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25-Mar-90

Porthole Grand Prix

Boardman beats pro challenge

MULTI national champion Chris Boardman (Manchester Wheelers-Trumanns Steel) was 'made up' after winning the Porthole Grand Prix around Lake Windermere on Sunday. Second man Colin Sturgess, the world professional pursuit champion, said he would he back to win next year while third man Paul Curran (Crown-Chafes) admitted that he simply hadn't been able to ride fast enough.

It was another wonderful day in the Lakes, probably the best field yet, and fine weather (even though the wind did blow in the wrong direction) but there was a warning at the end from Porthole Eating House boss Gianni Berton, the sponsor who said it is becoming an 'expensive monster'.

With a headwind start and finish and a tailwind down the back of the lake where it is sheltered it was almost 40 minutes before John Kirchin (Mansfield RC) became the first man to beat 65 minutes. More than another half-hour elapsed before veteran Ian White improved things to 1-3-2, an effort he declared 'not bad for an old man'.

All the big-hitters were tucked away in the last 40 starters and there were enough of them to provoke some pre-race discussion on potential winners with Boardman most people's favourite.

Although he had been slower than White at half-distance Dave Smith took the lead in 1-2-28 but by then it was known that Boardman had reached the halfway point in 30-29 over two minutes faster than anyone up to that point. Off no. 95 he rocketed home on a low-profile machine - without the almost obligatory disc rear wheel - in 58-47. He had been nervous before the start and said it took him the first 15 minutes to shake it off which must just have accounted for the speed.

While the next fast men were waited for he looked ahead to the rest of the year. He would like to win 10 national titles for his club but that apart he will be having what he calls 'a laid-back year' with three major objectives. He wants to ride the Grand Prix des Nations, break the British hour record and get into the world's top six amateur pursuiters.

Former world champion Mandy Jones (Liverpool Mercury) went out early on when her bars came loose leaving Linda Gornall (Horwich CC) to improve her own women's event record to 1-8-45.

Another of the Manchester Wheelers squad, Scott O'Brien, third last year, nipped briefly into second place in 1-2-2 while his team mate Peter Longbottom dropped 1-2-37 and he said he could never get going in this event.

Top of the leader board got to look even healthier for the Manchester Wheelers when Alan Gornall, no. 110, romped home in 1-1-40 - to give them the top five men.

Sturgess was buzzing before the start. He was off to Belgium on Monday to join his new Tulip Computers team and had a kermesse lined up for Tuesday. He had seen the course but never raced on it. At halfway he was 34 seconds adrift on Boardman and finished pleased with his 59-43. It was his first outing of the season and he believed he could come back next year and win it.

Last year's winner Paul Curran was the last man off and he was seven seconds down on Sturgess at halfway, finishing in 1-0-44 and admitting his disappointment. He had not raced the previous day saving everything as he put it 'to go for this. I once got badly beaten in this event before, then changed my training schedules. I might do that again.' Curran had caught Dave Ferguson (Clayton Velo) for three minutes and was surprised when big Dave passed him again in the final six miles but Curran did get to the finish first.

There were many other outstanding rides, among them Richard Robson (Knaresborough CC) who set a junior course record of 1-5-15 while Sheffield Phoenix veteran John Tomlinson finished in 1-7-3 on the fixed gear that he always rides.

Event sponsor Gianni Berton reckoned this had been the best yet ... then cast doubt over the future. 'It has become a monster both for cost and work for staff at the restaurant,' he said. 'For the work we put in (he feeds all the riders, supporters and officials at a post-race get-together) I feel we don't get enough coverage. The media don't want to know. I have done it for 11 years and will be happy if someone else were to come along and pick it up, but having said that I will try to do it again next year'.

Boardman reckoned that winning this event was more satisfying than his win in last year's national championship '25'.

RESULTS

1. Chris Boardman (Manchester Wh). . 58 47
2. C. Sturgess (Tulip Computers) 59 43
3. P. Curran (Crown-Chafes) 1 00 44
4. A. Gornall (Manchester Wh) 1 01 40
5. S. O'Brien (Manchester Wh) 1 02 02
6. D. Smith (Manchester Wh) 1 02 28
7. P. Longbottom (Manchester Wh) 1 02 37
8. I. White (Dinnington RC) 1 03 02
9. D. Ferguson (Clayton Velo) 1 03 44
10. M. Harrison (Congleton CC) 1 03 45
11. G. Lumb (VC York) 1 04 34
12. J. Kirchin (Mansfield RC) 1 04 57
13. P. Wheddon (ABC Centreville) 1 05 01
14. R. Robson (Knaresboro' CC) 1 05 12
15. J. Cavanagh (Horwich CC) 1 05 18
16. N. Bishop (ABC Centreville) 1 05 21
17. A. Howarth (SG Bollington) 1 05 22
18. J. Ramsbottom (N Lancs RC) 1 05 27
19. P. Guy (Mid-Shropshire Wh) 1 05 33
20. S. Gibson (Cestria CC) 1 05 36

Vets.- White.
Juniors.- Robson.
Women.- Linda Gornall (Horwich CC) 1-8-45.
Team.- Manchester Wh -Trumanns Steel (Boardman, GornaIl, O'Brien) 3-2-29.