British Cycling
National Youth Circuit Race Championships
an East Bradford Cycling Club promotion
Saturday 1st July 2006; Richard Dunn Sports Centre, Bradford, West Yorkshire
Larry Hickmott (larryhickmott@britishcycling.org.uk)
Youth A Boys Final, 45km
In what he described afterwards as his biggest win so far, Thomas Skubala could hardly believe he had won the British Championship -- but he had!
It was a quarter past five in the afternoon when the flag and siren signalled the start of the Under 16 boys final. Up the hill to the 180 degree bend at the top, and it was Alex Aldam-Breary who lead them around the tight bend with the noise of the England World Cup match in the background from the nearby Bradford Bulls rugby league stadium.
From here on, the race was a series of sharp attacks by riders such as Andrew Fenn, Erick Rowsell or Ben Plain to name the main protagonists, and after a lap or two of action where the race would split, there was the inevitable slowing as the race came together and the splits closed up. This happened again and again and again as Fenn, Rowsell and Plain took it in turns to attack.
No-one was going to get away however although when Plain, Rowsell, and Fenn did managed to open a gap on the others, there was some hope, a break would stick but a fierce chased by Aldham-Breary among others put paid to that and it was all together for the final.
Into the final lap though and number 33, Dominic Jelfs tried a surprise attack through the start/finish area and opened a gap up. Andrew Fenn could be seen closing the gap down quickly on the other side of the circuit, with Ben Plain leading Skubala and the rest still five or six lengths adrift.
The riders then disappeared from view and when they emerged out of the final bend it was Tom Skubala who was sprinting hard and fast up the centre of the road, a length or two clear of Fenn. Skubala crossed the line, almost in shock, and it was only 15 or so metres after the line he realised he was champion, and he raised his arms in celebration.
Tom Skubala -- "I never thought I'd win the nationals, I just came here to ride it. I aint got over it yet!" he said minutes after the win. "It was so hard after my qualifier when I went off the front for most of the race."
Talking us through the final lap, he said "I could see Andy was away and I was sat behind Alex, so I came around Alex and could see Jelfs. I don't know what happened then as my legs exploded and I just managed to get around Andy. The sprint was so hard. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could win it. Coming round Andy, I never thought I could do that and I had to look four times to make sure I had won before I put my arms up".
Birthday boy, 16 on the day, Andrew Fenn speaking afterwards says "We were hoping to split it but kept getting pulled back which was a bit disappointing."
Andrew through was the first to the rider who attacked late on, many lengths clear of the rest. "I was thinking of sitting on him when I came across but he seemed to be dying slightly. I know he's pretty good but when I got to him I thought I had better go and I thought Ben might not have had the legs to bring me back as he done a lot of work in the race."
Andrew now does a sportif ride before the Junior Tour of Wales.
Finally, Ben Plain who attacked his heart out but wasn't able to get away. "It's my second year of getting third so I'm pretty disappointed. I gave it my best shot to win it but Skuby deserved to win it in the end. He tactically had it right."
"It's the sort of course where it's hard to split it because although you can open a gap on the hill, it all comes back together on the downhill bit. It was hard to get away on youth gears down there."
At least he managed to get a ride because early in the season, he missed the national cross champs due to an injury. "I was up to win gold there too but fell off on a training ride at a Talent Team camp and broke my wrist. I am pretty pleased though. My form is good and I just hope I can transfer that to the track and make the ODP at the end of the year, that's my aim."
The start of the Under 16 boys final.
The three strongest riders if their constant attacking is anything to go by -- Ben Plain leading Andrew Fenn and Erick Rowsell. In this break, it looked like they may have cracked the rest but a strong pursuit by Alex Aldham Breary among others put paid to that breakway.
1. Thomas Skubala, Private member
2. Andrew fenn, Agisko Viner
3. Ben Plain, Hargroves Cycles
4. Dominic Jelfs, Bromsgrove
5. Alex Aldham-Breary, Ciclos Uno
6. Erik Rowsell, Team Corridori
7. Scott Flynn, Obricoaching
8. Mark Christain, Team Scottish Provident
9. Tom Buck, Sportcity Velo
10. Sam Redding, i-Team
11. Chris Whorrall, Manx Road Club
12. Oliver Stuart, Ribble Valley Juniors
13. Alex Tinsely, Wyre Forest
14. James Ison, Melton Olympic,
15. Peter Dibben, i-Team
16. George Atkins, Welland Valley
17. Dominic Schils, Interbike
18. Alexander King, Twickenham CC
19. Vincent Cartwright, Hull Thursday
20. Joe Perrett, Lee Valley Youth CC
21. Michael Wilmot, Hillingdon Slipstreamers
22. Sam Freeman, Plan B Racing
___________________________________________________
HEATS
The Under 16 Championship started with two 15 lap heats to decided who would go through to the final over 50 laps.
HEAT 1
In the first heat, Joe Perrett attacked early on and continued to go it alone all the way to the line to book his place in the final. Behind him Michael Wilmot attacked late on to go clear and was joined by Erick Rowsell and the two of them stayed away to also book their places in the final with the rest of the final places decided in a big group sprint
HEAT 2
The second heat had a similar script as Tom Skubala went clear after half a dozen laps had passed by at speed. Tom was joined by a Leeds Mercury rider who stayed with him for a while before dropping back to leave Tom to carry on his lone attack. This he did all the way to the line whilst the rest of the places were decided in the bunch gallop.
Youth A Boys, 1st heat (no. 1-31), 20km
1. Joe Perret
2. Michael Wilmot
3. Erick Rowsell
4. Alexander King
5. Oliver Stuart
6. Andrew Fenn
7. Jack Kirk
8. Tom Buck
9. Alex Tinsely
10. William Penn
11. Vincent Cartwright
12. Tim Rowson
13. Sam Patrick
14. Sam Redding
15.Kieron McMahon
Youth A Boys, 2nd heat (no. 32-62), 20km
1. Thomas Skubala
2. Sam Freeman
3. Mark Christian
4. Ben Plain
5. Dane Percival
6. Alex Aldham-Breary
7. Dominic Jelfs
8. Steven Hill
9. James Ison
10. Chris Whorrall
11. Scott Flynn,
12. Peter Dibben,
13. Joel Davison
14. Dominic Schils
15. George Atkins
