Newton heads north for three-day test

AFTER his bronze medal winning exploits at the World Track Championship in Poland a fortnight ago, Oldham-based cycling ace Chris Newton returns to domestic action this weekend.

He is leading the Rapha Condor Racing Team in the Girvan Three-Day event in Scotland.
Newton is part of an eight-rider Rapha Condor team for the prestigious event, which starts tomorrow and finishes on Easter Monday after 226 miles of tough racing on some of the hardest terrain Scotland has to offer.

The event is the third round of the Premier Calendar Road Race Series, although Newton is only contesting the individual race rather than the series as a whole after missing the first two rounds.

Rapha Condor won the team prize in last year’s Girvan, and will be keen to defend that title. Newton was second in the event in 2007 and 1998, and will be keen to go one better.

The four stages take in several big climbs, something Newton is well aware of having won four stages over the years and been crowned King of the Mountains in the 2000 event.

The Girvan Three-Day actually contains four stages, with the opening day having a 62-mile road race in the morning and a 16.5-mile criterium around the town’s streets tomorrow evening.

Sunday’s race is 76 miles, while Easter Monday’s final race is 72 miles.

After the Girvan, the Premier Calendar Series continues on May 2 with the Chas Messenger Road Race in Buckinghamshire.