Russell Downing takes the Lincoln GP 2012

In a sunny but very windy Lincolnshire Endura Racing‘s Russell Downing rode a strong race of attrition today to take his fourth Lincoln GP in a sprint ahead of breakaway companion Marcin Bialoblocki (NODE4 Giordana Racing) and over a minute an a quarter ahead of previous winner Kristian House (Rapha Condor Sharp).

The race started as usual at the Yarborough Leisure Center with a full field of one hundred and sixty riders taking the start.

There was a short delay as last minute safety and radio checks were carried out then the racing got started proper as the riders hit Burton Road.

Perhaps encouraged by the early sunshine and the enthusiastic crowds there were attacks straight away as a few brave riders tried to get an early jump on the peloton.

The big teams of Endura Racing, 100% ME, Rapha Condor Sharp and Team Sigma Sport were keen to show they meant business and closed down any attempts to cause an early split.

The strong crosswind caused the peloton to seek safety in numbers in the first few laps of the race with no-one ready to put in a concerted effort to break away.

After two laps however the race split into two big groups with about eighty riders taking the race on and the other half perhaps just thinking about the finish and the ten more climbs of the one-in-six cobbled Michaelgate climb.

This year with the race back up to it’s full distance of 102 miles (with the two lost laps reinstated this time) would call on the strongmen to try and break the spirit of the other challengers for the title.

Kristian House, last year’s winner of the Brian Cossavella King of the Hill trophy, was in fine form again and he charged up the climb always in the first few riders over the line and had secured his title for the second year running with several laps still to go – but his mind was also firmly set on taking the big prize and along with many of the race favourites he stuck to the front of the field and left many of the others struggling in his wake.

As the laps counted down a few small groups kept jumping off the front of the race with Russell Downing (a three times previous winner), Kristian House, Simon Richardson, Russell Hampton, Marcin Biaboblocki and the other team leaders making it look ‘easy’.

It seemed at one point that some of the attacks would succeed but with the 100% ME team not making any of the breakaways they fought valiantly to close the gaps and at halfway they had reeled in the escapees and some forty riders were all still in with a chance.

As the crowds in Castle Square grew and cheered on their favourites a group of some twenty three riders started the winning move with the early movers joined by a hard working Scott Thwaites (last year’s winner), Matt Cronshaw, Dean Windsor, Richard Lang, David McGowen and Andy Tennant (an Olympic pursuit gold medal hopeful) joining forces to take the break out to nearly two minutes.

With four to go Russell and Kristian’s pace was relentless and their efforts were cutting the leading group to ribbons with everyone chasing to hold a wheel and keep up with the on-form Premier Calendar riders.

Out on the back of the circuit four men finally got away with Russell and Kristian being joined by Russell Hampton and Marvin Bialoblocki – all representing different team, and some wondered if they would work together to stay away from the chasing pack.

With a fair bit of racing still to go this uneasy alliance held and they kept the rest at bay pulling out a minute and twenty seconds on the now thoroughly exhausted chasers.

As they charged up the climb of Michaelgate it still looked like any one of some twenty riders stood a chance but Russell Downing had not come to Lincoln today to be denied his fourth victory and as the bell sounded he found a last few ounces of strength and went for glory.

The massive crowd in Castle Square cheered him on to a fantastic and hard fought victory as he crossed the line in style and claimed the honours.

Marcin Biaboblocki just missed out and came in a well deserved second place as he was always in amongst the leaders and NODE4 Giordana Racing had had a good day out.

Kristian House came home in third to a thunderous round of applause as he had been involved in every move and rode brilliantly.

The race has once again proved it is perhaps the best one-day event in Britain, and the organisers are keen to pay a special thanks to all those who were involved with putting on this year’s event, and also to the spectators who turn out in their thousands every year to cheer and applaud the riders ’till the very last one has crossed the finish line.

Result - Lincoln GP 2012