On a grey, damp but mild and fast Sunday morning on the roads around Blairdrummond near Stirling, Dooleys’ Ian Grant added the Scottish National 25 mile Time Trial Championship 2012 title to the ’50’ with a fine 52:26; besting Sandy Wallace’s Silas Goldsworthy – whose fight back over the closing miles hauled back a 17 second deficit on Grant down to six at the line.
Last year’s ’50’ champion Alan Thomson, took another medal for Sandy Wallace with bronze in 53:09.
The event was not without controversy, however.
On the start sheet the gap between the last ten starters was two minutes – but a number of the final ten were sent off at one minute intervals, instead of two.
None of the medallists said their ride had been affected by the mistake, but it did make nonsense of time checks and shattered the mental preparation of some riders who couldn’t understand why they were being asked to start what they perceived to be several minutes early.
And several riders were confused by being caught for what they believed to be two minutes or even four minutes, when it was, in fact, only half that.
The race route – in these days of no dead turns – was two circuits of a loop whose main legs were the Kippen Flats road and Blairdrummond road, linked at the Stirling end by the Raploch by-pass and at the other by Kirk Lane, where the start was located.
Whilst flat, some of the surfaces weren’t the best and the various roundabouts and slip roads at the Raploch made for a technical mile or so.
There was light drizzle falling when rider number one, Graham Hay headed off to leave the start line midges behind.
We chose the start as our photo point for the day – it meant we could take pictures as riders started, turned down the lane for their second lap then thrashed past the lane end on their way to the finish at the end
As the morning progressed, it became tricky for the marshal, with some riders bearing left on to their second circuit, whilst some flashed past en route the finish line.
We had # 70, Thomson down as our first ‘man to watch’ – and he was indeed getting the job done in good style.
Reigning ‘100’ champion Steve Nutley was off # 90 and our next man to watch – but he was down on Mr. Thomson.
It was around this time that we heard the first rumblings about start times being messed up – we initially put it down to rider error…
Grant was our favourite for the day, off 112 with Goldsworthy our other tip for the top – his 7th place in the British ’25’ with a 50 minute ride influencing our thinking.
On the way down to see Goldsworthy starting effort we passed piles of riders’ clothing waiting on their owners returning from their 40 kilometre jaunt around Central Scotland.
Grant looked good at the end of his first circuit, on top of the job.
Goldsworthy came through to start his second lap looking mean as team mate Nutley headed for the finish – it had a Red Arrows kinda feel to it.
But a less choreographed day for Bob Taylor of Dooleys – a warm up front wheel puncture was matched by a rear wheel deflation during the race.
‘Back in the day’ the roadmen would contest the ‘25’ – take off the inner ring, bottle cage and tape above the brake levers and you were set.
Not now, you need the ‘full tool’ TT bike – so good to see roadman Gordon Murdoch in full chrono action.
The starting order changes made it impossible for us to fathom what was going on time-wise as the race drew to a close, but it was apparent that the favourites, Thomson, Grant and Goldsworthy were the men doing the job on the morning.
But it was a wee while before we could shake Ian Grant’s hand as winner.
We started by asking if he was happy with 52:26;
“I’m very happy with that – on paper the course is flat but some of the surfaces were ‘dead’ and with all the roundabouts at Stirling it’s pretty technical.
“I knew it was going to be close with Silas and that helped me suffer over those last four miles.”
We wondered if he’d cut back on training duration after his 50 win;
“No, I’ve been doing my two hour sessions which incorporate 20 minute efforts but with plenty of recovery.
“I want to maintain speed and endurance.”
And did the problem with the start times affect his ride?
“No, I did wonder how I had caught Davie Gibson so quickly but you have to just switch off to that kind of thing and get on with it.”
And what comes next?
“I’ve entered for the ‘100’ championship but next year I want to go down south and take things up a level.
“Seeing Silas take seventh in the British ‘25’ has inspired me to leave my comfort zone and get down there!”
Goldsworthy too was happy with his time;
“I knew after I did that 50 minute ride in the British ‘25’ that I had a good chance, today.
“I was seventh in the British – the next day I was right up there in the Scottish ‘50’ until I punctured, and then in the week I did a 19 minute ‘10’ at Westferry.
“I rode at 350 watts today – in the British it was 370; but I did the last few miles at 400 plus – peaking at 420 to get the gap down from 17 to six seconds.
“I think that perhaps I’ve peaked too early and I’ve been a bit tired since; so to get within six seconds of Ian today – I’m happy!
“I have to mention that one of the reasons I’m going so well this year is that I’m being coached Peter Ettles – that’s made a big difference to me.”
Bronze medallist Thomson was philosophical in defeat;
“I knew that Ian and Silas were the ones to beat, today – and I was right!”
Result - Scottish 25 Mile TT Championship 2012
Final Result
2 Silas Goldsworthy Sandy Wallace Cycles S 00:52:32
3 Alan Thomson Sandy Wallace Cycles S 00:53:09
4 Sean Childs RNRMCA V 00:53:24
5 Carlos Riise Shetland Wheelers V 00:53:26
6 Jamie Kennedy Glasgow Couriers V 00:53:35
7 Jim Cusick Glasgow Couriers V 00:53:39
8 Chris Smart Paisley Velo RT S 00:54:21
9 Eddie Addis Equipe Velo Ecosse S 00:54:24
10 Steve Cairns Perth United CC S 00:54:25
11 Philip Kelman Deeside Thistle CC V 00:54:32
12 Kenneth Armstrong Ayr Roads CC S 00:54:47
13 David Gibson Dooleys CRT V 00:54:56
14 Gordon Murdoch Team Cycle Lane S 00:54:56
15 Gerry McGarrity Inverclyde Velo S 00:55:03
16 Steve Nutley Sandy Wallace Cycles V 00:55:25
17 Robert Carson Team Leslie Bike Club V 00:55:31
18 Michael Robb Ayr Roads CC S 00:55:38
19 David McLellan Dooleys CRT V 00:55:41
20 Graeme Cockburn Glasgow Wheelers V 00:55:49
21 Gary Robson Gala CC V 00:56:08
22 David Millar Glasgow Couriers V 00:56:19
23 Mark Ewing West Lothian Clarion V 00:56:28
24 Gavin Shirley Dooleys Cycles S 00:56:28
25 Robert Brown unattached V 00:56:30
26 Raymond Johnston Glasgow Couriers V 00:56:34
27 Thomas Gordon Dooleys Cycles RT V 00:56:42
28 Stuart Moran Nevis Cycles RT S 00:56:49
29 Derek McMillan St Christphers CC V 00:56:59
30 Nick Tryon RNRMCA V 00:57:17
31 Graeme Hay Stirling Bike Club V 00:57:22
32 Andrew Underwood Glasgow Wheelers S 00:57:24
33 Paul Friel Glasgow Couriers V 00:57:27
34 Allan Mill Sandy Wallace Cycles S 00:57:46
35 David Robinson North Argyll CC V 00:57:50
36 Kevin Lackie Moray Cycle Racing Team V 00:57:50
37 Keith Anderson Pro-Am RC S 00:58:07
38 Ben Miller Nevis Cycles RT JM 00:58:11
39 Ian Wilson Desside Thistle CC V 00:58:20
40 Norman Skene Granite City Racing Team V 00:58:21
41 Andrew Kilpatrick leslie Bike Shop V 00:58:32
42 James Meek Team Leslie Bike Club V 00:58:43
43 James Logan Gala CC V 00:58:43
44 Alan McCaffrey Ross Shire Roads CC V 00:58:58
45 Brendan McCabe Aberdeen Wheelers V 00:59:08
46 Jim Trevor Hull Thursday Road Club S 00:59:21
47 Christine McLean Shetland Wheelers FV 00:59:30
48 Jeremy Tomlinson Fife Cycling 2000 V 00:59:33
49 Mark Baugh Stirling Bike Club S 00:59:35
50 Douglas Kirkham Musselburgh RCC V 00:59:44
51 Greg Quinn Deeside Thistle CC V 00:59:47
52 Steve Beech Sandy Wallace Cycles V 00:59:58
53 David Harter Forres CC V 00:59:58
54 Craig Gilmour Falkirk BC S 01:00:04
55 Mark Leadbetter Stirling Bike Club V 01:00:07
56 Alex McPhee unattached V 01:00:10
57 Derek Stewart Deeside Thistle CC V 01:00:18
58 Billy Bunyan Dunfermline CC V 01:00:22
59 Buchanan Paterson Stirling Bike Club S 01:00:24
60 Steven Brennan Pro-Am RC S 01:00:32
61 Sadiq Mir West Lothian Clarion S 01:00:41
62 Mike Ferguson Johnstone Wheelers V 01:00:48
63 Douglas Brooke Glasgow Road Club V 01:00:50
64 Stuart Whitelaw Lomond Roads CC S 01:00:52
65 Allan McLean Glasgow Wheelers V 01:00:57
66 Sian Tovey Dooleys CRT F 01:01:01
67 Shelley Farrar Deeside Thistle CC FV 01:01:20
68 Gary Bratt Lomond Roads CC S 01:01:25
69 Frank Anderson West Lothian Clarion V 01:01:30
70 Craig Cameron Aberdeen Wheelers V 01:01:33
71 Graham Jones Edinburgh RC V 01:01:34
72 Alan Solway Kennoway RC V 01:01:37
73 Paul Anderson Gala CC V 01:01:41
74 Bud Johnston Glasgow Couriers V 01:01:55
75 Graeme Walsh Stirling Bike Club V 01:02:12
76 Stuart Easton Sandy Wallace Cycles V 01:02:23
77 Neil Muir Edinburgh RC V 01:02:42
78 Laura Nicolson Moray Firth CC F 01:02:47
79 Alan Mooney Royal Albert CC V 01:02:52
80 Craig Ward Ythan CC YM 01:03:01
81 Tony Nugent East Kilbride RC V 01:03:06
82 Neil Anderson Deeside Thistle CC V 01:03:07
83 Jocky Johnstone Icarus Racing V 01:03:22
84 Geoff Smith Glasgow Couriers V 01:03:27
85 Charlie Gillies Stirling Bike Club V 01:04:00
86 Neil McFarlane Falkirk BC V 01:04:00
87 Iain McLeod Denny RC V 01:04:04
88 James Reid Dunfermline CC V 01:04:13
89 Tina Reid Sandy Wallace Cycles FV 01:04:17
90 Hector Nicolson Moray Firth CC V 01:04:26
91 Colin Allanach Ythan CC V 01:04:28
92 Julie Erskine Aberdeen Wheelers F 01:04:49
93 Stephen Brown unattached YM 01:05:02
94 Lorraine Brown Leslie Bike Shop FV 01:05:04
95 Val Martin Dooleys CRT FV 01:05:17
96 Elaine Lowden Glasgow Wheelers FV 01:05:20
97 Patricia Baird Deeside Thistle CC FV 01:05:57
98 Jack Carlin Glasgow Riderz YM 01:05:59
99 Craig Dale The Bicycle Works S 01:06:06
100 James Smith Glasgow Nightingale V 01:06:20
101 James Skinner Glen Marnock S 01:06:42
102 Sandra Tulloch Leslie Bike Shop F 01:06:44
103 Craig Wallace Granite CIty Racing Team S 01:07:07
104 Anna Harris Angus Bike Chain F 01:07:29
105 George Skinner Royal Albert CC V 01:12:51
106 Graeme Newton Stirling Bike Club V 02:01:41
