Rapha-Condor-Sharp rider James McCallum has pledged his intention to defend his title at the South Carrick Davie Bell Memorial 2012, a ‘monument’ of Scottish cycling aspiring to join the Premier Calendar series in 2013.
The promoting club, Ayr Roads — Harry Fairbairn BMW have already secured ‘National A’ status for the 47th running of the 100mile event to be held on Sunday June 10th 2012, guaranteeing the best possible line up of British professional and élite cyclists.
Thanks to backing from South Ayrshire Council and support from South Carrick Community Leisure, McCallum and his Rapha-Condor-Sharp team will be hoping to take home their share of the guaranteed minimum £2,000 prize fund. However, competition will be tough with teams such as Endura Racing, Herbalife-Leisure Lakes and Vanilla Racing already signed up to compete.
The race is rightly feared by the Scottish cycling community, with its tough ascents of the area popularly referred to as the ‘Ayrshire Alps’, and also for it’s whose-who list of former winners including Robert Millar, the late Jason MacIntyre and current Scottish Road Champion Evan Oliphant.
With such a rich history, organisers are already building towards the 50th edition to ensure a spectacular celebration of Ayrshire cycling, and the life of David Bell. More commonly known under his penname ‘The Highwayman’, Bell was a local journalist who brought his explorations by bike between the 1930s and mid 1960s alive through a hugely popular column in the Ayrshire Post.
As in 2011, riders will also be faced with two passages of unsurfaced forest roads in the Carrick Forest. Thanks to cooperation from the Forestry Commission, the ‘strada grigio’ will return, something akin to the dust roads of Tuscany but with the uncomfort of the pavé of Flanders and Roubaix.
Set under the majestic views of Merrick and the Galloways, organisers are confident this is the most scenic road race route in the UK — pity the riders who will be unable to enjoy the views as they struggle to pick a clear line across the dust.
The 2012 event will be based from Girvan, still popular among those pros who remember riding the Easter 3-Day event held there until 2009. South Carrick Community Chairman Andrew Sinclair, Councillors Ian Fitzsimmons, John McDowall and Alec Oates and the South Ayrshire Active Schools team have all lent their enthusiastic support for the event.
The South Carrick David Bell Memorial will come as the climax of a weekend of sporting activity starting with the passing of the Olympic torch and including a family cycle ride and opportunity for sports cyclists to ride the route in the lead up to the event.
2011 champ James McCallum called the route visionary, and commented that “the race has the potential to be better than the Rutland” while organiser Christopher Johnson praised the fantastic support of South Ayrshire Council and the South Carrick Community.
“As a club, we have a hugely ambitious timetable looking forward to 2015 and the 50th edition, and from the very start all our partners have bought into our vision. With such commitment from club members, sponsors, friends and partners we are confident of success in achieving Premier Calendar status by 2013.”
For more information about the 47th South Carrick David Bell Memorial, visit southcarrickdaviebell.com