Chappell triumphs
YORKSHIRE’S Harry Tanfield is hoping for the green light to race in this week’s Tour de Yorkshire.
The 22-year-old, from Great Ayton, in North Yorkshire, will be told today whether he has been selected by his team, Bike Channel Canyon.
Inside knowledge could give Tanfield an edge, with the first stage being raced on his local roads from Bridlington to Scarborough.
He finished 72nd over a similar route in 2015 before an impressive ninth place on the stage from Selby to York.
He finished 82nd overall after placing 80th on day three, from Wakefield to Leeds.
This year is the third edition of Yorkshire’s own race and Tanfield reckons the planners have learned from experience, particularly the event’s first stage two years ago.
A tough route blew the race apart, forced several big names to abandon and took away some of the drama from stages two and three.
Last year the overall winner was not decided until the final few metres, on Scarborough’s seafront, and Tanfield expects it to be the same this time.
Stage one could suit a breakaway, while the sprinters are expected to contest Saturday’s finish in Harrogate, but the hilly deciding day is regarded as the hardest in the race’s history.
“If selected, I aim to do the best I can on stage one and stage two is all about supporting Chris Opie, our sprinter, and trying to get the best result we can,” said Tanfield.
“Then stage three, I’ll just be trying to get to the finish.
“From my perspective stage one and two are the most important for me. Stage three is going to be absolute hell.”
Bike Channel Canyon are a new team, formed this year. Though Rob Partridge will hope to be well placed on the general classification the team are not expected to be contesting the overall result, but Tanfield feels they can still have an impact on the race.
He said: ”Chris, who joined us from One-Pro, can mix it up with the world’s best sprinters and be right up there with them.
“It is a case of supporting him as best we can. We don’t have the firepower of the World Tour teams, but we can use that to our advantage.
“We won’t have to do any chasing, we just want to get Chris in the best possible position in the final, certainly on stage two.”
There is also the prospect of getting in a breakaway, formed when a small group of riders get ahead of the main field.
“Having a rider in the breakaway is important because it gets the sponsors’ names out there and it showcases the riders,” Tanfield said.
“It is hard to do though, it’s not straightforward. Some days it can take an hour or hour and a half of flat-out sprinting before the break gets established.
“Riding at those very high speeds takes a lot out of the legs – and then you might have another four hours to do up the road, so it is a hard job.”
Kevin Chappell celebrated his first PGA Tour title after winning the Valero Texas Open.
The 30-year-old American, who has six runners-up finishes to his name, finally went one better with a one-shot victory over compatriot Brooks Koepka in San Antonio.