 Simon Wilson (Arctic Building Services/Shorter Rochford RT)
14 James Dobbin (Arctic Building Services/Shorter Rochford RT)
15 Andy Profitt (Arctic Building Services/Shorter Rochford RT)
16 Scot Gamble (Ashfield RC)
17 Henry Furniss (Bike & Run London.Maximuscle/Look)
18 Ben Hallam (Bike & Run London.Maximuscle/Look)
19 Ben Pochee (Bike & Run London.Maximuscle/Look)
20 Dan Staite (Bike & Run London.Maximuscle/Look)
21 Alex Higham (Bike & Run London.Maximuscle/Look)
22 Robin Basford (Bike & Run London.Maximuscle/Look)
23 Tom Crouch Felt (Racing/Castelli/USE)
24 Kristian (Downs Glendene CC/Biketrax/Maxim/Specialized)
25 Richard Sykes-Popham (Glendene CC/Biketrax/Maxim/Specialized)
26 Alex Atkins (Glendene CC/Biketrax/Maxim/Specialized)
27 Ben Thompson (Glendene CC/Biketrax/Maxim/Specialized)
28 Andy Lyons (Heron Cyclesport/Pixelwork)
29 David Mclean (Heron Cyclesport/Pixelwork)
30 Dean Shannon (Heron Cyclesport/Pixelwork)
31 Steve Golla (High Wycombe CC/Professional IT/Cycle Care)
32 Mark Wordsworth (JE James RT/Giant)
33 Robin Sharman (KFS Special Vehicles/Sunday Bicycles)
34 Gary Hand (KFS Special Vehicles/Sunday Bicycles)
35 Dafydd Dylan (KFS Special Vehicles/Sunday Bicycles)
36 Gareth Hewitt (KFS Special Vehicles/Sunday Bicycles)
37 James Stewart (KFS Special Vehicles/Sunday Bicycles)
38 Greg Roche (KFS Special Vehicles/Sunday Bicycles)
39 Pete Williams (Kinesis UK)
40 James Sampson (Kinesis UK)
41 Tom Murray (Kinesis UK)
42 Mark Thwaites (Kinesis UK)
43 Tom Smith (Merlin RT/Bikelab.co.uk/Pearl Izumi)
44 Tom Barras (Merlin RT/Bikelab.co.uk/Pearl Izumi)
45 Jon Mozley (Merlin RT/Bikelab.co.uk/Pearl Izumi)
46 Matthew Charity (Merlin RT/Bikelab.co.uk/Pearl Izumi)
47 Liam Holoham (Merlin RT/Bikelab.co.uk/Pearl Izumi)
48 Brian Biggs (Plowman Craven Evans Cycles RT/NZ)
49 Jason Allen (Plowman Craven Evans Cycles RT/NZ)
50 James Millard (Plowman Craven Evans Cycles RT)
51 Simon Gaywood (Plowman Craven Evans Cycles RT)
52 Fred Johansson (Plowman Craven Evans Cycles RT/SWE)
53 Adam Norris (Plowman Craven Evans Cycles RT)
54 Gordon McCauley (Plowman Craven Evans Cycles RT/NZ)
55 Anthony Gibb (Plowman Craven Evans Cycles RT)
56 James McCallum (Plowman Craven Evans Cycles RT)
57 David Clarke (BC Private Member)
58 Martin Ford (BC Private Member)
59 Giancarlo Checchi (Rapha Condor RT)
60 Richard Wilkinson (Rapha Condor RT)
61 Dean Downing (Rapha Condor RT)
62 Ben Price (Rapha Condor RT)
63 Matt Talbot (Rapha Condor RT)
64 Ross Muir (Rapha Condor RT)
65 Tom Diggle (Recycling.co.uk)
66 Adam Bonser (Recycling.co.uk)
67 Ryan Bonser (Recycling.co.uk)
68 Graham Biggs (Recycling.co.uk)
69 Shaun Snodden (Recycling.co.uk)
70 Chris Newton (Recycling.co.uk)
71 Simon Holt (Recycling.co.uk)
72 Matt Rowe (Recycling.co.uk)
73 Christian Tune (Sigmasport/Specialized)
74 Matt Stephens (Sigmasport/Specialized)
75 Gary Dodd (Sigmasport/Specialized)
76 Alex Wise (Sigmasport/Specialized)
77 Ashley Brown (Sportscover-Planet X)
78 John Tanner (Sportscover-Planet X)
79 Wayne Randle (Sportscover-Planet X)
80 Mark Lovatt (Sportscover-Planet X)
81 Richard Cartland (Team Corley Cycles/Trek)
82 Martin Freeman (Team Corley Cycles/Trek)
83 Karl Freeman (Team Corley Cycles/Trek)
84 Nicholas Jones (Team Corley Cycles/Trek)
85 Matthew Higgins (Team Corley Cycles/Trek)
86 Roy Chamberlain (Team Corley Cycles/Trek)
87 Russell Downing (Team Health Net/Maxxis)
88 Robert Hayles (Team KLR/Parker Internatioal)
89 Warren Jesse (VC Meudon/Exel/Tiger/Cycle Kingdom)
90 Tim Elverson (VC Meudon/Exel/Tiger/Cycle Kingdom)
91 Tristan Barnes (Wills Wheels CC/Astra Signs)
92 James Williamson (Wills Wheels CC/Astra Signs)
93 Wouter Sybrandy (www.agiskoviner.com/Liphook Cycles)
94 James Holland-Leader (www.agiskoviner.com/Liphook Cycles)
95 Paul Tucker (www.agiskoviner.com/Liphook Cycles)
96 Gary Kristensen (www.agiskoviner.com/Liphook Cycles)
97 Joel Stewart (www.agiskoviner.com/Liphook Cycles)
98 Darrell Pembroke (www.agiskoviner.com/Liphook Cycles)
99 Andrew Kitchen (www.agiskoviner.com/Liphook Cycles)
100 Mark Bruce (www.agiskoviner.com/Liphook Cycles)

Reserves:

101 Matt Kipling (Inkland/MTS Cycle-Sport)
102 Chris Spence (Caesarean CC)
103 Toby Neave (Wildside Racing Team)
104 David Creeggan (VC Meudon/Exel/Tiger/Cycle Kingdom)
105 John Wager (VC Meudon/Exel/Tiger/Cycle Kingdom)
106 David Law (Arctic Building Services/Shorter Rochford RT)
107 Tom Kirk (Team Corley Cycles/Trek)
108 James Fox (Team Milton Keynes/Abbeygate Developments)
109 Wayne Webster (gosportsspex.co.uk)
110 Rick King (Inkland/MTS Cycle-Sport)
111 Thomas Gardner (Heron Cyclesport/PixelWork)
112 Gareth Williams (Cherry Valley RT/Imsport)
113 Stuart Gordon (New Brighton CC/Abesco)
114 Phil Leigh (Lune RCC)
115 Paul O'Mahoney (Pro Bike Kit)
116 Scott Merillees (Pacific RT/Flanders)
117 John Charlsworth (New Brighton CC)

Past winners

2006 Mariusz Wiesiak (Nippo - KFS Special Vehicles)
2005 John Tanner (GBr) Planet X/Cycling Plus
2004 Julian Winn (GBr) Pinarello Assos
2003 David O'Loughlin (Ire) Ofoto-Lombardi Sports
2002 (2) Gordon McCauley (NZl)
2001 Gordon McCauley (NZl)
2000 Roger Hammond (GBr)
1999 Chris Walker (GBr)
1998 Jonathan Clay (GBr)
1996 Gary Baker / Elite (GBr)
1995 Chris Newton / Elite (GBr)
1994 Paul Curran / Elite (GBr)
1993 David Williams (GBr)
1992 Peter Longbottom / Elite (GBr)
1991 (2) Steve Farell / Amateur (GBr)
1988 Phil Cassidy (Ire)
1987 Steve Farrell / Amateur (GBr)
1986 Wayne Randle (GBr)
 
Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com