JIF Sprinters' Special Road Race

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Sunday 25th May 2003; Promoting Club: Cardiff JIF;

The inaugural JIF Sprinters' Special - featuring (unusually) a flat finish on the Wick circuit and sprint primes - was run off in fair conditions at a fast pace. From the start riders attacked (Craig Cooke would have won the most aggressive rider title had there been one) but all moves were neutralised by an active and alert bunch.

Just after the end of the first lap two riders clipped off the front of the bunch and by the end of the descent into Cowbridge, a group of 6 had formed with a few seconds advantage - including Craig Cooke, Ryan (the Bullet) Bevis and Ian Bendall. The gap climbed rapidly to about 20 seconds and for a while this looked like the decisive move of the race.

But the bunch never gave up and the gap slowly decreased; the second time up Death Valley the leading group lost ground rather than building on their lead and the promising move was over. It all came back together along the coast road with the race moving at close to 40mph for much of the time. Halfway through the final lap two riders got away from the bunch as the race passed towards Corntown and were allowed to gain 25 seconds.

Craig Cooke attempted to cross to the leaders and after 5 miles of chasing caught them - with the gap now 20 seconds to the bunch. The three leaders worked to stay away while another two riders left the bunch and tried to join them. At the final time at top of Death Valley the two chasers caught the leaders and the strong group of 5: Gerry Bowditch, Vince Smith, Craig Cooke, Alan Ryder and Steve Dring came together with the main group of riders now 24 seconds down.

In the final few miles, the gap increased slowly to 32 seconds two miles from the finish, then fell rapidly as the leaders began to prepare for the sprint finish and the bunch chased hard. At the line, Gerry Bowditch won the sprint from Steve Dring and Craig Cooke as the leading 5 riders crossed the line only a few yards in front of Phil Mason who took the sprint from the chasing bunch.

Prime 1: 1st Steve Dring, 2nd Gerry Bowditch

Prime 2: 1st Gerry Bowditch, 2nd Steve Dring

RESULTS; Category 1/2/3 riders; 88km/3 laps

 1. Gerry Bowditch             bikeshop.uk.com
2. Steve Dring                Stilton-Parrot Print-Tal RT
3. Craig Cooke                Cardiff Ajax CC
4. Vince Smith                Somer Valley CC
5. Ian Ryder                  Plymouth Corinthian CC
6. Phil Mason                 Climb-on Bikes 
7. Jeff Vernon                Birkenhead North End
8. Graeme Lackford            bikeshop.uk.com    
9. Chris Sheppard             Cwmcarn Paragon RC     
10. Paul Jenkins              Bush Healthcare    
11. Pete Scott                Swindon Wheelers    
12. Gerallt Williams          4BikesOnline.com   
13. James Shaw                Pembrokeshire Velo   
14. Daniel Froud              Somer Valley CC 
15. Andrew Baum               Climb-on Bikes       
16. Steve Edwards             Porth & District Wheelers   
17. Phil Cavell               Bikepark  
18. Chris Phillips            Halesowen CC   
19. John Danter               VC Meudon 
20. Ian Jones                 Rhos-on-Sea CC 
21. Keith Davies              Cardiff JIF  
22. Mat Ackland               Swansea Wheelers   
23. Gary Thomas               Cwmcarn Paragon RC      
24. Andy Cook                 VC St Raphael - Waites Contracts        
25. Paul Dring                Stilton-Parrot Print-Tal RT     
26. Chris Davies              Ogmore Valley Wheelers     
27. Mark Wareham              VC St Raphael - Waites Contracts       
28. Paul Davies               bikeshop.uk.com    
29. Ryan Bevis                Brecon Wheelers      
30. Ian Bendall               Bynea CC   
31. Gareth Clements           Cardiff Ajax CC         
32. Huw Bendall               Bynea CC          
33. Chris Bates               Bynea CC           
34. Kevin Eckersall           Team Mirage       
35. Rob Powell                Ogmore Valley Wheelers