RAMPANT LAVERY DOES IT AGAIN
TAKES EMOTIONAL VICTORY AT SHAY ELLIOTT - Story courtesy of Sticky Bottle

Philip Lavery (NODE4 Giordana) has taken his latest win of the 2012 season, storming home in fine style this afternoon to take what is arguably domestic cycling’s most prestigious one-day race, the Shay Elliott Memorial. The 21-year-old Dubliner may have had just seconds to spare over chasing duo Ryan Sherlock (Cycleways) and Kieran Friend (NODE4 Giordana), but he won the race from the front with some trademark aggressive riding. Read More

PHILIP LAVERY'S DOMINANT FORM CONTINUES
AT HILLY HAMMOND MEMORIAL - Story courtesy of Sticky Bottle

Philip Lavery (NODE4-Giordana) has extended his winning run at the ‘Noel & Kieran Hammond Memorial’ in Co Wicklow, just 24 hours after his victory in the Ultimate Clothing GP in Corkagh Park, west Dublin. While Lavery has enjoyed a string of wins – five on Irish roads and one in the UK – so far this season, his ride today was by far the best of those Irish victories. He dominated a much better field on a much harder course than during any of his wins at home in recent weeks. Read More

PHILIP LAVERY TAKES DOMINANT SOLO WIN
AT PETER BIDWELL MEMORIAL - Story courtesy of Sticky Bottle

Philip Lavery (NODE 4 Giordana) has taken his fourth win of the season, storming home solo in the Peter Bidwell Memorial in Drogheda, Co Louth, this evening. The Dubliner had plenty to spare over the chasing group, with Gary Gorman (Stamullen Fastlane) winning the sprint for second, edging out Thomas Lavery (Comeragh CC) and denying the Lavery brothers what would have been a rare family 1-2 on Irish roads. Read More

LAVERY TAKES USHER IRC ST PATRICK'S DAY RACE
IN DUNBOYNE - Story courtesy of Sticky Bottle

Philip Lavery (NODE4-Giordana) has won the St Patrick’s Day A1/A2 race in Dunboyne, Co Meath, promoted by Usher Irish Road Club. The 22-year-old Dubliner put to good use his visit home from the UK to take a convincing win in wet conditions, taking victory by about ten lengths from fellow breakaway rider Shane Baker (Usher Irish Road Club). Read More

LAVERY - FIRST WIN OF SEASON
LAVERY TAKES THE WIN IN HIS NEW NODE4 COLOURS - Story courtesy of Sticky Bottle

Philip Lavery (NODE4 Giordana) has taken a great win in the UK today, Saturday, beating his breakaway companions and a quality field to take the Roy Thame Cup in Buckinghamshire.

The 21-year-old Dubliner took the sprint finish from 23-year-old Australian Richard Lang (Rapha Condor-Sharp) after a fast and furious 69 mile race this morning.

Lavery's team animated much of the race. However, of the many groups that pulled clear early, none ever built a big enough lead to prove successful until the Irishman's four-man escape got away in what immediately looked like decisive fashion. Read More

LAVERY SIGNED FOR ENGLISH UCI CONTINENTAL SQUAD
NODE 4 GIORDANA RACING TEAM WHICH HE SEES HIS BEST CHANCE OF GETTING TO THE TOP OF PROFESSIONAL CYCLE RACING

He joins the latest squad of larger than life Phil Griffiths, who has been running top race teams for more than 30 years after spending two years in Belgium with the last year with Sean Kelly's An Post squad.

But the 21 year sees the kind of programme being offered by the Staffordshire based squad, with the chance to show in week long stage races all over Europe as the best place to put himself forward, rather than a diet of Belgian semi classics.

And in typical Griffo manner, the team was put together at the last minute after the loss of his major sponsor of the last two years with a number of impressive signings attracted by Phil's legendary passion for the sport and his reputation for looking after his riders.

That and the presence of Tour of Spain points winner Malcolm Elliot and Tour of Britain winner and Tour de France rider Bill Nickson directing from the team car were enough of an incentive for top young Irish rider Phil Lavery.

And he has pulled another rabbit from the hat with the signing of 34 year old New Zealander Rico Rogers,a devastating finisher who recently won a stage in the Tour of China, who will make his debut for the team next month in the Australian Criterium Championships in which he came fourth last year.

Closer to home, the team's current Junior Road World Champion Lucy Garner,17 will be riding for Node 4 Giordana Racing Team in omnium events at the Rotterdam and Bremen Sixes in early January.

It was Phil's passion and at 62, still boyish enthusiasm for being a force in cycle racing which persuaded Andrew Gilbert of Node 4 Data Centre Solutions to step into the breach left by the decision of Motorpoint to pull out of sponsorship after two years.

Gilbert said:' I personally love cycling. It can be an addictive sport. But I particularly love Phil Griffiths' passion for the sport and his total commitment to developing the sport and the team. His zest and enthusiasm after so many years involvement to cycling where enough for us to put our name to his team and I am sure it will be a mutually successful partnership.'

Phil himself, who has been running teams for more than 30 years puts it like this:' Enthusiasm, at 62 I am still a kid, I have never grown up. I still feel I owe a debt to cycling without it I would never have become a successful businessman... cycling has given me everything. Supporting a team helps my business and I still enjoy the buzz of being involved in cycle racing at the top level.

'It is great to have Node4 as our main sponsor as their management are genuinely cycling supporters. We are also excited to have Subaru on board as our vehicle provider with their long previous involvements with the sport.'

It is no coincidence that Phil chose Trentham Gardens in Stoke on Trent with his backdrop of Perseus slaying Medusa as the photoshoot backdrop for his latest team. As he put it:' He will be out to slay some of the other teams with our results in 2012.'

Philip Lavery said:' I felt that An Post was not the right team for me. I wanted to go somewhere with a tighter team spirit. Phil has a good reputation for treating his riders well, everyone knows how he helped Russ Downing.

' The kind of race programme like the Ras, Tour of Britain, Tour of Norway and stage races in France, Spain and Portugal suit me more than a lot of the Belgian races. There are also the Premiers and I will be released to ride the midweek Nation's Cup under 23 races for Ireland. At the start I plan to remain in Dublin but will move across during the season.

'Another big motivation to sign was having a rider like Malcolm Elliot in the team car. I met him several years ago when he rode the Ras and my mother was a masseur on the race. Just seeing how he looked after his bike was an inspiration to me as a young rider.

'A young rider can learn so much from a man with his background and experience, he is the kind of leader riders can respect. It is such a confidence boost have someone like that in the car and you just want to win his approval. I still have plenty of international ambitions and would like to get on a Pro Tour team in the next couple of years.I know I have the ability, it is a question of showing the confidence and getting the right results.'

Elliot, who has still not definitely drawn a line under his riding career said:' We have signed an interesting blend of riders. We are not obviously a super team, so it is teams like Endura, who have upped the anti, and will have the pressure on them.

'The scene is constantly shifting on Rapha have changed their emphasis as have Raleigh. There are now six UCI teams competing on home roads. Every year the competition steps up. Some of our riders have unfulfilled ambitions. Hopefully I can pass on as much knowledge as I can.'

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