2007 National Junior Men's Road Race Championship
19th of August, 2007, Shropshire
Report & Pictures by Richard Robotham
McEvoy Silver - Kennaugh Gold - Rowsell Bronze
Pre Race Quotes:
Peter Kennaugh;
"My chances today are as good as everyone else's. Some of the favourites are here the likes of Luke Rowe, Adam Blythe, Rhys Lloyd and Mark McNally. I'm hoping to be one of the three to win, think the winner will come from one of the favourites, but there are others as well but I haven't ridden against them recently so I don't know their current form. I am more confident about the track next week, so I will have to see about today, as I have concentrated on track training."
Luke Rowe;
"With a good season so far, I feel my chances are good, but there are a lot of good riders here today, with a field of 80 riders every one of them is a threat, but I am quietly confident."
Mark McNally;
"There is always a chance of a wind but all I can do is my best, and everything else is a bonus. I have had a good season, but so have other riders, I think it will be a good open hard race and the best man will win."
Race Report
This year's Severn Valley Road Race incorporating the National Road Race Championship was well, organised by Wolverhampton Wheelers Cycling Club and was won in convincing style by Peter Kennaugh (Pinarello RT) and the Club presented the Andy Poole Memorial Trophy to the worthy Champion. The race was run over one of the most testing courses around the Shropshire countryside and with some of the hardest climbs in the Bridgnorth area the Riders didn't disappoint and made it a thrilling race for spectators and themselves.
The overcast and drizzling conditions would persist throughout the duration of the race making some of the road surfaces slippery. The race set off from the market town of Bridgnorth and was neutralised through the town over the river Severn. Still neutralised the Riders ascended the steep climb of Hermitage hill to the island and the favourites joked at the front of the Peleton. At the island the neutralised flag was dropped at the start of the 68 miles of a four laps course each over 17 undulating miles.
The race, still neutralised, passes through Bridgnorth
Bling this Hermitage Hill on!
The 72 rider strong Peleton didn't stay together for long as a lone rider attacked but was quickly reeled back in as they headed up the first climb of the day at Hilton.
The major break of the day came after the turn at Rude Heath heading towards the feed zone, where five riders, Johnny McEvoy (Kinesis UK), Mark McNally (Liverpool Mercury), Erick Rowsell (Team Corridori), Peter Kennaugh (Pinarello RT) and Toby Meadows (Glendene CC/Biketrax) slipped away from the front of the Peleton. Working together, and using the twisting climb up to the village of Bromley, they increased their time gap to the Peleton to over a minute.
After passing the lap board now showing three laps a small chase group of two riders managed to get 30 metres from the Peleton and stayed away for about 3 miles but the gap to the leaders proved too much for them and one of the pair dropped back to the Peleton. The Peleton soon scooped up the other rider.
A break forms on the first lap
Early Five Man Break at 1 minute 50 seconds
With 25 miles completed the five leading riders were 1 minute and 36 seconds ahead of the Peleton. With each rider taking equal turns at the front to drive the race along. However, it was reported over the race radio that Toby Meadows (Glendene/Biketrax) was showing signs of fatigue on Hilton hill and had missed his turn at the front.
On their third lap with 36 miles covered and just over half distance the leading riders were now being chased down by four riders at 1 minute and 40 seconds these being Andrew Griffiths, Ben Plain (both Glendene CC/Biketrax) Rhys Lloyd (Liverpool Mercury/Dolan) and Kieran Frend (Torq-Colnago). However the Peleton a other ideas and curtailed this attempt to breach the gap rather quickly.
The break on the first Climb to Bromley
The Chase is on
The riders in the Peleton were now taking on extra fluids as they passed through the feed zone again, this had a positive effect, as the Peleton started to pull back the leaders and reduce the gap down to 1 minute and 5seconds by the turn at Sutton Maddock despite the strong North Easterly head wind.
Toby Meadows (Glendene/Biketrax) Works hard at the front of the break
Bunch Climbs Hilton Hill gap now only 45 seconds
On the descent from Norton, the leaders stretched their legs and looked over their shoulders and realised that the Peleton was now only 40 seconds behind them. The leaders kept up the pace staying ahead of the Peleton through the village of Bromley but Toby Meadows (Glendene/Biketrax) couldn't keep in touch with the other four Riders and gradually dropped off the back on the climb and eventually got overtaken by the Peleton on the climb to the lap board.
The break passes through damp but picturesque Bromley
Jack Kirk (Wyre Forest/Fabricolor) looked strong as he led off the front of the Peleton through the bends in Bromley, whilst Mark Christian (Glendene/Biketrak) headed the Peleton on a charge through the village and onwards to take the bell. But this attempt to increase the pace had no effect on the gap between the Peleton and the Break was now being reported at 45 seconds as the Bell signalled the last lap.
The Break of four Riders then upped the pace once again and increased the lead to 50 seconds on the final climb through Hilton.
With only 6 miles to go four Riders broke clear from the front of the Peleton and aggressively chased down the leaders and almost catching their quarry in the last 100 metres of the race.
Kennaugh takes a convincing victory
However after some finessing, Peter Kennaugh (Pinarello RT) was able to up the anti once again and sprinted clear of the other three to take the victory in convincing style from Johnny McEvoy (Kinesis UK) in Silver Medal position and in Bronze position was Erick Rowsell (Team Corridori). Of the 72 starters the high pace, the tough course and miserable weather conditions resulted in only 52 finishers, the final Rider to finish some 35 minutes down on Peter Kennaugh.
Post Race Quotes:
Peter Kennaugh (Pinarello RT) - Winner;
"I wasn't that confident before the race, just didn't know where my legs were before the race. I got in the break, and I admit I wasn't the strongest in the break, Erik Rowsell was the strongest, me and Johnny McEvoy are similar but we used good tactics and did as little as possible. On the drag up to the island I saw the group catching us, so I just went for it. I am really happy with my performance today and looking forward to the Track Nationals and the Tour of Wales."
Luke Rowe (Recycling Racing Team) - 6th Place;
"Got in an early move but it got caught as we got caught it got countered and they stayed away. On the second lap the bunch got organised and brought the gap down to about 30 seconds but everyone just sat up, and there was a big lull, all we had to do was keep driving and we would have caught them in the next few kilometres, then in the last lap I jumped and Sam Webster came over with me and then two others joined us and we just drove it to the finish, and we almost got too them in the last 200m but Peter Kennaugh jumped so we just sprinted it out."
Erick Rowsell (Team Corridori) - 3rd Place;
"I am really happy with third place, I was driving the break really hard, I felt really strong in the race, until the last lap, where I started to swing a bit but It was a really good race."
Johnny McEvoy (Kinesis UK) - 2nd Place;
"I'm not disappointed with second place; I picked the right break into the head wind and attacked at the bottom of the climb. It would have suited me if the race had been a bit longer. In the finish straight I looked round to check the chasers, Peter Kennaugh kicked and I struggled a bit but Peter deserved to win the race"
Result
1st Peter Kennaugh Pinarello RT 2:49:46
2nd Johnny McEvoy Kinesis UK 1 sec
3rd Erick Rowsell Team Corridori same time
4th Mark McNally Liverpool Mercury/Dolan 4 sec
5th Rhys Lloyd Liverpool Mercury/Dolan 8 sec
6th Like Rowe Recycling Racing Team same time
7th Sam Webster Glendene CC/Biketrax same time
8th Matt Jones In Gear Development Squad 17 sec
9th Andrew Griffiths Glendene CC/Biketrax 1:05
10th Edward Griffin Bournemouth Arrow CC same time
11th Andrew Whitehall ASFRA Racing Team same time
12th Ashley Finn Lune RCC same time
13th Toby Meadows Glendene CC/Biketrax same time
14th Nathan Edmond Leeds Mercury same time
15th Sam Freeman Team KLR same time
16th Ben Plain Glendene CC/Biketrax same time
17th Mike Webb Cardiff Ajax same time
18th Mark Christian Glendene CC/Biketrax same time
19th Richard Meadow Liverpool Mercury/Dolan same time
20th Andrew Williams Cwmcarn Paragon same time
21st Lewis Earthrowl-Gould In Gear Development Squad same time
22nd Guy Wilkins Bikin Motion same time
23rd Blair Gibb Pedal Power RT same time
24th Dexter Gardias Torq-Colnago RT same time
25th Kieran Frend Torq-Colnago RT same time
26th Oliver Graham Wyre Forest/Fabricolor same time
27th James McLaughlin Guernsey Velo Club same time
28th Phill Graves BC PM same time
29th David Williams CC Giro same time
30th Billy Joe Whenman Marin UK same time
31st James Wagstaff Obri Coaching same time
32nd Mike Cuming Macclesfield Wheelers same time
33rd Thomas Butt I-Team.co.uk same time
34th William Penn Interbike RT 1:12
35th Rob O'Loughlin VC Londres same time
36th Dominic Jelfs MJS Racing same time
37th Jack Kirk Wyre Forest/Fabricolor same time
38th Adam Blythe SIS Trek 1:14
39th Sam Patrick I-Team.co.uk 1:34
40th Robert Bordi West Drayton MBC/Specialized 1:40
41st Douglas Dewey Team Tor 2000 same time
42nd Ben Stockdale MJS Racing 1:42
43rd Thomas Burnha Team Economic Energy 2:05
44th Joel Davison Bronte Wheelers 2:09
45th Sam Reddin I-Team.co.uk 2:19
46th George Bate MJS Racing 2:42
47th Tom Copeland In Gear Development Squad 2:46
48th Matthew Osborn Guernsey Velo Club same time
49th Callum Lister Torq-Colnago RT 21:02
50th Josh Miers Cleveland Wheelers same time
51st Patrick Owen MI Racing Team same time
52nd Russell Falder Stafford RC 35:14
