Feature – Klondike GP Post Race Interviews

Little chats with Tom Pidcock, Erick Rowsell, Jonny McEvoy, Joey Walker, Tom Moses and Steve Lampier post race at the Klondike Grand Prix on Sunday

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Feature – Klondike GP Post Race Interviews

Photo Report and Full Result here

Like the CiCLE Classic the week before, the KlondIke Grand Prix was another controlled race where an early three man move got away and the teams not in the move, controlled it, then brought the gap right down before another three man move escaped, caught the two left and then went to the finish to take the first three spots.

The top three in the Klondike Grand Prix – L-R: Tom Moses (2nd), Tom Pidcock (winner) and Jonny McEvoy (3rd)

VeloUK caught up with those riders and others post race to get their reactions to the race starting with the race winner ….

Tom Pidcock (Wiggins): “I felt good at the start, in the middle I felt rubbish, like proper rubbish, and then when it started kicking off towards the end, I came round a bit. We were saying it was going to split on that hill, so Moses and Jonny (McEvoy) went away on the climb and I went after them over the top. Then we caught Joey and Erick from the break and they went backwards quite quickly after a long day out and we worked well.”

“Tom then attacked on the final climb and I jumped across and we worked to the finish and I made sure I was second wheel coming into the finish. A ride like that definitely gives me confidence coming into Yorkshire.”

Tom Moses (JLT Condor) “I’m pleased with the ride but disappointed to be beaten in the sprint at the end. It would have been nice to win especially when you are so close to the win but it is still a good result for the team and I’ve been beaten by someone who is and will be pretty good isn’t he.”

“The team helped bring the gap to the break back before the Saltburn climb, and I just hit it up there and us three got away. Matt Gibson said he wasn’t feeling so great so we did what we could to win the race without a bunch kick.”

Tom leads the winning break on the climb at Skelton

“The team rode perfectly to bring it back then, not to close to the finish it was going to be a bunch finish but close enough we could do it with just three riders. I went again up Skelton the last time as Jonny looked tired and I wanted to get rid of Tom (Pidcock) but it didn’t happen. I should have tried a few more times and not left it to a sprint.”

Asked what it was like in the peloton with the three riders (Erick Rowsell, Connor Swift and Joey Walker) up the road, Tom explained “I found the first half an hour so hard, the course is so grippy and I was thinking I was on a real bad day and at one point, contemplating riding on the front for the boys but I started to feel good halfway through.”

Jonny McEvoy (Madison Genesis): “Like last week, we got riders up the road which was perfect, and I was able to sit in and it was Moses that went on the steep climb (Saltburn), and we followed him and bridged across to Erick and he gave us a turn at the front to help us and we were away then. I could tell though I was on a bad day which I am a bit disappointed about”.

Jonny explained he’d had a bike change early on in the race and then at the end got away with the two Toms (Moses and Pidcock). “On the last climb, Moses attacked and I just didn’t have the legs to go with it but managed to stay away for third. I didn’t do this race last year and it is a really tough race, I thought it was brilliant though, especially the hairpin climb coming up from the sea (Saltburn) and all the fans lining it. That was brilliant”.

When I put it to Jonny he’s showing consistent form he replied “I think I did a bit too much during the week to be honest but to be in the mix is good. I am now going to have an easy three days before Yorkshire! It’s good to be consistent but I’d like to get up there and win some!”

Joey Walker (Wiggins): Asked ‘what was he thinking’ going off the front so early, Joey replied “I don’t know but I’m knackered now! It went and it was weird because there were three of us and behind us there was Hank (Canyon Eisberg) and another rider but they never got on and we weren’t sure whether to commit or not. I said to Connor (Swift), we’re going to have to commit here because they were in no-man’s land and so we did three hours of a three up team time trial. It was grim!”

“The leaders caught us and I jumped in with Tom for a bit and then got dropped and then hung in with Gabz’s group until the last 10k and then just rolled in. It was a good day out for the team and we’re focusing on Tour of Britain qualification and if we can keep it going, we’ll have a good shot at that”.

A smiling Erick Rowsell climbs up to Loftus with his teammate Connor Swift and Joey Walker

Erick Rowsell: (Madison Genesis) “The breakaway went really early as soon as we turned onto the main circuit and we had the climb pretty much straight away and me and Connor were near the front and pressing on a bit. I could see it splitting it up behind and Connor said to me, ‘should we press on and see what happens?”

“So we went, we didn’t go ridiculously hard, and we could see Joey with us and there was a One Pro and Canyon rider dangling and I was trying to say to Connor, let’s wait for them as it was going to be a lot easier so we did ease up but they disappeared so we pressed on.”

“The first lap, we weren’t going that hard hoping some more would come across as it was way too far too go in that wind with just three riders but it never happened so we had to commit to it but not commit too much until they started to chase behind with the thought that when they chased, we’d make it as hard as we could for One Pro and JLT to catch us and use up as many of their riders as we could. Jonny then finished it off with a podium place for us so not too bad a day …”

“I knew as soon as they caught us, my day was going to be done. I could see Jonny’s group coming across so I thought I’d give him a big turn and help drag his group away a bit so it was one big last turn and that was it.”

Steve attacking the Skelton climb chasing the three leaders

Steve Lampier (4th) (Saint Piran): “The race split coming out of Saltburn and I was too far back and chasing through groups. I got in a group with Karol, James Oram (One Pro), Max Stedman (Canyon Eisberg) and Gabz Cullaigh (Wiggins) who wasn’t working as he Tom (Pidcock) up the road which is fair enough but they didn’t commit to chasing.”

“We were caught by three JLT, and Will Harper (Saint Piran) and obviously JLT were not going to ride (Tom Moses was in the break) and Wiggins weren’t and still One Pro wouldn’t ride and it was frustrating”.

“I tried attacking out of Saltburn next time and went again on the downhill before the Skelton climb. My race plan beforehand was not to touch the wind before that last climb and I went and stayed away to the finish and was fourth again. I’m not happy with that though. We were out numbered but we’re a small team so always will be.”

It was though Steve agreed, good for him and Will to get the team colours at the front of the race …. “Will raced for One Pro last year and is a really good rider in his own right and I am nearing the end of my riding days now but we need to show the other riders that it can be done. It’s frustrating though… ” Steven and his team now have a racing block in Ireland, Belgium and France.

Thanks to the riders for their time post race, appreciated.

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