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Different Dean, same team - Rapha Condor Sharp wins again in Woking · 29/06/10

A Tour Series Win capped a busy week for the boys in black, and raised confidence before National Road Race Championships.

Dean Windsor of Rapha Condor Sharp wrapped up the Tour Series on a high for the Team, making up for the disappointment of Monday night in Chester and going one better than team mate Kristian House who finished second at the British Cycling Elite Circuit Series round in Otley on Wednesday. 

With the team out of the running following the double crash of Zak Dempster and Darren Lapthorne in Chester, Motorpoint – Marshalls Pasta took  overall victory in The Halfords Tour Series and with it the the Bob Chicken Trophy with a strong display in Woking, placing three riders in the race winning break.

Victory on the night, however, went to Rapha – Condor – Sharp’s Dean Windsor, a year after teammate, Dean Downing, won in Surrey, with the Australian’s team also taking victory on the night in front of crowds who clung to every vantage point in Woking’s town centre.

With Rapha Condor Sharp out of the running for the overall win, manager John Herety structured his night around taking the win, aiming to make life hard for the other teams early in the race before launching the attacks after the second hot-spot sprint. However, with Endura happy to leave Motorpont to do the chasing, Kristian House was given enough room to stretch his legs and move clear in the opening five minutes. Windsor was encouraged by boss Herety and Dutchman Jefte De Bruin’s attempted to bridge the gap to House, but only managed to make the junction when a group of seven other riders joined them as the race threatened to re-group.

With the Motorpoint trio of Andy Tennant, Ian Bibby and Malcolm Elliott accompanying Simon Gaywood, Matt Cronshaw and Endura Racing duo Scott Thwaites and Ian Wilkinson, the original three riders now had the power to extend their lead, which peaked at around the one minute mark.

At the front of the peloton Rob Hayles and Jack Bauer did a lot of work, as Endura simply couldn’t afford to let a break with three riders from the leading Motorpoint team stay away, but stay away they did, as Ed Clancy did a policing role for the Motorpoint – Marshalls Pasta team at the front of the bunch.

Coming up the gradual incline of the home straight each lap the break looked like a ten-man pursuit team as the group worked well together to keep building their advantage. With two laps to go Windsor leapt out of the group and powered clear, building enough of a lead that he could savour his first ever Halfords Tour Series victory, and the team’s fourth individual win of the 2010 Series.

“It’s a great way to finish, it’s been a long time coming”, said Windsor, who made his Halfords Tour Series debut in Round One at Canary Wharf.  “You knock on the door each time but you’ve really got to race the perfect race because it’s such a quality field.  Tonight was my night and it’s good to finish it off with such a big win.”

With MD of team sponsor Sharp, Paul Molyneux on hand to witness the win having himself just completed the Race Across America as part of a 4 man team, the win had a special significance for the team as manager John Herety explained:

“It’s great to win, even better to do it in front of the sponsors. Paul is very much an inspiration to us, the way he leads his team professionally and at the RAAM is something we can all learn from, so it’s nice to reward his faith in us by putting the Sharp name up there on the TV and in the press. With the race taking place so close to London it was great to see a few familiar faces from Condor Cycles there too”

With House and Cronshaw taking fifth and ninth, Rapha – Condor – Sharp edged Motorpoint for the night’s win, their fifth team win of the 2010 Series, the most by any team.  But disastrous performances in Portsmouth and Chester meant the team could only finish third in the standings, five points off the pace. Behind Windsor, evergreen Malcolm Elliott took second, out-sprinting Endura riders Wilkinson and Thwaites, before the Durham winner revealed that the predominant post-race feeling after having finally clinched the Series crown, was one of relief.

Rapha Condor Sharp also secured a further visit to the podium with Graham Briggs’ performance in the Hot Spot Sprints competition. Briggs rode consistently throughout the series to build a virtually unassailable lead in that competition and comfortably hung on to his leaders jersey in Woking to give the team a clean sweep on the night. 

The win in Woking follows a second place by Kristian House in the British Cycling Elite Circuit Series in Otley on wednesday night, a race that took place on more of a road-man’s course and where House showed once again that he was in good form before the National Road Race Championships at the weekend in Lancashire. House powered clear with two laps to go and only Ian Wilkinson was able to follow him on the long climb that defines the Otley course. 

With Rapha Condor Sharp’s foreign contingent taking a well earned rest this weekend, all attention will now be on the National Road Race Championships which take place in Barley,Lancashire this Sunday.

Tour Series Round Ten Results

Team
1)      Rapha – Condor – Sharp
2)      Motorpoint – Marshalls Pasta
3)      Endura Racing
4)      Kuota – road.cc
5)      Team Raleigh
6)      Team Corley Cycles
7)      Sigma Sport – Specialized
8)      CyclePremier.com - Metaltek
9)      Pendragon Le Col Colnago

Individual
1)      Dean Windsor            Rapha – Condor – Sharp
2)      Malcolm Elliott         Motorpoint – Marshalls Pasta
3)      Ian Wilkinson           Endura Racing
4)      Scott Thwaites          Endura Racing
5)      Kristian House          Rapha – Condor – Sharp

The Halfords Tour Series Final Standings (after ten rounds)
1)      Motorpoint – Marshalls Pasta            88pts  
2)      Endura Racing                           85pts
3)      Rapha – Condor – Sharp                  83pts
4)      Sigma Sport – Specialized                       57pts
5)      Team Raleigh                            55pts          
6)      Pendragon Le Col Colnago                54pts
7)      CyclePremier.com – Metaltek             46pts
8)      Team Corley Cycles                      38pts
9)      Kuota – road.cc                         32pts
10)     Team Ireland                                    8pts

Boardman Bikes Sprints Competition Results
1)      Jefte De Bruin  Kuota – road.cc                 15pts
2)      Kristian House  Rapha – Condor – Sharp          11pts
3)      Andy Tennant    Motorpoint – Marshalls Pasta    7pts

Boardman Bikes Sprints Competition Final Standings (after ten rounds)
1)      Graham Briggs   Rapha – Condor – Sharp          55pts
2)      Kristian House          Rapha – Condor – Sharp          54pts
3)      Liam Holohan            Team Raleigh                            41pts

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