The Paris-Nice got underway yesterday in a chilly Parisian suburb. Jens Voigt (CSC), won the 4km time trial in 5′ 15″ and Lance came in 27 seconds back… The race continues today with the first road stage.

Rob Hurd takes the Wally Gimber RR
The 101km Dulwich Primavera road race was won by former Belgian based pro rider Rob Hurd (Private member). He won ahead of Gary Baker (Anglia Sport) and Andy Lyons (Parrot Print). In the South East series Chris MacNamara (Tunbridge Wells RC) now leads the rankings.

Aintree favourites win easily
Recycling.co.uk / MG XPower / Litespeed dominated the 44th
Eddie Soens Memorial Handicap Road Race at Aintree Race Course, Kirkby.
A 9 man squad from recycling.co.uk / MG XPower / Litespeed headed the
scratch group in the event, and caught the first group who had a three
minute lead very quickly.
Before the halfway point of the race, Chris Newton, Rob Hayles, Russ & Dean
Downing had opened a gap over the main field, along with junior
international Ian Stannard. With 5 laps to go the group of five riders
became four as Stannard lost contact.

Rob Hayles took the deserved win on a very cold and windy 81km race.
16seconds later the trio of Dean Downing, Russ Downing & Chris Newton
crossed the line respectively.
Chris Newton won the points competition and Dean Downing & Rob Hayles tied
for second place.

1 Rob Hayles (recycling.co.uk/MG X Power/Litespeed) 81km in 1hr46m53secs
2 Dean Downing (recycling.co.uk/MG X Power/Litespeed)
3 Russell Downing (recycling.co.uk/MG X Power/Litespeed)
4 Chris Newton (recycling.co.uk/MG X Power/Litespeed)

Cleives Hill Road Race
Leigh Cowell(Recycling.co.uk / MG XPower / Litespeed) stormed to victory today in the Cleives Hill Road Race in Lancashire.
In conditions that were said to be as low as 0 degrees, Leigh left his
breakaway companion, Mark Turnbull, and soloed for a fine and deserving
victory in his new professional team colours.

“I felt like I was cruising today and I’m pleased with the result. It’s a
great start to the season and I felt like I had great legs. A win for the
team yesterday at the Eddie Soens and another win for the team today! I
decided to attack on the last lap of the race just as Mark eased up a
little. It’s great for the confidence and I was so happy to get a win and
the added bonus was that it was an event sponsored by Charlie Jackson from
recycling.co.uk” commented Leigh on a freezing afternoon.

Fellow team mate Shaun Snodden jumped off the chasing group and took third
place, and Ben Greenwood finished in sixth position showing a good solid
performance in the race.

Hutchinson storms the Hardriders
Multi-national champion Michael Hutchinson (API-Metrow) won his first outing in his new sponsors colours, taking the prestigious North Road CC event by nearly three minutes. Tough conditions meant that 18 people did not start from the 51 pre-entry of the Hardriders yesterday morning. The start was delayed by 30 mins because of the ice on the road, but rather than abandon the race the organiser cut 2 miles from the 25 mile hilly Hertfordshire course.

1 Michael Hutchinson API – Metrow 54.23
2 Danny Axford Arctic-Shorter Rochford RT 57.04
2 Carl Saint Yorkshire Road Club 57.04
4 Michael Broadwith www.agiskoviner.com 57.41
5 Julian Ramsbottom De Rosa RT 59.35
6 Simon Howes Sigma Sport 59.44
7 Jonathan Hunt Sherwood CC 1.00.03
8 Chris Hopkinson Matlock 1.00.21
9 Mickael Metayer Team Sport & Publicity 1.01.07
10 Tim Wallis Arctic-Shorter Rochford RT 1.01.26