The Tour of Britain’s penultimate stage departed from Glasgow Green today, taking the peloton south to the beautiful setting of Drumlanrig Castle in the Southern Uplands.
The Glasgow Grand Prix took advantage of the closed circuit and the watching crowds, with two events following immediately after the ToB departure.
– Reported by Lewis Oliphant –
The second event of the morning incorporated the Scottish Criterium Championships, and was open to Elite,1st,2nd and 3rd Category, along with Juniors and VE-3 riders. It included the West of Scotland CA Senior criterium championships as well, and was run over one hour plus five laps.
25 riders lined up at the start of the Glasgow GP, and the race was fast and furious right from the gun. Although the bunch was strung out from the end of the neutralised lap, two riders, Scott Macrae (pedalpower.org.uk / Endura RT) and Paul Rennie (Dooleys RT), managed to go clear towards the end of the lap two.
Kevin Barclay (pedalpower.org.uk / Endura RT) soon joined them, and these three riders then worked well together, establishing a 15-second lead over the peloton after only six laps.
The wet surface saw several riders requiring their permitted “two laps out” for wheel changes following punctures.
Around 40 minutes into the race the sun began to peak through the clouds and the three breakaway riders had the tail-end of the peloton in sight.
Aided by the ever-diminishing number of riders in the bunch, the break soon make the junction to claim their lap.
The medals were now certain to be shared between Barclay, Macrae and Rennie.
Despite some strong riding from Rennie’s team-mate Graham McGarrity, the Dooleys RT pair could not match the strength – and numbers – of the pedalpower.org.uk team; Barclay and Macrae escaped the peloton again to claim the top two spots.
Results
1st Kevin Barclay (pedalpower.org.uk / Endura RT)
2nd Scott Macrae (pedalpower.org.uk / Endura RT)
3rd Paul Rennie (Dooleys RT)
1st Junior: Robert Hassan (Rockhard Racing)
1st Cat 2: Stephen Russell (EK road club)
1st Cat 3: Barry McGurk (Team Icarus)
Sprint primes
(1) Scott Macrae (pedalpower.org.uk / Endura RT)
(2+3) Kevin Barclay (pedalpower.org.uk / Endura RT)
West of Scotland CA Championship
1st Paul Rennie (Dooleys RT)
2nd Stephen Russell (East Kilbride Road Club)
3rd Graham McGarrity (Dooleys RT)
Earlier the support race for 4/V4/W/J had been held over 40 minutes plus 5 laps.
The results for this race were:
Overall
1st Graeme Cockburn (Glasgow Nightingale)
2nd Jeremy Greengrass (Glasgow Nightingale)
3rd Calum McLean (Rock and Road Cycles)
1st Youth: Gary Brown (Glasgow Nightingale)
1st Junior: Calum McLean (Rock and Road Cycles)
1st Veteran: Graeme Cockburn (Glasgow Nightingale)
Sprint primes
(1) Andy Turnbull (Falkirk BC)
(2) Calum McLean (Rock and Road Cycles)