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18-Jun-95

Tom Simpson Memorial Road Race

First win for Stephens

Britain's top roadmen paid fitting tribute to the late Tom Simpson by producing an attacking race won by Matt Stephens.

MATT Stephens (North Wirral Velo-Kodak) had to wait until June before he scored his first win of the season. But after breaking his duck in the Tour of Mid-Wales he made it two in a row by taking the Plasmor Tom Simpson Memorial race in North Nottinghamshire on Sunday.

Stephens timed his winning move to perfection, breaking away with two miles to go and finishing 28 seconds clear of Rod Ellingworth (Ambrosia/Dyna-Tech), who took the three-man sprint for second place from Shane Sutton (Peugeot) and Paul Curran (Optimum Performance RT).

Stephens, a last-minute entry, was a worthy winner, for it had been a race of constant attacks and he was in most of them.

An 85-man field, including the Ambrosia and Peugeot professional teams, US-based Simeon Hempsall and former winner Sid Barras, started the 92.4-mile test around the mining village of Harworth.

The action started early as the peloton split into three echelons on lap one of the rolling 5.8-mile circuit. Chris Walker (Peugeot) joined forces with James Bopp (Mid Devon RC), Mark Dawes (Irish Heritage CC) and Mark Wordsworth (Maltby CC) for a 20-mile escape.

Just after they were caught at 20 miles, chief commissaire Peter Towey stopped the field and warned them about crossing the solid white line. A number of the special constables on point duty had complained, although the two-man motorcycle escort was apparently quite happy.

The stoppage didn't disrupt the rhythm of the race and at 26 miles a new 15-man lead group - including Stephens - had established itself.

It became 29-strong when a chasing group, driven by Hempsall, bridged the gap at 59 miles. But there were still riders of ambition in the bunch and another chase group of 24 caught the leaders at the end of lap 10, making it 55 at the head of affairs.

There was no let-up in the pace and at 62 miles Stephens, Ellingworth, Sutton and Curran were in a new 12-man selection that also included John Tanner (Ulusoy-Gil Air) and Glenn Holmes (Ambrosia-Dyna-Tech). It wasn't quite the final selection, for an eight-man group that included Sutton's Peugeot team-mate Neil Hoban and back-to-form Ian Gilkes (Wembley RC) caught the leaders with 22 miles to go.

Again the lead group split and again Stephens was in the move. Those who missed the break chased desperately, caught the leaders and with 12 miles to go 13 riders were in contention at the head of the race.

A mile later, Stephens chose a winding section of the Bawtry road to sprint clear. This time only Ellingworth and Sutton could go with him. Canny Curran sensed the danger and in a brilliant piece of gap-bridging jumped across to the leaders as the lap board showed two to go.

By now an excellent crowd had gathered on the finish line outside Harworth Colliery where they saw Tanner cross the line at the head of a chase group, 55 seconds down on the leading quartet.

One of the chasers was Hoban, and Peugeot team manager Keith Lambert knew his team would stand a better chance of victory if criterium champion Hoban, rather than Sutton, was in the break. So Sutton obeyed team orders and sat on the back of the break throughout the last two laps. But with amateur Stephens, ex-professional Curran and new professional Ellingworth all working well, it soon became clear that they would not be caught.

With the finish approaching fast, non-sprinter Stephens used the only tactic available to him. Choosing a stretch of flat, wide road he attacked. Ellingworth chased him down.

Stephens attacked again and opened a gap. Ellingworth again led the pursuit. Then he swung off and invited Curran to chase. Curran, wary of Ellingworth's sprinting strength, declined and Stephens rounded the left-hander before the final hill with 50 yards lead.

Dancing up the headwind climb he maintained the gap which the three chasers still looked capable of closing. Then, as they crested the summit with half a mile to go, they conceded defeat and started jockeying for the sprint for second place. Stephens gained ground rapidly and raced to a solo victory, while Ellingworth led out the three-man sprint to claim second at 28 seconds.

Glenn Holmes claimed fifth place 1-14 later at the head of a group that included Mark Dawes, who had been in the first break of the race over three action-packed hours earlier.

Although it no longer has Premier Calendar status, the joint promotion by Dinnington RC and Harworth and District CC, and sponsored by concrete block manufacturers Plasmor, was a worthy tribute to Britain's only world professional road champion, with a quality field and first-class racing.

What they said

MATT STEPHENS reckoned he chose the best psychological moment to launch his final breakaway. 'I went in the same place when I finished eighth in this event a few years ago.

'I knew they'd expect me to attack on the climb, so I went early. Also it was a headwind finish and no one wants to commit themselves in those conditions. I wasn't really getting away from them on the last hill. But then when they got over the top and hit the headwind, they gave up. It was a real grovel to the finish - thought it would never come.'

ROD ELLINGWORTH was happy with his improving form but disappointed to miss the £120 first prize. 'I should perhaps have put in an attack at the end, but I knew that Shane was sitting in and I got a bit of cramp on the climb. It was a great ride by Matt.'

SHANE SUTTON had hoped to have Neil Hoban for company in the final break. 'He should have been on Paul (Curran) when he came across to us. The bike race was there for the taking. Still, I'm quite pleased after doing a full day's work yesterday. My form's coming back.'

RESULTS

1. Matt Stephens (North Wirral Velo-Kodak Prints) 92.4m in 3-33-46
2. R. Ellingworth (Ambrosia/-Dyna-Tech) at 28sec
3. S. Sutton (Peugeot)
4. P. Curran (Optimum Performance RT) both st
5. G. Holmes (Ambrosia-Dyna-Tech) at 1-14
6. J. Tanner (Ulusoy-Gil Air)
7. N. Hoban (Peugeot)
8. G. Speight (Optimum Performance RT)
9. C. Newton (North Wirral Velo)
10. J. Charlesworth (CC Giro)
11. M. McKay (RT Italia)
12. M. Dawes (Irish Heritage CC) all st
13. I. Gilkes (Wembley RC) at 3-09
14. S. Farrell (Tunstall Wheelers)
15. P. Wilkins (Ashfield RC)
16. P. Spencer (Long Eaton RC)
17. R. Watkinson (Dinnington RC)
18. D. Cook (Middridge CRT)
19. D. Williams (RT Italia)
20. L. Davies (Team Energy).

RJB Mining Sprints.- Mark McKay.