On a benign morning amid the lush greenery of the Kingdom of Fife, Endura pro Evan Oliphant proved too fit for the specialist testers, taking the Scottish 25 Mile Time Trial Championships by 1:17 from far travelled Carlos Riise (Shetland) with defending champion Arthur Doyle (Dooleys RT) a further 19 seconds back in the bronze medal position.
Fife was looking at its best when we arrived at the start line as the first of the ladies rolled down the “gift” first mile of Station Brae (aka Freuchie Brae).
From Freuchie the course heads north to Melville Lodges roundabout and then north again to Parbroath crossroads, where it turns left and west towards Lindores Loch past Glenduckie and Dunbog.
We stopped to take some pictures of the girls; it was a wee bit disappointing that we could only count eight riders in the event. The ladies’ road race champs enjoyed a much bigger turn out and one wonders if there are enough ladies racing in Scotland to worry about roadie/tester/trackie distinctions?
As Evan demonstrated so able, “a race is a race!”.
We had Edinburgh Road Club’s Jessica Wilson-Young in pole position; and that’s how it finished; with 25 mile gold to go with her 10 championship win.
At Lindores the course heads south again to the bonnie hamlet of Collessie with its thatched cottages, and a left turn back to Melville Lodges.
We headed back to the strip at this point — to make sure Rob Wilkins number was properly pinned on; give Phil Brown his tri-spokes and a few last words of encouragement for Evan.
Brailsford stuff duly done, it was back to Collessie to have breakfast and watch the first of the fast men drop down from Lindores — Steve Nutley looked good for Sandy Wallace but I couldn’t put my Tunnocks caramel wafer down fast enough to get the shot.
Wilkins was up on Nutley; but smooth pedalling Alistair Robinson (Leslie Bikes) had 20 seconds on the ten mile bronze medallist who was disappointed with his short 55 at the finish.
We moved up to the Dundee road, just south of Letham crossroads, a good vantage point with the late riders heading north to Parbroath and the earlier starters heading south after their loop round by Bow of Fife.
Beautiful countryside but with the traffic flow heavier than one might expect for this time on a Sunday.
Evergreen Davie Gibson (Dooleys) and Joe Wilson (Sandy Wallace Cycles) were all square on their breenge north but Evan was already 30 seconds up and looking very good to us.
Gary Robson was a non-starter – a family illness keeping him away, and next up was Silas Goldsworthy (Sandy Wallace) who was ensuring the cadence was high and on the way to one of the rides of the day – fourth in 53:58.
Jim Cusick (Couriers) looked good but the watch didn’t agree – he was down on Davie Gibson.
Carlos Riise was super smooth on a mega gear and closest so far to the rampaging Oliphant.
Phil Kelman (Deeside) is a rider we don’t know much about but he looked the part, getting the ‘big one’ round smoothly.
It wasn’t happening for Peter Ettles (Forres) though and there was just Arthur to come — he didn’t look his usual aggressive, committed self and the watch backed that up; 25 seconds down on Oliphant and 5 down on Riise.
Perhaps Oliphant had gone out too fast? — these were still early days.
We passed Barry McGurk (Couriers) stroking the big gear lazily on the flat but losing time hand over fist on the roundabout at Melville and on the drags south of Collessie inside the last four miles.
One man not losing time on those drags was George Atkins — reigning British points champion and Commonwealth Games silver medallist in the same discipline — who reminded me of Chris Newton with his streamlined, fast pedalling style.
At Collessie, Evan flew down from Melville, took the left hander without missing a beat and was gone; Joe Wilson had been caught and dropped for two minutes.
Meanwhile the late starters were dropping down from Lindores; Cusick was smooth, but still well down, Riise was still looking good and was a little up on Doyle who just wasn’t the beast we know.
Peter Ettles tyres were making all the right noises but that didn’t impress the stop watch — Sandy Wallace told us that the Forres man has been out of sorts lately and is struggling to get the form he would like.
We got another look at the top seeds as they came in from Melville — there had been no changes around the Bow of Fife loop, except that Riise had prised a few more seconds out of Doyle.
At the finish our amateur time keeping was confirmed — Evan, Carlos, Arthur and Silas as the first four.
Time for the quotes.
Evan:
“I did the first 10 miles in 19 minutes and until the last four or five miles I thought I could be on a 49 — but I started to tie up.”
“I rode the TT bike a few times in the week to get used to it and the short saddle helps, but it still gets very uncomfortable when
you’re in that position for so long.“We drove the course this morning and I’m glad we did — even though we missed out the Bow of Fife loop — because it’s such a technical course.
“This is only my second 25, my first was years ago in a Wick Wheelers club event.
“I had a 54 x 11 top but only used once on the start descent, I tried to keep in the middle of the block and spin it.
“I caught five or six riders, including Joe Wilson; but you don’t get much of an advantage, you’re on to them past them too quickly.
“The next two big races are the Reservoir and the British road race — that’s my time trials for the year!”
Carlos:
“I was pleasantly surprised to get the silver, the course is pretty technical, but not too bad — the surface is better than I remember.
“We flew down yesterday to Edinburgh and fly back this afternoon — you just have to accept that’s what you do.
“My next goal is the 100; I won’t make the 50 because the Island Games are that weekend, on the Isle of Wight.”
Arthur:
“I’m happy with the bronze medal; I’ve got an infected finger (cue for close up view of fat, bandaged digit as evidence) and been on antibiotics.
“I was chaining my bike up and this Jack Russell appeared from nowhere and bit me!”
“I thought the morning was getting harder as it went on; I was blown down to 20 mph at one stage on the run in.
“The next target is the 50, here in Fife, in a fortnight.”
And did you get a good kick at the mutt? We ask…
“No, it vanished as quickly as it appeared!”
Scottish 25 Mile Time Trial Championships 2011 – Result
Evan Oliphant Endura Racing S 52.10
Carlos Riise Shetland Wheelers V 53.27
Arthur Doyle Dooleys RT S 53.46
Silas Goldsworthy Sandy Wallace Cycles S 53.58
Jim Cusick Glasgow Couriers V 54.03
Alan Thomson Glasgow Couriers S 54.22
George Atkins Velo Ecosse S 54.25
Alistair Robinson Leslie Bike Shop/Right Move Windows 54.28
David Gibson Dooleys RT V 54.28
Andy Torrance Dooleys RT V 54.42
Iain Grant Dooleys RT V 54.44
Peter Ettles Sandy Wallace Cycles V 54.48
Robin Wilkins Velo Ecosse S 55.02
Steve Nutley Sandy Wallace Cycles V 55.04
Barry McGurk Glasgow Couriers S 55.06
Gavin Shirley Nevis Cycles RT S 55.24
Joe Wilson Sandy Wallace Cycles S 55.27
Graeme Cockburn Glasgow Wheelers V 55.31
Robert Carson Fife Cycling 2000 V 55.33
Phil Kelman Deeside Thistle CC V 55.43
Andrew Underwood Glasgow Wheelers S 56.32
Steve Davidson Perth United V 56.50
James McLoughlin Forres CC V 56.55
Steve Cairns Perth United S 57.01
Robert Brown Granite City RT S 57.15
Kenneth Darling Kelso Wheelers V 57.19
RG McLean Angus Bike Chain V 57.22
Grant Smith Dunfermline CC V 57.30
David Caeser Thebicycleworks.com S 57.38
Mathew Ball West Lothian Clarion V 57.49
Paul Gallacher Fife Cycling 2000 V 57.51
Ian King Velocity 44 V 57.53
Paul Rodden Moray Firth CC S 57.55
Phil Brown Velo Ecosse S 57.57
David Walker Kelso Wheelers V 58.03
Steve Durham Deeside Thistle CC S 58.04
Graham Barclay Leslie Bike Shop/Right Move Windows V 58.05
Matt Lock Velocity 44 V 58.16
Keith Nettleton Deeside Thistle CC V 58.19
Kevin Lackie Elgin CC V 58.20
Randle Shenton Team Swift V 58.20
Kenny Kentley Velo Ecosse V 58.22
Scott Patterson Sandy Wallace Cycles S 58.25
Scott Newman Inverclyde Velo S 58.26
Andy Cowie Moray Firth CC V 58.27
Jez Tomlinson Fife Cycling 2000 V 58.27
Brendan McCabe Aberdeen Wheelers V 58.29
Andrew Scott Musselburgh Roads CC S 58.32
Jessica Wilson-Young Edinburgh RC L 59.10 (1st Lady)
Ross Laidlaw Kelso Wheelers S 59.13
David Millar Glasgow Couriers V 59.18
Derek McMillan St Christopher’s CC V 59.20
Sian Tovey Dooleys RT L 59.32 (2nd Lady)
Douglas Kirkham Musselburgh Roads CC V 59.49
Mark Ewing West Lothian Clarion V 1.00.01
Mark Higgins Granite City RT V 1.00.07
Mark Tandy Deeside Thistle CC V 1.00.14
Jim Meek Leslie Bike Shop/Right Move Windows V 1.00.18
Nick Tryon Lomond Roads V 1.00.30
Greg Quinn Deeside Thistle CC V 1.00.34
Hector Nicolson Moray Firth CC V 1.00.34
Alan Solway Kennoway RC V 1.00.46
Christine McLean Shetland Wheelers LV 1.00.48 (3rd Lady)
Kevan Sturgeon Elgin CC V 1.00.48
Kenny Philpot Elgin CC V 1.00.51
Andy Kilpatrick Leslie Bike Shop/Right Move Windows V 1.00.52
David Monro Lomond Roads V 1.00.58
Billy Bunyan Dunfermline CC V 1.01.04
Matt Hennon Inverclye Velo S 1.01.09
Callum Finlayson Forres CC S 1.01.12
Robert Kelly Ayr Roads CC/Harry Fairbairn V 1.01.35
Perter Robertson Forres CC V 1.01.46
Stuart Easton Stirling Bike Club V 1.01.48
Paul Anderson Musselburgh Roads CC V 1.02.20
Colin Sim Aberdeen Wheelers V 1.02.29
Colin Gillespie St Christophers CC V 1.02.37
David Pritchard Kennoway RC V 1.02.53
Steve Foley Fife Century Road Club S 1.03.13
John Shirley West Highland Wheelers V 1.03.22
Brian Christie Leslie Bike Shop/Right Move Windows V 1.03.41
Barry Duncan Kennoway RC V 1.03.53
James Davidson Pedal Power S 1.04.05
Patricia Baird Inverclyde Velo LV 1.04.17
Sandy Wallace Sandy Wallace Cycles V 1.04.21
Grahame Hay Perth United V 1.04.25
Craig McGowan Law Wheelers S 1.04.27
Andrew Allan Sandy Wallace Cycles S 1.04.39
Brian Thomson Sandy Wallace Cycles S 1.04.45
Neil Muir Edinburgh Road Club V 1.05.18
Tina Reid Sandy Wallace Cycles LV 1.05.34
Daniel Curran Dunfermline CC Jun 1.06.01
Frank Anderson West Lothian Clarion V 1.06.10
Diana Farrerll Hervelo L 1.07.19
Errol Bennie Glasgow Wheelers V 1.07.53
George Grant Forres CC V 1.08.22
Sandra Tulloch Leslie Bike Shop/Right Move Windows L 1.08.48
Lorraine Brown Leslie Bike Shop/Right Move Windows LV 1.08.53
Alistair Lawson Musselburgh Roads CC V 1.09.18
Polly Tandy Deeside Thistle CC L 1.10.42
Tom Cummings Fife Century Road Club V 1.12.04
Graham Newton Law Wheelers S 1.15.03
Gavin Laffoley Fife Century Road Club Youth 1.26.06
Colin Meikle St Christophers DNF
Alistair Little Perth United DNF
Aileen Scott Fusion Triathlon DNS
Jennifer Eilertson Dooleys RT DNS
Chantel Clark Sandy Wallace Cycles DNS
Shelley Farrar Deeside Thistle CC DNS
Sharon Doyle Sandy Wallace Cycles DNS
Kelly Van Der Toorn Dooleys RT DNS
Simon Munro Deeside Thistle CC DNS
Norman Skene Granite City RT DNS
Malcolm Nash Perth United DNS
Steve Beech Sandy Wallace Cycles DNS
Sean Monoghan Granite City RT DNS
Thomas Gordon Dooleys RT DNS
Ian Wilson Deeside Thistle CC DNS
Jim Reid Dunfermline CC DNS
Alisdair McGill Deeside Thistle CC DNS
Chris Smart Glasgow Couriers DNS
Gary Robson Gala CC DNS
Ladys
Jessica Wilson-Young 59.10
Sian Tovey 59.32
Christine McLean 1.00.48
Ladys’ Team
Sandra Tulloch/Lorraine Brown Leslie Bike Shop 2.17.41
Gents
Evan Oliphant 52.10 (Gold) – New course record
Carlos Riise 53.27 (Silver)
Arthur Doyle 53.46 (Bronze)
Gents’ Team
Dooleys RT – A. Doyle, D Gibson, A Torrance – 2.42.56
Glasgow Couriers – J Cusick, A Thomson, B McGurk – 2.43.31
Sandy Wallace Cycles – S Goldsworthy,P Ettles,S Nutley – 2.43.50
