Stage 1
- The peloton rolls out from Girvan towards the stage start and the opening climb of Byne Hill.
(Photo © Simon Brooke) |
Stage 1
- The race heads up the Girvan valley for a circuit around Crosshill, Straiton & Kirkmichael.
(Photo © Jane Knox) |
Stage 1
- James McCallum wins the Endura Hot Spot Sprint at Kirkmichael.
(Photo © Mark Parlour) |
Stage 1 - The peloton passes through the Hot Spot point in Kirkmichael. (Photo © Mark Parlour) |
Stage 1 - Russ Downing opens his Girvan account with a stage win. (Photo © Jane Knox) |
Stage 1
- Russ Downing is congratulated by Race Organiser Ian Sinclair.
(Photo © Jane Knox)
|
Stage 2 - The field lines out on the slope of the finishing straight during the criterium at Victory Park.
(Photo © Jane Knox) |
Stage 2 - The Downing brothers, with Russ in yellow, lead the charge round one of the 90 corners which make the criterium stage so demanding.
(Photo © Mark Parlour) |
Stage 2 - Gary Hand sports the Pedalpower tartan underneath the Carrick Gazette polka dot jersey of Mountains leader. (Photo © Jane Knox)
|
Stage 2 - Former criterium stage winner Kristian House obscures Endura Hot Spot Sprints leader Peter Williams.
(Photo © Jane Knox) |
Stage 2 - Russ Downing makes it two in a row, winning the stage from Simon Gaywood (right) and Graham Briggs. (Photo © Jane Knox) |
Stage 2 - Peter Williams retained his Sprints leader's jersey after taking maximum points on the stage's two Endura Hot Spots.
(Photo © Jane Knox) |
Stage 3 - The peloton steams up Gatehouse-of-Fleet High Street enroute to the climb of Bengray Hill.
(Photo © Peter Foster - Carrick Gazette) |
Stage 3 - Defending champion Ian Wilkinson dearly wanted to win again but illness dashed his hopes.
(Photo © Peter Foster - Carrick Gazette) |
Stage 3 - It's an unforgiving sport! Rob Partridge lunges for the line as team mate Dale Appleby & Matt Higgins hit the floor hard in the final 200 metres. (Photo © Jane Knox) |
Stage 3 - A delighted Partridge salutes the crowd as he adds a second Girvan stage win to his 2006 Stage 1 victory. (Photo © Jane Knox) |
Stage 3 - Russ Downing leads brother 'Deano' and Scot Evan Oliphant over the line for the minor placings.
(Photo © Jane Knox) |
Stage 3 - Ouch! Dale Appleby's suspected broken collar bone is attended to by the St. Andrew's Ambulance Association. (Photo © Jane Knox) |
Stage 3 - Gary Hand acknowledges the applause on receipt of his second King of the Mountains leader's jersey.
(Photo © Jane Knox) |
Stage 4 - Sign here please Mr Downing. The race leader, well wrapped up against the cold, signs on for Stage 4.
(Photo © Jane Knox)
|
Stage 4 - The peloton huddles together for warmth on a stage that had to be re-routed due to sheet ice on the descent from Nick o' the Balloch. (Photo © Mark Parlour) |
Stage 4 - Early breakaways Gordon Murdoch & Mark Lovatt.
(Photo © Mark Parlour) |
Stage 4 - Lovatt eyes up Hadyard
Hill looming in the distance where the duo would be recaptured by the peloton. (Photo © Jane Knox) |
Stage 4 - The peloton starts the gradual descent back to the Girvan valley from the Blairquhan KoM prime point. (Photo © Jane Knox) |
Stage 4 - Simon Richardson and Evan Oliphant launch an attack on the climb of Hadyard Hill.
(Photo © Jane Knox) |
Stage 4 - Well kitted out! Moto 1 Pilot Dave Greatorex
of the National Escort Group on TV camera bike duty.
(Photo © Simon Brooke) |
Stage 4 - The vast slopes of Hadyard Hill dwarf the lead group as it approaches the Carric Gazette King of the Mountains prime point. (Photo © Simon Brooke) |
Stage 4 - The Plowman Craven duo gets brought to heel by the yellow jersey as riders prepare to plummet to the Stinchar valley from Hadyard Hill.
(Photo © Peter Foster - Carrick Gazette) |
Stage 4 - The 'technical' descent from Hadyard demands the utmost care as these riders found out to their cost.
(Photo © Peter Foster - Carrick Gazette) |
Stage 4 - Risng Scots star Ross Creber takes the ascent of Hadyard at his own pace before rejoing the peoloton. (Photo © Simon Brooke) |
Stage 4 - After escaping from the lead group in the run in to Girvan, Kristian House wins the final stage.
(Photo © Jane Knox) |
>
Stage 4 -
This is the view that gave Russ Downing an anxious moment until it was confirmed that House hadn't gained enough time to snatch the overall win.
(Photo © Simon Brooke) |
Stage 4 - Downing lunges at the finish line, exhausted after an all out pursuit of the break that contained danger man Kristian House.
(Photo © Jane Knox) |
Stage 4 - Top three on the stage from left: third Roy Chamberlain, first Kristian House and second Liam Holohan.
(Photo © Jane Knox) |
Stage 4 - Carrick Gazette King of the Mountains Winner Ian Bibby.
(Photo © Jane Knox) |
Stage 4 - The single point
scored in the final stage sprints was enough for Peter Williams to secure the overall Endura Hot Spot Sprints classification. (Photo © Jane Knox) |
Stage 4 - Team winners Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk on the podium flanked by stage winners Kristian House and Rob Partridge.
(Photo © Jane Knox) |
Stage 4 - The final podium line up, l to r, Simon Richardson, race winner Russ Downing and Rob Partridge.
(Photo © Jane Knox) |
It's all over! This is what an elite road cyclist looks like afterriding 243 wind buffeted miles at an average speed of 23.9 mph. Well done Russ!
(Photo © Simon Brooke) |
It's not over 'til the fat lady sings - and the unsung heroes of the Technical Crew have de-rigged the race route. These guys do a terrific job.
(Photo © Simon Brooke) |
