One of the biggest single-day races on the UK calendar, the Lincoln Grand Prix which sees teams battle it out over 13 laps of the 8 mile circuit, held mixed fortunes for Rapha Condor Sharp yesterday (Sunday, May 13). Team captain Kristian House managed an excellent third place behind Marcin Bialoblocki (NODE4) in second and winner Russell Downing of Endura Racing, but two of his team mates ended the race in hospital. Worst off was Mike Cuming, who had recently shown great form at the Tour of Korea, suffering a broken elbow in a hard crash; whilst Luke Mellor spent the night in Lincoln hospital with severe cuts following his fall. Lucky to avoid needing hospitalisation was a third RCS rider Felix English, who wiped out trying to chase his way back from a puncture.
Despite the setbacks Rapha Condor Sharp will still see action on two fronts this week as the Halfords Tour Series gets underway in Scotland on Tuesday (May 15) and the 60th An Post RAS begins on May 20 in Dunboyn; Cuming will be forced to miss the RAS start and Mellor’s involvement has been described as ‘doubtful’.