The race was very very fast, I missed getting gridded as I couldn't get through the riders that had assemebled in front of me, every one was very jumpy and tense waiting for the start. My start was OK, made some places up then worked on getting out of trouble as in the midpack riders are outbreaking themselves, bumping into each other and just general bad riding which is dangerous as the whole circuit has steel crowd barries all round so hitting one of them you are going to hurt.
I won the first prime, more because out front was the safest place, just that the circuit was to easy in places for me to make an impact cornering and were I could was at the hairpin leading onto the cobbled climb I could rocket up that and get a gap but I would be fried along the rest of the circuit so was getting covered but no one counter attacking to keep the pace up, so lots of flat out parts to the race and lots of freewheeling stuck behind 4-5 riders as thats all it took to cover the width of the circuit in places as a rider was racing up the road, I guess the riders with teams had it covered, where I had to try and react with everything which just wore me out. legs switched off, thought of pulling out but managed to hang at the back of the bunch, have an energy gel and try to recover, so I missed the race winning move. Fair enough but we could have caught if we had put in some consistent laps, but instead you would get a favorite like Mark Cavendish make a move and everyone would chase him down then once caught just follow him even though he had given up with his attack, so the pace was up and down. A few times I thought this is it I am going down as riders clipped each other and took wild lines into the corners, the finish straight was the worst as it is not straight but more of a meanduring line that then curves to the left and quite narrow, so you would see a gap between the group and the barriers, start to move through the gap then the buch drifts across, lots of riders getting trapped like this between someones arse and the barrier. All this happening at some serious speed, I had 53x 11 spun out a couple of times, must laps in the 12, so 40 miles per hour or more.
With 5 laps to go and remotivating myself that it is not all over untill the race is over I started to pick of riders until I was up to 4th wheel coming into the last corner, had to take the inside line as what tends to happen in the last lap everyone wants to be at the front so the fastest line is the outside but you get riders ducking up the inside to then spear into the riders on a wider radius so you have everyong flicking, braking, just getting in each others way so I tend to break for the inside turn tight and power out, might be more work but I have control of my line and only have to worry about riders on my outside.
So into the finial straight I wanted to hold off as long as possable but at the same time didn't want to get swamped as it gets very full on in the sprint, in the end I just missed getting the riders wheel in front as he had started leading out for his team mate, I jumped earlier than I wanted as I could feel the bunch bearing down on me, Had Russell Downing sweep past with Simon Holt, legs were all juiced so just hanging on when I got a lift from a rider trying to go between me and the barrier, lifted my front wheel of the ground at about 30 meters to go, thought I was going down but we parted and he managed to snag my postion so I eventually had 9th place, I was grateful to have finished all in one piece with no damage to bike or me.
Fantastic ride by Malcolm Elliot as he soloed away to victory by nearly a minute on the rest of us. He is superman!!
There was a crash in the sprint, not sure who but his carbon bike was snapped in half and still on the deck 15 minutes after the race had finished so a big crash. hope he is alright.
Got home at 2am, bed at 3am
Report
Malcolm Elliott salutes the crowd after winning the Newport Nocturne. Tony Gibb was second and the last winner of the race, Chris Newton was 3rd.
What a sensational night at the Newport Nocturne it was on Saturday evening. Not only did the big crowd turn out yet again, but so did the star riders and the biggest star on the night was the ever green Malcolm Elliott. Despite being well into his forties, he ride away from the best riders in the country and put almost a minute into them during his 30 minute breakaway.
Elliott was part of an early break that included the likes of Tony Gibb and Chris Newton, both riders who have won World Championships medals and yet nothing they or anyone else could do was going to stop Elliott in what has to rank as one of the best performances in a British bike race. The minor places were taken by the riders left in the break, Tony outsprinting Chris Newton. We'll have more on the night later.
Four of the international stars brought in for the Beijing Challenge along with Simon Holt.
The Mayor of Newport waves the flag and the race is on...
Chris Newton, Peter Kennaugh, Tom Murray and Tony Gibb chase Elliott. Murray was very unlucky to puncture inside the final five laps (no laps out).
The podium riders all get in the hot seat to ensure there is a lot of beer to go round afterwards...
Geraint Thomas -- like a motorbike said Malcolm Elliot afterwards,
Elliott attacked with half the race to go and no matter what pressure they applied behind, no-one caught him again.
Sid Barras on his way to a solo victory in the Past Masters race.
Results
David Millar had to get a local bike shop to get him a bike for the race as his was still at the airport in Spain.
Beijing Challenge
1. Rob Hayles
2. David Millar
Other places to be confirmed
Rob Hayles beats his training partner David Millar for the prize in the Beijing Challenge
Elite
1. Malcolm Elliott, Pinarello RT
2. Tony Gibb, Plowman Craven @56 secs
3. Chris Newton, Recycling.co.uk
4. Gordon McCauley, Plowman Craven
5. Peter Kennaugh, Pinarello RT
6. Russell Downing, Healthnet @1.06
7. Simon Holt, Recycling.co.uk
8. Jon Mozely, Merlin
9. Warrwick Spence, Cyclefit-Serotta
10. Andy Tinsley, Bioracer
11. Simon Gaywood, Plowman Craven
12. Tom Barras, Merlin
13. Liam Holoham, Merlin
14. Will Bjergfeet, Kona
15. Ross Muir, Rapha
16. Andrew Williams, Cwncarn
17. James Moss, Inkland
18. Gary Adamson, FP Mailing
19. John Tanner, Sportscover
20. George Richardson, Kona
21. Ian Holt, Felt
22. Matt Talbot, Rapha Condor
23. Jon Kris Mason, Merlin
24. Ryan Bonser, Recycling.co.uk
25. Martin Ford, BC PM
26. James Millard, Plowman Craven RT
27. James McCullum, Plowman Craven RT
28. Mark Cavendish, T-Mobile
29. Geraint Thomas, Barloworld
30. Rob Hayles, KLR
31. Rob Partridge, Recycling.co.uk
32. Tom Diggle, Recycling.co.uk
Past Masters
1. Sid Barras, 45.44
2. Steve Jones, @14
3. Phil Wilkins, @ 17
4. Neil Martin
5. Chris Lillywhite
6. Simon Cope
7. Reg Smith
8. Simon Day
9. John McMillan
10. Les West
11. Adrian Timmis
12. Gary Coltman
13. Trevor Horton
14. Ged Dennis
15. Gordon Smith
16. Vic Barnett
17. Mike Doyle
18. Roy Causer
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