British Cycling

CC ABERGAVENNY HANDICAP (FINAL)

Saturday 29th March, 2003; Wales, 64km, Elite, 1/2/3/4/Women/Juniors

In the final CC Abergavenny handicap of 2003, the scratch group of hounds finally managed to catch the rabbits and for the first time, Junior Geraint Thomas was denied victory. The E/1/2's were augmented with Julian Winn, Ben Luckwell and Craig Cooke this week and the difference showed. The scratch group gained steadily on the leading group; on the second ascent out of Llyswen, Craig Cooke attacked to split the scratch group to a give a core group of seven including Luckwell and Winn who powered on in hot pursuit of the riders up the road. Meanwhile, Geraint Thomas repeated his move of last week and crossed from the 3/J 's to the 4/V's with two Climb-on Bikes RT riders.

The leading group stayed together and worked hard to stay away (losing a few riders as they went) and the 3's group split - with a few crossing to the 4's, the rest falling back. The Winn/Luckwell/Cooke group ploughed on, with Craig Cooke riding like a man possessed; their persistence was rewarded when they caught sight of the convoy behind the race leaders on the final ascent out of Llyswen. The race finally came together with about 3 miles to go. In the final kilometre the large bunch of 30+ rode hard for the line, then with 200m to go Julian Winn kicked hard and rode away to victory, a few riders desperately trying to catch his wheel. Geraint Thomas took the sprint for 2nd a only mm in front of Ben Luckwell in 3rd.

FINAL RACE RESULT

 1. Julian Winn         Team Fakta 1.34.35
 2. Geraint Thomas      Cardiff JIF
 3. Ben Luckwell        Maestro
 4. Shawn Grovner       Ystwyth CC
 5. Craig Cooke         Cardiff Ajax
 6. Delbert Delaronde   Cardiff JIF
 7. Rob Partridge       Deeside Olympic / Veeboard
    Chris Anelay       4BikesOnline.com / Argon 18
    Jeremy Rees        Swansea Wheelers  
    Ben Dale           Climb-on Bikes RT
    Jon Ashby          Climb-on Bikes RT
    Ben Simmons        Newport Phoenix
    Grant Lewis        Newport Phoenix 
    Gerwyn Jones       Energy Cycles / Principia
    Paul Barber        Energy Cycles / Principia
    Anneliese Heard    WCU Private
    Gerallt Williams   4BikesOnline.com / Argon 18 
    Paul Davis         Climb-on Bikes RT
    Ian Liddiatt       CARDIFF JIF-Cyclopaedia
    Gary Jones         Cwmcarn Paragon RC
    Robin Everson      St Athan CC
    Vince Stokes       Cwmcarn Paragon RC
    Alistair Morgan    Cwmcarn Paragon RC 
    Phil Jones         Port Talbot Wheelers
    Darren Hughes      Cwmcarn Paragon RC
    Daffyd Lambeth     Cwmcarn Paragon RC
    Richard Bowen      Abergavenny RC
    Gary Thomas        Cwmcarn Paragon RC
    Stuart Hall        Bush Health care 
    David Hutchinson   Cheltenham & County CC
    Kevin Jones        Ystwyth CC
    Graham Edwards     Abergavenny RC 
    Chris Ames         Clayton Cars
    Mat Ackland        Swansea Wheelers
35. Lewys Hobbs        WCU Private
    Jim Bean           Ystwyth CC
    Iain Roche         Cycle Centre RT
    Greg Roche         Energy Cycles  Principia
    Chris Gould        CARDIFF JIF-Cyclopaedia
    Meirion Rhys       Cwmcarn Paragon RC
    Ian Black          Ystwyth CC
    Dave Crowley       Bynea CC
    Stuart Griffiths   Climb-on Bikes RT
    Ian Bendall        Bynea CC
    Nick Kenwright     Abergavenny RC
    Darren Morgan      Cwmcarn Paragon RC
    Paul Robinson      Ystwyth CC
48. Tom Jacquemet      Cardiff Ajax CC 
49. Greg Newhams       Ogmore Valley Wheelers
50. Paul Roberts       CARDIFF JIF-Cyclopaedia
51. Gary Jones         Cwmcarn Paragon RC
52. John Hiddlestone   Bynea CC

OVERALL

1. Geriant Thomas   27
2. Julian Winn      10
3. Paul Spencer     7
3. Ben Dale         7 
5. Shawn Grovner    6
6. Nick Stevens     5 
6. Emyer Defsfl     5 
6. Ben Luckwell     5

March 2003 Racing Results