HALFORDS TOUR SERIES 2011 (or "How do you get to Oldham? Ask her nicely!)

9TH JUNE 2011

Having watched the ITV coverage over the last few years of the Halfords Tour Series it was with more than a little trepidation that I nipped off from work half an hour early to drive over the M62 towards the dark side of the Pennines on a Thursday evening to see the "Criterium de Oldham".

A very pleasant and well organised event was arrived upon, with all the trappings of a "proper" stage race and the sun shining too!

A media pass from my friends at the Tour of Britain event organisors gave me "close up and personal" access to the riders, team cars, pit and warm-up areas - with a very nice chat with Paris-Roubaix winner Magnus Backstedt to boot!

Olympic medalists old and new were well represented in the guise of Chris Newton, Ed Clancy, Paul Manning and Joanna Rowsell.

A fantasitc nights racing and well worth the trip over. Tough course, despite it's 1.1km circuit - a fast pace with lung busting drag up after the only "real" corner. Cobbled section too (just for Mr Backstedt) and a real "Tour" style sprint finish with the longest time taken to decide a photo finish I have come across!

If Dean Downing is the smallest pro cyclist I have ever come across, then Magnus Backstedt is certainly the largest!

An excellent night in all respects, lets keep an eye out for 2012 and perhaps make it a Club Evening out?

Individual Results

1) Rob Partidge Endura Racing
2) Marcin Bialoblocki Motorpoint Pro Cycling
3) Liam Holohan Team Raleigh
4) Ian Bibby Motorpoint Pro Cycling
5) Dean Downing Rapha Condor Sharp
6) Ed Clancy Rapha Condor Sharp
7) Ian Wilkinson Endura Racing
8) Jeroen Janssen Team Raleigh
9) Jack Bauer Endura Racing
10)Dean Windsor Rapha Condor Sharp

Report by David Hardman