Russell Downing wins GP Lillers
Russell Downing gave Endura Racing a winning weekend, taking the victory in the Grand Prix de la Ville de Lillers in France on Sunday just 24 hours after winning the Eddie Soens Memorial road race.
Downing won the sprint finish if the 171km long UCI 1.2-ranked race ahead of Jean-Lou Paiani and Laurent Mangel, both of the Saur-Sojasun team.
Downing becomes the second Briton to win the race after Robert Millar won in 1979.
Downing's win is part of Endura's extensive and so far highly successful European campaign that has already seen the Scottish-based squad win the Tour of the Mediterranean and Tour du Haut Var with Jonathan Tiernan-Locke.
Tiernan-Locke also placed second overall in the Tour of Murcia on Sunday, and currently leads the UCI EuropeTour.
Downing switched to Endura Racing for the 2012 season from the WorldTour-level Sky squad.
Result
Grand Prix de la Ville de Lillers 2012, 171km
1. Russell Downing (GBr) Endura Racing
2. Jean-Lou Paiani (Fra) Saur-Sojasun
3. Laurent Mangel (Fra) Saur-Sojasun
Related links
British professional road wins 2012
Downing wins Eddie Soens 2012
Tiernan-Locke second overall in Tour of Murcia
Russell Downing: Rider Profile
Reader comments
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arronski
March 04 19:53
Nice win by Russell and nice go fast / look hardcore beard !
Mark Jones
March 04 21:10
Good to see Russ getting a win so soon into the season, this is beginning to look like it could be a great season for Endura with JTL reaching the podium in Murcia and Wilkinson finishing second last weekend.
Ali Manners
March 04 22:04
God to see Russell back to winning ways.
Ian
March 04 23:34
Good on ya Russ. Do you think he's trying to tell Sky something, considering they did not renew his contract?