Brother UK Cycling Podcast – Episode 54
Timothy John
“Hello and welcome to this new edition of the Brother UK Cycling Podcast with me Timothy John and my co-host Phil Jones, the Managing Director of Brother UK. Phil, good to see you.”
Phil Jones
“Hi Tim.”
Timothy John
“Well it’s that time of year again already, Phil. The Lincoln Grand Prix is only days away. The countdown to the Great British Monument has begun.”
Phil Jones
“Yes, it’s absolutely one of those races that I really look forward to, and having now done an edition in what was the Brother UK neutral service vehicle, a couple of years back, I got a real insight into how the race is won and what the course is like, so good to talk about that today in a little bit more detail.”
Timothy John
“Yeah, my goodness, we’ve got some pretty credible witnesses lined up to tell us what this race looks like from the inside: Dean Downing, whose victory in 2007 might be the most iconic of all time, given those incredible pictures, and we’ve got Becky Storrie, who won the race in 2022.
“We’ll get the inside line on the organisational and commercial angles from the race organiser Gary Coltman, one of just three people to have organised this race in its 69-year history, and we’ll get some personal reflections from VeloUK editor Larry Hickmott on 25 years of covering this incredible race. Let’s have a quick listen to Larry now.”
Larry Hickmott
“I remember a friend of mine, a former pro, who’s been on the podium in the race, Gordon McCauley, telling me about how significant this race was about 25 years ago. I then went out there to photograph the race and started doing that. I’ve now got all this history from 2003.
“The Lincoln Grand Prix is a beautiful race for a photographer. You’ve got a castle and a cathedral as a background. It’s just amazing. You see so much of the riders. They do 13 laps, the men; I think the women do eight. It’s a small lap about eight miles, and it’s just brilliant. It’s absolutely brilliant.
Richardson. In both of the victories Alex has had in the race, Alex has shown what it means to him to win this Monument of a race.
“As someone who was there when we had all these other races, like the Archer Grand Prix, the Cotswold Classic, Havant, the Essex Grand Prix etc, etc, to only really have this race left, it’s a mighty race, it really is.
“It’s a race where bike racing is taken to the people, and the crowds on Michaelgate and on the climb through the historic section of Lincoln, there’s no other race that can match that. Ever since Ian Emmerson put the race through that section of the city, it has become the huge and popular race that it is.
strongest are actually feeling strong.
“It is going to be my birthday on the day, as it has been in the past, so it is going to be a very special event. It’s also got the hill climb the night before, which is exciting.
“There’s also a rider on that list who comes from Lincoln, emigrated to Australia with his family, and this is Joshua Ludman. He will have his family there as well, part of his family, watching. He has a connection to Lincoln, and he rides for Saint Piran.
“There are so many reasons for me to be really up for this race.”
Timothy John
“So wonderful to hear from Larry there, Phil, The beating heart of this race is the historic section in the centre of Lincoln.”
Phil Jones
“You’d have to agree with that. Lincoln is a very beautiful city. There’s no doubt about that. But when you go up Michaelgate, get to the top, and you have those twists and turns, and you see the cathedral, and you go out through the gates and all these sorts of things, it’s a really picturesque place, and what an iconic place to be holding a bike race.
“With that stretch of Michaelgate being so iconic - it’s full of crowds, all the shops are open, the pubs are open - it’s absolutely what you would want from a bike race, on a hot summer’s say, and let’s cross our fingers that it is a hot summer’s day, and full of race action.”
Timothy John
“Speaking from where I am, we’ve had three days of sunshine in a row now, so maybe Spring has finally sprung, and where better to get a bit of sunlight than on Michaelgate. What a climb.
“Well that’s what we’re going to talk about today in some detail, but before we get there, let’s have a very quick round up of the news from a Brother UK, Brother Cycling perspective.
“We’ve got two teams of course, DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK and Brother UK-OnForm, and both, I’m happy to report, are on fire at the moment. DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK have won four National B races since the start of the season.
“Frankie Hall most recently won the Harrogate Nova Spring Road Race. Before that, it was Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne who won the Dave Peck Memorial.
winning Capernwray, the opening round of the Proper Northern Road Race Series.
“Brother UK-sponsored teams also occupied two of the three podium slots at the Dave Peck Memorial, the second round of the British Women’s Team Cup. Let’s hear now from those podium finishers: that was the winner, Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne of DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK, and Lotty Dawson of Brother UK-OnForm, who finished third.”
Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne
“I was actually really pleased with this result. I mean, it’s not my best cycling result so far, but in terms of everything I’ve been learning and putting into training, I felt that I was really able to….put simply, I was able to do a race and actually think about it at the same time, rather than just being, “I’m not sure exactly what I should be doing.
try to do something in the first five minutes, which is obviously stupid!
“I waited and watched a few people and sussed out who was going well. The team - Ruth, Sian and I - were all racing together. It was really good. We were able to launch counter attacks of each other. Ruth went up the road. As soon as she came bike, I thought: ‘Right, the bunch is feeling a bit tired. This is a good time for me to go,’ so I went over the top of her.
wheel, and then I just went quite hard up the hill and, yeah, won, so that was very nice.”
Lotty Dawson
“I wasn’t actually in too much pain, to be honest. I was certainly putting in some big turns on the front just to give us that gap, but I think we all worked so well as a little group. No one held back. We all fully committed. That was really nice.
“Charlotte was definitely giving us a lot of encouragement. I couldn’t really speak but she definitely was shouting at us and giving us a lot of encouragement.
“Being in a team and riding together and giving each other support: prior to being with Brother UK-OnForm, I didn’t really have any experience of that; just being in a properly organised team is really helpful to me.
“I feel that we’ve bonded so much as a team this year. We’re all looking out for each other. We’re all happy when someone does well, but, equally, we’ll cheer someone up when things haven’t gone so well, and that is a really nice thing to be part of.”
Timothy John
“So that was Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne and Lotty Dawson, and these, Phil, are two riders with bright futures on and off the bike.
OnForm, well she is a biochemistry student at Nottingham University.
“This, I guess, is yet another example of Brother providing platforms to perform.”
Phil Jones
“Yes, it is. If you recall, when we did the survey for the Elite Road Racing Task Force, one of the key questions was about what is the role of British road racing for people who want to ride bikes, and it was split straight down the middle.
hobby at the weekends that I can be really good at.’
“It’s wonderful to hear that you’ve got two individuals there: one who’s pursuing a professional services career, and one who’s studying with a career ahead of her. We’re really happy to hear that the things that we’re doing is helping them to be the best versions of themselves.”
INTERLUDE
Timothy John
“Let’s turn our attention now to Alice Sharpe and Mia Griffin of DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK because they have booked their tickets to the Olympic Games in Paris this summer as riders on Cycling Ireland’s women’s team pursuit squad.
velodrome. The team has to head to Mallorca to train.
“They wrapped up qualification for the Olympics in Hong Kong at the final round of the UCI Track World Cup, and Alice Sharpe from DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK was right at the heart of things.
“Let’s have a listen now to Alice.”
Alice Sharpe
“I think at the moment it hasn’t really sunk in. There’s still work to do to get to the start line, but it’s important to celebrate even just qualifying, especially what a momentous thing that is for us as Cycling Ireland because we’d never qualified a women’s team pursuit squad, and that qualifies us for the madison and omnium as well.
“It’s really special and amazing for us to have qualified that full quota. It’s just years and years of hard work, and I think the thing that’s great and so frustrating about the team pursuit is that you have to be so pernickety and so dialled in on every detail.
ride in Hong Kong was finally a representation of the hard work that we had put in, and I hope that the times continued to come down.
“It’s all about confidence too, isn’t it? We have that confidence that are able to piece together a really good ride and really committing to one another to complete another smooth and clean ride.
“I think for me doing the road is really important for building form and confidence and motivation. I do find it difficult just to train, train. I like to race in between as well. I hope to do RideLondon and a few of those other races on the calendar as well.
“I’ll step away from the road five weeks before the Games, but, other than that, I think it’s a really important part of my preparation.”
Timothy John
“So there was Alice Sharpe, She’s a long-term member of the Brother Cycling family, Phil. She was on a team that we sponsored five or six years ago. She was early into the Cycling Ireland endurance programme in 2017. She’s still going to race on the road despite having this very high-profile engagement in Paris this summer.”
Phil Jones
“Yeah, isn’t that a terrific story, that over so many years, I’m not just talking about the involvement that we’ve had with teams and stuff, but, actually, it’s her own story.”
Timothy John
“Yeah, for sure. She’s a quality road rider, too. She was on Israel PremierTech-Roland with Claire Steels last year. She’s ridden at the highest level of the women’s sport on the road, and she’s come back to Continental level to pursue this dual programme of road racing and Olympic track racing this summer, so what a signing from Simon Howes and Ian Watson. A very valuable addition to the squad.
“Let’s finish this news round-up with news of Brother UK-OnForm competing at the junior women’s Gent-Wevelgem. Now, no fan of professional cycling will need me to explain about Gent-Wevelgem, one of the Spring Classics, and this is the junior version.
effort.
“In the past, the junior Gent-Wevelgem has been held on a course that hasn’t borne much resemblance to the pro race. This time it was different. They went up the Kemmelberg climb, which is the signature climb of that race, twice.
“Grace Ward and Amelia Staunton, two of the OnForm riders, were just outside the top-20, only 23 seconds behind the winner Amelia Ceeback, so a wonderful performance.
Marathon. Let’s have a listen to Paul."
Paul Smith
“We headed north from Leper and then dropped down left to Luca, and it was a full gas, fast route. There were narrow roads, train tracks, a lot of street furniture with cobbles going through little towns.
going up the Kemmelberg twice, which was brilliant.
‘It turned out that the Kemmelberg didn’t do much damage in the race. It was more the flat parts with the open winds and the crashes. Every one of them did enjoy going up the Kemmelberg. As hard as it was, I think it was very enjoyable for them all.
“It was such a big bunch. I think there were 135 girls. They were constantly battling a headwind and a crosswind all the way out to the Kemmelberg. Mark and I were of the impression that regardless of where you were at the bottom of the Kemmelberg, that position was where you wanted to be at the top.
“Mark always emphasises to them, even at home in England or when we’re over here in the Ras, it’s really all about positioning and having the mental energy to be constantly thinking, ‘I need to move up,’ or, ‘I need to stay here,’ because the minute you blink, you’re going to go out the back. At races like Gent-Wevelgem, it really will happen. It was definitely the biggest junior girls only race they’ve ever done.
“I think it’s huge, but, like I said, they don’t get big races like this. They do get them in England, but they’re National Series races with senior women. Last year, we had 16-year-olds doing the CiCLE Classic. That’s very hardly not so much physically because some of them are very, very strong but mentally. They’re able to constantly think for 130km to position, to eat, to drink.
of a shame that we don’t have them here in Ireland, as well.
“It is very hard to keep the girls in the sport, and I think most of the girls who do stay in the sport, it’s probably because their parents have been in the sport, and we keep encouraging them when it is hard for them.
“The main take-home, I suppose, and this regards both management and riders is that we’re all very, very happy. Going over to this UCI race with a young, young team, that has never done anything like this before, and for them to get around, all with different experiences, but getting two riders into 22nd and 23rd, I’m sure, only 15 or 20 seconds behind the winner, says it all. They rode fantastically, the whole lot of them.
can bring into that weekend in four weeks’ time is going to be invaluable, and, please God, they’ll do very well again.”
Timothy John
“So there we are. That was Paul Smith, father of daughters Mia and Stella, who race for Brother UK-OnForm, and what a result, Phil, to have two riders just outside the top-20 at what is effectively one of the cobbled Classics on the professional calendar.”
Phil Jones
“Yeah. A few things came to mind while I was listening to Paul. One was, we’ve talked in previous episodes, Tim, about the role that parents play in developing athletes in the early part of their careers.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re in cycling, football, hockey, netball; it doesn’t matter. Parents play a really important role in ferrying you around, funding your hobby, your lifestyle, all of this travel; funding your dreams. I think that’s an incredible thing, and Paul clearly is an enthusiastic individual.
“I think the second thing is it was clearly a close race with only 23 seconds between first place and twentieth place. That’s a close race.
“And I think the third thing is that it’s incredible that we’re seeing Elite Development Teams giving race experience abroad. Gent-Wevelgem is one heck of a hard race, so to be over there one day and then over here racing Lincoln a couple of weeks later I think is absolutely brilliant and should mean it’s creating exceptionally good riders, well experienced in the early parts of their cycling careers.”
INTERLUDE
Timothy John
“Well, let’s get into it. Let’s get into the meat of this episode, the Lincoln Grand Prix. It’s only days away now. We’re recording on Thursday, and the race is on Sunday May 12, and it will be the 68th edition in 69 years. They missed only 2020, and that, of course, due to Covid.
those laps includes the climb of Michaelgate.
“Rapha, the clothing brand, will serve again as title sponsor, and we’ll talk about their involvement in some detail going forwards because that is a wonderful combination of an emotional connection and a commercial connection.
“Alexander Richardson will defend the men’s title for Saint Piran, but the reigning women’s champion, Robyn Clay, one of our riders from DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK, unfortunately will miss out with a broken collarbone.
discuss all of the details.”
Gary Coltman
“This is my second Lincoln Grand Prix, and it came about because I organise the Lincoln Grand Prix Sportive the day before, so we’ll have close to 1000 people out in the Wolds.
many, many years. I can’t remember how many; 50 years or something. It was incredible how many years and the work that was put in.
“Then he handed over to Dan Elmore; he worked alongside him for a while. Between all of the organisers, they built this fantastic event that’s hosted the British championships twice.
a trophy from scratch.
“I feel very honoured to have had the opportunity to take it over. The only pressure I feel is to keep delivering it as well as the past organisers have done.
challenges.
“Not long out of Covid, the cycle industry was starting to take a dip at that time. Things were not looking great for the economy, so the first meeting I had, Rapha just absolutely reassured me that they were in.
“They love this event, and they have an attachment to it that goes back to 2006, 2007, when Dean Downing won wearing the Rapha jersey. When they created that team [Rapha-Condor], one of their first big wins was the Lincoln Grand Prix.
Rapha this would not be happening.
“The key thing that I’m looking forward on the day to seeing is all of the riders getting off the bike and saying, ‘That was a great race,’ even those who have to get off their bikes early because they’re not able to finish, and that will always be a number of riders, as is the case at races of this level.
“The excitement that I’m getting through these emails of people saying, ‘Oh, brilliant, I’ve got into the race.’ You’ve got the guys at the top of the tree who are fighting to win it. The winner will have a smile on their face.
was a safe race. There was no traffic on the course.’
“Safety is first and foremost, and I want to deliver a safe race that everyone loves, and they can’t wait to get back again next year, but also that the public, cyclists and non-cyclists alike, and the residents of Lincoln particularly, say, ‘That was a great race, and we can’t wait or you to come back again next year.’
“And then, yeah, if I can stay awake long enough to have a beer at the end of the day, that will be the icing on the cake.”
Timothy John
“So that was Gary Coltman, Phil, race director, race organiser of the Lincoln Grand Prix, who, I thought, rather wonderfully described looking after this race as like ‘polishing a golden trophy.’”
Phil Jones
“Ha! What a one-liner that is. Brilliant. I’m sure he’s completely and utterly understating the reality of what he really has to do to get this race on. I think that’s a very modest thing to say, it really is. I’m sure Gary and the team he has around him still have to work their socks off every year to get this race fully funded and run.
everybody understands it. It becomes almost a default within the local authority that this is going to happen.
“The economic development people, the road planning people, the people who are concerned with the city centre, they all just know it happens, which makes life a lot easier when you’re trying to get this race on and run, compared to if you are organising a brand new race in a brand new area and trying to start afresh with a local authority that doesn’t get it, sees this as a major problem because suddenly they don’t have the resources or they don’t’ have the planning.
“They don’t have any of that established planning that they can just take out of the drawer, bring it out again, put it on the desk and say, ‘There you go, We’re running this again. We have all the details here,’ so it really does make it a little bit easier in the bigger picture of dealing with the public sector to get these things done,
let’s say you took out the Michaelgate climb, does this race have the same character? Probably not, so it sort of has to include it.
“When you look at it, it’s an eight-mile circuit and having been around it, it follows some of the winning pattern that we talked about, which was, how.do you sometimes have races with shorter circuits which mean it’s much more controllable, in terms of what roads need to be closed down etc.
“Here, can it pass through a city centre where crowds can gather? Yes, it can. Is there something about the attribute of the race that could be deemed a draw? Yes, we’ve got it here in terms of Michaelgate.
round the circuit, people are out of their houses watching the race.
“That’s taken a long time to get it to that status, but, ultimately, once it’s there you can really see it’s a rich, winning pattern, and if it could be uplifted and installed into other races throughout the country, this would be a really key part of re-energising the UK scene."
Timothy John
“Yeah, absolutely. For all its embedded success, being held for so many years, it is a tough economic climate out there, and it was interesting to hear Gary talk Rapha’s contribution and how much of that is located in this deeply rooted emotional connection to Dean Downing’s victory in 2007.
“We’ll hear Dean later in the episode about that, but Gary put it very bluntly, didn’t he? The race wouldn’t be happening without Rapha. Their contribution is that important. He was keen to add too that he’s had a lot of positive conversations with several sponsors for next year, but, ultimately, it’s a large, blue chip cycling sponsor that is keeping this race afloat at the moment.”
Phil Jones
“It is, and I was lucky to work with the individual from Rapha who really helped to put this whole deal together, when we were doing the Elite Road Racing Task Force.
sponsorship. There was a real, almost, direct return on investment that they could look at on the day to justify the sponsorship investment.
“I think that’s absolutely brilliant. Rapha came in and saved the day, but, ultimately, they are also selling product on the day, which is a win-win for everybody.”
Timothy John
“Yeah, definitely, and it’s a really nice version, I guess, of a traditional cycle sponsorship model. Typically, the sponsor is content to have their name on the race, in the race, so-to-speak, in the form of banners and all the rest of it, but Rapha creating kit to sell at the event, having a revenue-share model, that to me sounds like a creative way to try and solve some of the funding issues that the bigger races face.
“I mean Lincoln is sort of synonymous with ambition, in a way, isn’t it, Phil? Ian Emmerson transformed this race by adding the city centre section. Does it make a case for ambition? Is it a case of build it and they will come? Could other races benefit from a similar vision?”
Phil Jones
“Yes, and, again, back to some of the things we talked about. We talked about a playbook that I think British Cycling needs to develop; a winning pattern playbook that says, if you want a race to be as successful as it can possibly can be, let’s learn from and bring all of the good things from the best races in the country. It might be a few things from that race and a few things from that race and a few things from that race that then get plugged together to create what excellence looks like.
“That’s now in production. People are looking at that behind the scenes. I think that it’s always good to aim high when you’re looking at any of these things. Aim high and then figure out how on earth you fund that, resource that, plan that, and deliver that.”
Timothy John
“Yeah, well there is no lack of ambition around the Lincoln Grand Prix. They have aimed high and delivered consistently. As we say, it’s been the monument of the British domestic road calendar for many, many years, and it’s wonderful that we’re going to get another brilliant race this Sunday.
“Of course, right at the heart of this event is the course, which, as I mentioned earlier, seems to have everything. There are three key areas: the fast, flat, open sections that sort of border or are aligned to the A57, which are very vulnerable to crosswinds. There are narrow roads like Fenn Lane where positioning is key. Get it wrong, and you’ll find yourself in a ditch. And then the continued climbing beyond Michaelgate on sections like Bailgate. It’s not merely a question of getting yourself to the top of the key climb of the race - you’ve got to keep going.
important, but it is only one piece of the puzzle. It’s a race, he reckons, that doesn’t offer the luxury of ‘sitting up’. Let's hear now from Mark."
Mark Botteley
“The riders in front will go hard. They don’t sit up over the top. They will keep going because they know that’s the way to potentially cause a split in the race. A lot of races where you’ve got a big climb, they will sit up, but the thing with Lincoln is that it doesn’t go straight down hill. You get to the top of the climb, you go through the finish line, and then it just keeps dragging over the cobbles through Bailgate.
bit, and groups do come back together, but eventually that elastic snaps. It might take two, it might take three, it might take four laps, but what happens is that the bunch reduces size.
“I know when you watch certain races on Eurosport, the commentators say, ’The back door is open,’ and people go out the back, and the same happens at Lincoln. And yes, I know there was a winning break last year among five or six riders. It is a race where a breakaway will stay away, but, invariably, what happens is you end up on the last lap with forty of fifty riders coming into the bottom of the climb. There might be one or two ahead but a more or less selective bunch comes to the finish line.
“Positioning is important, but a lot depends on the wind as well. The weather here at the moment where I am, only forty miles from Lincoln, it’s been wild and windy for a while, and if it is windy there are certainly enough exposed places on that course to make it hard on the run back into Lincoln.
“So, yeah, a very challenging race. I think it’s an easy race to get around. I think it’s one of the hardest ones to win.”
INTERLUDE
Timothy John
“There’s no respite on this circuit. If you get to the top of any other climb in any other race, you get to sit up and look around and get your breath back - not at Michaelgate! It just keeps going. It drags up through Bailgate, and then, before you know it, you’re on a fast descent, and you're back out onto those open roads, which are often lashed by crosswinds. There’s no time to take stock here. No time to get your breath back. It’s full chat all the way around.”
Phil Jones
“Yes, If you’ve got a big team behind you, it becomes a lot easier. If you’ve got a strong squad then chasing back on and all that kind of good stuff is a lot easier. You can get organised more easily, but if you’re running in a small team, it’s very, very, very important, having seen the race was run when I followed it in the neutral car, you’ve just got to stay in touch. You have to stay in touch with what's going on up the front. When it gets to lap four, lap five, lap six, when things start to get a little more zesty on the road and people are fighting a lot more for position to get up Michaelgate to start positioning for the last two laps particularly, if you’re not in touch with that then you’re out of the race.”
Timothy John
“Yeah, it’s very attritional. We see that year after year, don’t we: the riders are slowly ground down as the laps unfold.
“I mean, we’ve had breakaway victories in the past. We’ll hear from Becky Storrie later in this episode. Last year, the women’s race was won from a six-rider group, and, of course, Alex Richardson won the men’s race by himself.
“Could we see another breakaway this year?”
Phil Jones
“We know that Saint Piran have strength-in-depth in their squad, and Alexander Richardson is a quality, quality rider. He’s definitely right up there as far as the fancied runners for a victory, but there’s lots going on in this particular race, isn't there?
see the first two thirds of the race pretty much played out as we’d expect to see.
“The bunch tends to go up Michaelgate at a similar speed in the first two-thirds of the race. You’ll get one or two people wanting their shot of glory from some of the smaller teams, to go up there and experience the crowds, but the sensible riders, in the early part of that race, do not waste their energy going up Michaelgate with any sort of speed. It’s only later in the race that you see where it really begins to light up.
“Very interestingly, I had a quick look at the Strava King of the Mountain/Queen of the Mountain earlier, and Rory Townsend still holds the KOM on Michaelgate. When he did that, he went up in 33 seconds with an average power of 712 watts. When the race is really happening, that’s the sort of speed you’re going up to.
effort starts to become much harder when you’re on lap 12 and lap 13.
“When you’ve been up it so many times, it does start to sting the legs, and having ridden it a few times myself in the past, you think, ‘Oh, that’s not too bad,’ but when you’ve ridden it four or five times, because it’s tricky, it’s cobbled, as everybody knows, so people on the last lap will be fighting for position because they want to get into the side of the road where there’s slightly smoother pavé where they can go up the climb a little bit quicker.
“This is why the race always lights up towards the end when the top riders will want to use Michaelgate strategically to try and get away. That’s when it starts to get really, really interesting.”
Timothy John
“Yeah, as we say, Michaelgate is more than an icon of the race. It has a definite impact on the finishing order. It tests the legs like no other section of the course, with the possible exception of Bailgate which follows immediately after. We’re definitely going to see Michaelgate shape this race again.
rearranging stages.
“As I speak now, looking out of the window, we have sunshine here on the South Coast. I don’t what it’s like where you are. The forecast for Lincoln this Sunday is cloudy with a low chance of rain. What do you reckon? Are we going to get lucky with the weather this year?”
Phil Jones
“It sounds like it. I’m in the North West, Tim, and we’ve had two or three days of pretty nice weather. Of course, let’s put it in context: after a really hard winter, suddenly two or three days of 15 degrees feels like the summer.
home.
“Weather is such an influencer in how that day plays out. Having been in the past when we've had nice weather, you realise what a difference it makes to the volume of people in Lincoln city centre.”
Timothy John
“Yeah, everything crossed for a bit of sunshine in Lincoln this Sunday.
“Let’s move on now to talk about the contenders and, my goodness, both fields, you could make a very strong case for saying, certainly with the women’s field, this is she strongest field ever assembled for the Lincoln Grand Prix.
among them will be all six British-registered, UCI Continental women’s teams, which, of course, includes our own DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK.
“All four Elite Development Teams will be on the start line, too, but the big shock might just come from a junior team, Shibden-Apex, the world’s leading junior team, according to the rankings. It’s home to Cat Ferguson, who in August will join Movistar Team. It’s home to the hugely impressive Imogen Woolf, who won the junior Trofeo Binda this year, and to Lucy Glover, who last weekend won the Witham Hall women’s race organised by Mark Botteley.
“Who better to discuss the men’s and women’s fields than Larry Hickmott, the editor of VeloUK.net?”
Larry Hickmott
“It’s going to be absolutely brilliant. I mean, you look at the Brother-sponsored team, DAS-Hutchinson, which has had such success this season, with the likes of Robyn Clay and Tammy Miller and others. And then you’ve got this junior team, which, apparently, the Shibden team, is leading the world rankings, I think, for junior women’s teams.
“You’ve got Cat Ferguson and Imogen Woolf, to name but two. You’ve got the winner of the junior Gent-Wevelgem, Amelia Ceebak. There are just so many big names in there.
“There are other names in there like Maddie Leech. Monica Greenwood’s in there. She’s had a crash recently, but she’s been racing abroad a lot in a foreign team, so there are just so many potential winners out of that race.
“The likes of Neah and Katie Archibald and others who are so great on the track: this race is not a huge length. I think it’s 60-odd miles, so for someone like Neah, who has won Madison titles and all sorts, which are endurance tests in their own right, yeah, I would not discount her.
Team, Eilidh Shaw, who’s been second in both National A races.
“Take your pick. There’s a good dozen riders there who could potentially win this race.”
Timothy John
“So wonderful to here there from Larry, a man very close to this scene. Of course, he attends every race on behalf of Brother UK and his other sponsors, and, as he says, Phil, take your pick. There are a dozen or so riders who could win this race.”
Phil Jones
“Absolutely. And if you look at the history of former winners, you’ve got some amazing names there. Lizzie Deignan in the inaugural 2015 women's edition. We’ve got Alice Barnes winning twice; two years on the bounce.
“Then Becks Durrell, a former rider on one of our teams. That course always suited her, and she was always a favourite when she was riding. She won in 2018 and 2019. Obviously, the race didn’t run in 2020.
“Pfeiffer Georgi and Becky Storrie: really big names in the sport. Clearly, there is a kudos to winning this race because of its nature and reputation and all of those good things.
“I agree with Larry. This race is really open. This course favours strong riders. It just favours a strong, gutsy rider, and if you look at who’s won it in the past, you’d look at all of them and go, strong, gutsy riders.”
Timothy John
“Absolutely, and Becks Durrell, of course, on home roads. The big question surrounding this race is could we see a first junior winner? Cat Ferguson is arguably the best junior rider in the world right now, and, of course, won the East Cleveland Classic. Imogen Woolf, as I mentioned earlier, won the junior Trofeo Binda. Amelia Ceebak we mentioned while talking about the junior Gent-Wevelgem. She won that. British junior female riders are on fire. Could we see a junior winner for the first time at the women’s Lincoln Grand Prix?”
Phil Jones
“Well, never say never, and why not? Actually, my big takeaway is isn’t it brilliant that this talent pipeline is as it is, with a list of names that you’re coming out with here in the junior ranks all capable of winning this race. That’s an absolutely incredible place to be, so all excitement for Sunday.”
Timothy John
“Yeah, absolutely. What a testimony to the strength-in-depth of British female racing at the moment that we have arguably two or three of the best junior riders in the world.
while on duty overseas.
“They will have Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne, whom we heard from earlier in the episode, Tiffany Keep, our South African star, Tammy Miller, who won the Oakenclough Road Race, Alice Sharpe, the Olympian. It’s a squad with strength-in-depth. Can they overcome the handicap of not starting with the defending champion?”
Phil Jones
“Oh, I think so. The squad has depth, there’s no doubt about it. I think Ian Watson will be DS on Sunday for Lincoln. They have handpicked a really amazing squad for 2024. I think that they’ll definitely be competitive in the race and definitely looking for podium places.”
Timothy John
“Lincoln also has a history, Phil, of riders with skills from outside of road racing, almost, doing particularly well. Paul Curran, a track rider, won the men’s race four times, and we’ve got a very strong track rider on the start list in Neah Evans, and Jo Tindley, a crit rider, who won the British title when it was held in Lincoln, almost at the top of Michaelgate.
“Could we see a rider with an aligned skillset, if that’s the right phrase, do well on Sunday?”
Phil Jones
“Yeah, I was there the year when Jo won [the British circuit race championship], and I was so happy for her. She’s a strong, committed, very focussed rider, and I think Lincoln suits her.
or whatever that might be.
“Yeah, these characteristics of Neah and Jo, i.e. the ability to lay down a lot of power quickly. Providing you've got the bike handling skills to cope with the cobbles, means you’re in. You’re up the front, you’re fighting for position, and you’ve got a really good chance.”
INTERLUDE
Timothy John
“Let’s move on now to consider the open race, the men’s race, and here we have a provisional start list of 150 riders, headed by defending champion Alexander Richardson of Saint Piran, a two-time winner already, He won last year’s edition, of course, but he won for the first time as a privateer, with no team support whatsoever.
“There are crit specialists on this start list, there are time-trialists, there are cobbled Classics riders among a very high-quality field with diverse skills.
who is familiar with cobbled races.
“And just outside of those headline riders, if you like, there is so much strength-in-depth. Toby Barnes, who finished second to Alex Richardson last weekend at the Timmy James Memorial Road Race, Ollie Peckover…I mean, it goes on and on and on.
“Again, let's have a chat with Larry, who watches these riders week in, week out.”
Larry Hickmott
“Well, I spent a lot of time with Alex. We were just chatting, and I was telling him that, having won it twice, he’s only got to win it two more times to match the likes of Russell Downing and Paul Curran, which he didn’t think he was capable of doing that, but, certainly the way Alex has been riding, winning a National B on Saturday and then coming up.to the CICLE to ride that before it was cancelled, I definitely think he has a top chance in that race.
Jack Rootkin-Gray, etc. etc, but Richardson is definitely one of my choices.
“I think it will be very interesting to see how Thomas [Portsmouth] goes. Riders like him, we see them in the results, but we don’t realise the work that they have to do for their teams, and I would imagine that Tom, with the engine that he's got in those of legs of his, he will have done a lot of hard work. Coming to race for himself will be a big thing, and it will be interesting to see whether he can take advantage of that.
“I rate Matt [Bostock] very highly. It’s interesting that he’s got this ‘Speed Week’ going on in the USA at the moment. It will be interesting to see how much he gains from what is like a mini stage race, if you like, coming into Lincoln, because that will obviously add to his endurance and everything, and he has the speed to win. it will be a very interesting thing to see whether or not Matt can add to the Isle of Man wins, like Peter Kennaugh, in the race.
“I rate Jon [Archibald] very, very highly. I saw him at the Danum Trophy, where he was second, and saw his result this week where he had a 33mph time-trial win. Jon definitely still has good form and good legs and good talent. He’s a rider I rate very, very highly.
“I’m not sure if you were going to bring this other rider into the picture, but Damian Clayton is another one.
everything. So for the men’s race, Alex is going to be the man to beat, I think.”
Timothy John
“So, that was Larry, Phil, again with a wonderful exposition of the riders who are involved in this race, and interesting to hear him say that while he thinks Alex is capable of another two victories at Lincoln to take him level with the all-time winners, Russ Downing and Paul Curran, apparently Alex doesn’t think that’s within his sphere at the moment.”
Phil Jones
“Well, it could just be a bit of tactics going on here, Tim, as usual; talking down your possibilities and potential of course puts everyone off their guard.
“Another name that you threw out there when you mentioned earlier about their being a few dark horses in the race: Matt Holmes. Sources tell me Matt Holmes has been seen on Swiss Hill, which is a famous cobbled climb in Alderley Edge.
“For those who don’t follow VeloEdge, which is the most amazing bike shop in Alderley Edge, Matt Hallam there has also been really getting Matt’s position on the bike perfect.
“So you start putting these things together that suddenly he’s getting really serious about his [bike] fit, he’s been seen on Swiss Hill, which is almost like Michalegate. Swiss Hill is almost identical to Michaelgate in its length, parcours, turns, everything. It’s very, very close to it.
“A former WorldTour rider, do you think he might be able to come back and mix it up? Literally, he could be an outsider, Matt Holmes.”
Timothy John
“Yeah, I applaud this trend, Phil, of former WorldTour riders coming back..We’ve seen Alex Dowsett on British roads this year, and wonderful to see Matt Holmes back. If he can win on Old Willunga Hill at the Tour Down Under, then Michaelgate should not be beyond Matt. It would be great to see him back at the sharp end.
“I mean, so many riders to choose from. We talk a lot, Phil, or have done in the past, about the golden years, the great teams, the Rapha-Condors, the Madison-Genesis, the NFTOs. We might not have the teams at the moment, but if you look at the individuals, you’d have to say this is a start list to match any, wouldn’t you?”
Phil Jones
“Absolutely. There are some fantastic names on the start list. You’ve said a few of them. Matt Bostock: a phenomenal rider, who rode for Canyon-DHB. Toby Barnes; he rode for Crimson, one of the teams we sponsored. They’re really, really capable riders, still racing, still doing their thing. Maybe they don’t have the structure around them that they’re used to, which is sad in itself, but I think it still means that we’ll have a very, very competitive race.
“When you look back across all the years at some of the riders who have ridden Lincoln. Steve Joughin: a Manx man, the original pocket rocket, winner in 1980. Malcolm Elliott, a very, very famous domestic rider won in 1983. Brian Smith in 1990.
independent, wanting to see if they can get that one as part of their racing history.”
INTERLUDE
Timothy John
“Well who knows more, really, about the history of this race, who has played a greater role in it that Dean Downing, who, of course, won it in 2007, but has also been part of two one-two finishes with brother Russell.
“This is a race very, very close to his heart, and I think most people, Phil, if you asked them to close their eyes and picture the Lincoln Grand Prix, it would be that image of Dean crossing the finish line, an exhausted arm raised above his head, his face a picture of emotion, and Gordon Macauley slightly behind him.
“Larry Hickmott’s images of that day have come to symbolise the Lincoln Grand Prix, and, as we mentioned earlier, Rapha’s continued sponsorship is a direct consequence of that race.
“Let’s hear from Dean now.”
Dean Downing
“It rained a lot, and that’s why the pictures probably became so, as you call it, iconic. It was a gritty old, horrible day, cold, wet, long. And, yeah, the pictures.
“I was happy to win the race that day. Lincoln has always meant a lot to me; a lot to our family with brother Russ winning it a few times as well; four, I believe.
“In simple terms, I think from a family of cyclists, my grandad came to watch me in the West Common Road Race in the early Nineties, as a junior, and then sadly passed away in the middle of the Nineties.
“With things like that going through your head at the Lincoln Grand Prix, and you’d always wanted to try and win the Lincoln. I’d been second to Russ in 2005 where we got a one-two. so literally, as we went into the finish, all that was in my head is, “I could win this for grandad.’ That’s why the emotions were running high on that day. I’ve talked about that on different podcasts as well.
was pretty cool at the time.
“It was pretty emotional. Some really cool pictures to savour and look back on. I’ve got a couple in my office. It brings back brilliant memories, and it’s nice to be invited on the podcast to talk about it a little bit.
spectators at the Rapha H van at the bottom of the climb, and then we had a meal with Simon [Mottram] and lots of Rapha employees and guests.
“Simon said the same thing, and so did Jess; it was a very big win for an amateur team in that time frame. In 2007, there were five of us. I won the race with the help of my team-mates; it wasn’t just me. It was a big thing for Rapha-Condor, as it was then, to win the Lincoln Grand Prix. It had so much history.
“So 18 years later, to come back to me and say it’s so important that they sponsor the race, is pretty cool. It makes me feel proud to be part of the Rapha-Condor team, that’s for sure. It made me into the rider I was.
‘Rapha have done so much since then with sponsoring the Rapha-Condor team, the Rapha-Condor-Sharp team, into JLT, into Team Sky, into EF, etc. etc. but that victory, all those years go, by us as a team and me: they savour that victory, and it's why they sponsor the Lincoln Grand Prix to keep it going, so it's very cool to be part of that history.
“I think outsiders looking in from Europe during that time frame would be like, ‘Oh. The Lincoln Grand Prix. What is that?’ The Tour of Taiwan was a big race. I won a stage there.
“The Sachsen Tour, I won a stage in 2008, a year later, and that was absolutely my biggest race. it was in between the Tour de France. There were some big teams there, so to win that stage is absolutely my biggest ever pro win.
“But for me, personally, [winning the Lincoln Grand Prix] is a whole other level with what we’ve just talked about with my grandad, my family; local. the organiser was a friend of mine etc, so, for mer, personally, it was a massive win.
when potentially the Sachsen Tour doesn’t.
“Lots of people wouldn’t know that I won a stage of a 2.1, which is a big pro race in the same time frame as the Tour de France, when Rabobank were around, Gerolsteiner, etc. etc.
“[Lincoln} fits really well and is a big win for me personally, but in the scheme of pro bike riding, probably not.”
Timothy John
“So there was Dean Downing, Phil. I mean, where to begin in describing that victory, the victory in the 69-year history of the race one could conceivably argue. Where do you stand on that? Is it the most iconic of the Lincoln victories?
“We’ve seen some incredible wins on that hill; for the British title, in the case of Pete Kennaugh in 2015, and in the case of Ben Swift in 2021. Russell won it four times, but, my goodness, that victory of Dean’s takes some beating.”
Phil Jones
“Well, I think when I see them next, I should have this conversation with them. I’m sure Russ will have something to say about this: ‘Whose was the most iconic of all the victories?’ I think another interesting observation is, if you look at it, Lincoln has a bit of a Downing dynasty across the years because Russ won it in 2005, Dean in 2007, then Russ in 2008, 2009 and 2012! Across about six or seven years, the Downing brothers won the race five times, and, as you described there, some of the finishes were one-twos for the Downing brothers. I think if anyone’s qualified to talk about this race, it’s either of those two, but, absolutely amazing, and, yes, indeed, iconic imagery of Dean.”
Timothy John
“Yeah, absolutely. That race was Downing property, wasn’t it, for many years and absolutely central to the reputation of both of these riders.
“Now, an interesting conversation that you and I have had in the context of the Task Force: the Lincoln being a strong candidate on any observer’s list for UCI status.
“Dean made the point there that Lincoln is not actually his biggest win. His biggest win came in a UCI 2.1 pro race. Would UCI status have added to the prestige of Dean’s victory, or is it the emotional connection, racing soon after the passing of his grandfather that makes Dean’s victory special, way beyond race classification?”
Phil Jones
“Yeah, I think so. I know that the Downings are a vey tight knit family, and I can only imagine that, faced with that same set of circumstances, that if you are, at the time, one of the UK’s top domestic riders, and you face that loss, I think you’d want to be out on the course that day, you really would, saying, ‘I want to win this because of…’
“And I’m sure this strong emotional connection for Dean is what makes that one really iconic.”
INTERLUDE
Timothy John
“Now another rider who’s tasted the joy of victory at the Lincoln Grand Prix is Becky Storrie. She won the race in 2022 after riding the last lap solo. What a feeling.
day, alongside patience and confidence. Those were the key ingredients.
“And one month later she impressed by placing very strongly on Black Mountain against a world-class field at the Women’s Tour. By the end of the season, she’d agreed a two-year deal with the WorldTour squad DSM-Firmenich who, of course, she rides for now.
“Let’s have a listen to Becky.”
Becky Storrie
“I actually remember having really terrible legs, and people are always surprised when I say that. I remember, I really wasn’t having a good day, and Lincoln is a really, really hard race and one that wears you down each lap. It’s almost like survival of the fittest. You’ve just got to get through every lap.
"I remember the weather being incredible. It was a really, really nice sunny day, and, as always, the crowds were amazing. My dad was there for the first bike race that he’d ever seen me ride, so that was really, really special. Yeah, I have really, really fond memories of that day.
“Leading into that race, I felt a lot of pressure. I think I’d just come back from the Ruta del Sol, Andalucia, with a good ride there and with the expectation that I would perform and win the race; more so from other people. I didn’t really believe that I could myself.
the right position. No victory is a solo one. I couldn’t have done it without them, for sure.
“The climb, the one after Michaelgate that keeps going, that was where I was able to win the race. Obviously, you’ve got the narrow positioning into Michaelgate which everybody fights for. It makes a huge difference if you can get there at the front or at least in the first ten to fifteen riders. You save a lot of energy going up that climb.
“But then, because it’s so hard and you keep going over the top, if you keep pushing and get some sort of gap or even a small group, you can win the race from there because the second half of the course goes downhill and almost turns around to the left and around the back, and if you can get a gap big enough, you can be out of sight very quickly, which is a big mental advantage for sure, when you’re up the road, and you’re quickly out of sight and people behind can’t get themselves together. They’re almost then fighting for second or third place, and you’re riding away to victory.
depth that we have. You can never be too confident.
“I felt like I was floating up that climb for the final time and, yeah, it just felt easy. The easiest time I’ve ever ridden it. When you’re on your own, you can choose your own line. You can set your own pace. You’ve got so many people cheering you on. It’s incredible. Really, really special. It was a good day.
“I would love to ride it again, for sure, whether it’s a UCI race or even just part of the national series. If I can make it fit, I would definitely be back one day.”
Timothy John
“So there was Becky Storrie, Phil, who won the race in 2022 for CAMS-Basso, the team now known as DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK, and what a shock to hear that she thought she’d had terrible legs that day.”
Phil Jones
“It’s interesting, isn’t it, that quite often when you hear rider interviews, they go into one of two camps. It’s either, ‘I had diamonds in the legs. I woke up in the morning, felt great, and off I went,’ or, ‘I felt rubbish, and I rode into the race.’ Sometimes, when you hear these rider interviews, how they start versus how they finish is very, very different, in terms of how they’re thinking and feeling as they roll off the line, so, yeah, an incredible story to hear there that she started the day not thinking that she was going to be up to much and yet she ended up winning it.
gap suddenly appears on Michaelgate.
“All the team managers will be shouting, “Fight for the front! Fight for the front! Fight for the front!’ Literally, the last two laps is where it all happens.”
Timothy John
“Yeah, I mean to have the luxury of going up Michaelgate alone. Not many riders experience that.
year of her pro career.
“You mentioned earlier, Phil, when we were talking about previous winners of this race - Alice Barnes, Pfeiffer Georgi, Becky’s team-mate; she won it to take the British title - it’s a race that does seem to offer some kind of springboard into the WorldTour.”
Phil Jones
“Yeah, I’m not sure whether it’s specifically just this race. I think a rider needs to offer more over a season, but, without a doubt, as far as your domestic palmares is concerned, you’ve got to have this one on it. To have the swagger to say I’ve won some of the longest or hardest races in the UK, Lincoln is right up there as far as something you’re going to need on your palmares when you’re pushing that in front of international team managers.”
INTERLUDE
Timothy John
“Hopefully, we will see Pfeiffer Georgi at the Tour of Britain Women. Sadly, we won’t see Becky, who, like last year’s Lincoln winner Robyn Clay, is recovering from a broken collarbone, but wouldn’t it be wonderful to see the reigning British champion back on British roads for the Tour of Britain Women which starts next month.
“Details of the four stages are being gradually released by British Cycling. We know now that stage one will take place from Welshpool to Llandudno: 142.5km with 2276m of climbing; euphemistically described in the press release as, quotes, “a challenging start to the race.'
“Stage two will run from Wrexham to Wrexham; that’s 140.2km; again, with 1570m of climbing, including Horseshoe Pass. Stage three, the details were released yesterday: Warrington, a lap that starts and finishes in that Cheshire town; 106.8km, but with two QOM points on it, and almost nailed on to be a bunch finish in front of Warrington’s golden gates.
‘some of the region’s challenging climbs.’
“This already feels, Phil, like a success. They’ve pulled together a four-stage race in 11 weeks. That’s not bad going, is it?”
Phil Jones
“It’s very, very good going, and I want to go back to our podcast, Tim, where we talked about and predicted what we thought it might end up as, and I think we were bang on, which was probably a repeat of some stages or going back to favoured local authorities where relationships already exist. Wrexham council? Yes. Warrington? Tick. And Greater Manchester Combined Authority? Yes.
“What we also said was that it probably wasn’t going to be a Tour of Britain; it would probably be configured around where they could get the race on, and it might mean it’s over-focussed in one area, or it could have meant massive transfers between stages, so as it’s turned out here, it’s pretty much the Tour of Wales and the North West, isn’t it?
“But, as we said, look, we’ve just got to accept that for this year, this is how it’s got to be. It’s either this race or no race. Those are the choices. It’s better to have this race than no race.
“I’m rather delighted because Wrexham is where we have a huge factory. Warrington is my home town now, and, obviously, the National Cycling Centre is in Greater Manchester, and Brother are in Greater Manchester, Brother UK's HQ which I run. So I have three firm ticks in the box there for Brother-branded happy times, but it will still be a great race.
Warrington on that day. That’s great. The local authority are right behind it.
“What can we do as cycling fans? Let’s get out there. I will definitely be in Warrington for that stage. I will probably get myself over to Wrexham, and I will certainly [attend the Greater Manchester stage]. I will try to attend stages two to four, to be on the side of the street, cheering on the riders, spending my money where I can and doing what I can to say, 'Look, we’re here. We’re supporting it.' Rather than moan, I just want to say, we’ve got what we’ve got, and I want to be here, and I want to be out on the streets, waving flags and making the riders feel great.”
Timothy John
“Yeah, let’s get behind this race. The idea of the Women’s Tour slipping off the calendar is almost too soul-destroying to contemplate. We’ve got a four-stage race that’s been put together in double quick time, and it’s got some wonderful features.
“Horseshoe Pass, Phil, on stage two, which was intended to be on the route of last year’s men's race, and then fell off at the last moment, well, it’s back, and that is one of the great climbs of British hill climbing.
“It appears 30km from the end of stage two. From this distance, it looks like one that could even shape the GC; shape the final outcome. What do you think?”
Phil Jones
“Yeah, I completely agree. I think what we’re going to see is some pretty heavy racing on those first two days. It’s only four stages. A lot of riders who fancy this race will probably want to be up the road on stages one and two, creating time gaps as early as possible.
define the women’s Tour of Britain for 2024.”
Timothy John
several of the press releases to promote this race.
“She’s a former winner, of course. It’s easier to list the races that Lizzie hasn’t won than those she has. She has the veritable glittering palmares. Is this a course that could suit her, Phil?”
Phil Jones
“Oh, without a doubt. My goodness me. Lizzie Deignan? Stage one and two? She’ll be up the road for sure. She’s a fantastic climber. If the rumours are true, and she is coming, then you’d have to put her as a favourite for the race.”
Timothy John
“I’ve got fingers crossed too for Lotte Kopecky, the world champion. This might be completely outlandish, but I know she’s not riding the Tour de France Femmes this year because she has a very heavy Olympic programme, both on the road and on the track.
“I wonder if this would fit into her preparation programme? What do you reckon? Could we see Lotte back on British roads having won the world title in Glasgow?”
Phil Jones
“That would be amazing, wouldn’t it? That would be really, really amazing. To cement another big victory in the UK would be amazing. I sincerely hope we do see her, because the more big stars we get…I think that’s what we need at the moment. We really need this race to say, ‘We’re here. It’s running. There are some big stars riding,’ and we’re back to his idea of, let’s get out and get it supported."
Timothy John
“Yeah. I think both Lizzie and Lotte fit into that superstar category, don’t they? There are probably twenty riders in the world who completely transcend the sport, and they would certainly be among them.
“We’ll have an interest, Phil, from the Continental aspect; the UCI Continental teams. Six, an unprecedented number of British-registered, female Continental teams this year. Could they make an impression on this race?”
Phil Jones
“Oh, of course. The Tour of Britain is one of those races where all of the domestic Conti teams will be asking, ‘How do we get up the road? How do we get up the road today? Can we get in the breakaway? How do we do it?’
“Without a doubt, I’m expecting to see all of the Continental teams trying their hardest to be up the road and in the action.”
Timothy John
“Yeah. I’m pretty sure we’re going to see plenty of familiar faces to those of us who follow the domestic scene in the breakaways and hopefully at the sharp end of the race. We know from personal experience that DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK has an extremely strong squad. We talked earlier about the strength-in-depth of the field for Lincoln, so to see those same riders testing themselves against the world’s best, my goodness,what an opportunity.
“Well, thank you very much, Phil, for joining me today. We’ve got through a heck of a lot, as usual. I’m counting the minutes now to Lincoln and also to the Tour of Britain Women.
the race live.
“And, in a really welcome development, it is now possible to watch the final hour, live-streamed, of every national series race, via a subscription to tv.monumentcycling.com.
“Any fan of the domestic scene will be aware of Monument’s work in domestic cycling in recent years, and they’ve upped the game. It’s now possible to take out a subscription, get lots of highlights packages, and, as I say, this livestream of the final hour of every national series race, so do think about that.
“Phil, thanks again for joining me today, and thank you to everybody out there for listening.”
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Phil Jones
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