Linda McCartney Foods Pro Cycling Team

Press Releases

31.07.00

Under-23 Win - Tour of the Cotswolds
World Cup News - World Championship News

Another Weekend, Another McCartney Win

Mark Kelly of the Linda McCartney - Welsh Cycling Union development squad took a great victory on the Isle of Man today. He rode to victory in the climber's classic Fred Kelly Memorial Road Race - an emotional victory for the youngster, as the race is held each year to commemorate his own grandfather.

The race takes in the backbreaking Thot-y-will climb, 5 miles long with some sections as steep as 20%. It was here that Mark launched the attack that would bring him the win, as he led by 10 seconds over the summit. He waited for Raleigh professional Elliot Baxter on the descent, and the two forged a safety buffer between themselves and their 4 former breakaway accomplices. Elliot was no match for Mark in the sprint, the Manx McCartney taking two seconds out of his companion in the final hundred metres.

"It's my first win of the season!" beamed Mark Kelly afterwards. "I'm very pleased, as I've always thought this to be one of the best races on the island, and great pros like Steve Joughin have won it in the past. It's great to have won my grandfather's race, too."

Matt Stephens and Ben Brooks of the frontline McCartney squad were in Gloucestershire for the top-rated Tour of the Cotswolds, one of the UK's most revered races. Matt made the winning break of 3 along with Ireland's Dave McCann and Mark Lovatt (ProVision). The trio went away after the race scaled the early giddy heights of Birdlip Hill, traditionally situated soon after the start in Gloucester. Over the following 100 miles, the three were unchallenged by a bunch that were unwilling or unable to tow Matt's McCartney teammates like Ben Brooks and Huw Pritchard, or Lovatt's National Champion team leader John Tanner up to the head of affairs. Matt managed to shift McCann from the break over the hard, undulating run-in back to Gloucester Park, but not Lovatt, and he was to prove too strong for the McCartney man in the final sprint. Nevertheless, a fine ride from Matt Stephens, who now flies out to join his teammates for the start of the Tour of Denmark on Tuesday.

Tour of the Cotswolds - 191km in 4hrs 52mins 13secs:

 1. Mark Lovatt (ProVision Planet X)
 2. Matt Stephens
 3. David McCann (Ireland)
 9. Huw Pritchard (Linda McCartney Foods-WCU)
19. Tom Barras (Linda McCartney Foods-WCU)

Jan Ullrich showed he was in fine form after the Tour de France by taking second in Germany's Bühl Cup. Despite being the strongest man, Ullrich was outgunned by Mapei, who placed three men in the winning move, one of whom, Gianni Faresin, outsprinted the 1997 Tour de France champion. The German and his Telekom team will be the men to watch when the Linda McCartney team arrive in Hamburg for their first ever World Cup race, taking place next Sunday, after the conclusion of the Danish tour.

Italian Champion Michele Bartoli checked out the course for this year's World Championships in October when he won the GP Ouest France at Plouay in Brittany. Many of the Linda McCartney team will hope to be there representing their countries when he returns for the big showdown for the coveted rainbow jersey.