DOWNING WINS LINCOLN - BUT WHICH ONE?
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Pinarello RT ace Russell Downing notched up yet another Premier Calendar victory to underline his grip on the series, sprinting home ahead of brother Dean Downing (Rapha Condor-Recycling) at the end of a hot and sticky 147-kilometre event.
After winning the last three rounds, Russell Downing beat 2007 winner and sibling Dean Downing by three seconds to claim a fourth series victory and put him into a virtually unassailable position despite the competition having only just reached the half-way stage.
“You never get bored of winning the Lincoln,” said Russell Downing afterwards, who last won the event in 2005. “As you swing round the final corner, glance over your shoulder, and hear the crowds cheering you over the line, there's no feeling like it.
“It's great to win, especially as there were some hard working guys out there. Simon Richardson worked hard to keep the break away, and Chris Newton did tremendously well in his first domestic race back [after breaking his collar bone].”
The Downing brothers were part of a break which went clear on the first of the 11 laps, and after the pace had whittled that group down to six, it began to re-open up a good lead.
With little more than one lap remaining the Downings went clear with Plowman Craven RT's Simon Richardson, but as they crested the top of the cobbled Michaelgate climb for the last time, it was Russell who beat Dean, with Richardson 11 seconds behind.
Lincoln Grand Prix (Premier Calendar round five).-
1 Russell Downing (Pinarello RT) 3-16-05
2 Dean Downing (Rapha Condor-Recycling) at 3sec
3 Simon Richardson (Plowman Craven RT) at 11sec
4 Chris Newton (Rapha Condor-Recycling) at 39sec
5 Kit Gilham (Kinesis UK) at 54sec
6 Tom Southam (Team Halfords Bikehut) at 1-01
Podium (l-r): Dean Downing (second), Russell Downing (winner) and Simon Richardson (third)
All photos by Andy Jones
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Lincoln Grand Prix 2008 photo gallery
