Ras de Cymru Stage 6 (Final)
report and pictures from Dave O'Nyons
Nicole Cooke all smiles for the final stage
It was back to the Abergavenny Tennis Club this morning for the final stage in this years Ras de Cymru. A pleasant morning with the look of achievement and relief on the riders faces as they signed on in front of a few bemused looks of the local tennis club members.
The leaders jersey's are handed out including the yellow to Armstrong lookalike Tim Carter Team GB! We go out of Abergavenny and on to the 56.2m/89.9km route which culminates in a four mile climb up the mountain south of Llangynidr.
The race kept at a fast pace around the course an I saw no real breakaways even on the first couple of climbs so it was off to the daunting moutain top climb which I just managed to start ascending when I could hear echoing down below from the commentators car that Emma Pooley had broke away and was leading up the climb.
From the beginning of this race there was speculation that the ladies of Team GB and Halfords/Bikehut would not stretch themselves in the competition and some doubted their involvement to the end, don't believe a word! They all came to race and race they did. Unfortunately I coudn't get to the finish but had the pleasure of watching the determind effort of everyone of these riders on a truly fanatastic stage.
Special thanks to my father Tom who did a sterling job with the map reading,driving and cooking!
Welsh NEG with the Welsh heroine herself -- Nicole Cooke
Stage 6 Result
1 Emma Pooley Team GB
2 Jack Adams Loughborough Students
3 Tom Crouch Team Certini/Felt Racing
4 Nicole Cooke Halfords Bikehut
5 Tim Wallis Red Kite Cycles
6 John Fitzpatrick Cardiff JIF
7 Tim Carter Team GB
8 Gareth McGuinness Clwb Egni/Rhos on Sea
9 Anthony Allan Macclesfield Wheelers/London Dynamo
10 Neil Biggs Velo Club Montpellier
11 James Ward Cambridge CC
12 Eelco Doctor Macclesfield Wheelers/London Dynamo
13 Jonathan Ellis Team Certini/Felt Racing
14 Kurt Green Velo Club Montpellier
15 Andrew Lane Cwmcarn Paragon RC
16 Andy Hudson Cambridge CC
17 Simon Thomas South Region Juniors
18 Carl Dyson www.cyclingbargains.com RT
19 Will Fox Loughborough Students
20 Nino Piccoli API Metrow/Silverhook
21 Jamie Treliving Team Certini/Felt Racing
22 Gordon Kenneway London Dynamo
23 Rob Jackson Cambridge CC
24 Jessica Allen Team GB
25 Tom Worthington Ogmore Valley Wheelers/Glasgow Nightingale CC - GoSports Spex
26 Matt Bridge London Dynamo
27 Philip Peters South Region Juniors
28 Michael Cowland www.cyclingbargains.com RT
29 Philip Murrell Team Han
30 Stephen Barrett Newport Shropshire CC/ Geoff Thomas Foundation
31 Richard Harris Cwmcarn Paragon RC
32 Joe Hemmant Macclesfield Wheelers/London Dynamo
33 Joanna Rowsell Halfords Bikehut
34 David Povall Cwmcarn Paragon RC
35 Josh Ibbett Cardiff JIF
36 Toks Adesanya Team Han
37 Matt Blythe Newport Shropshire CC/ Geoff Thomas Foundation
38 Lee Tunnicliffe DHCycle Sport
39 Paul Bailey Newport Shropshire CC/ Geoff Thomas Foundation
40 Oliver Caddy Cambridge CC
41 Jonny Cawley Clwb Egni/Rhos on Sea
42 Josh Yetman Loughborough Students
43 David Palmer www.cyclingbargains.com RT
44 James Astbury South Region Juniors
45 Dave Andrews London Dynamo
46 Emma Trott Halfords Bikehut
47 Andy Day PSUK GB Cycling
48 Andy Gough Red Kite Cycles
49 Justin Callaway DHCycle Sport
50 Richard Cleaver Velo Club Montpellier
51 Dave Mundow Cardiff JIF
52 Meirion Davies Clwb Egni/Rhos on Sea
53 James Stout Red Kite Cycles
54 Damian Sharp PSUK GB Cycling
55 Andrew Swain www.cyclingbargains.com RT
56 Peter Bolke DHCycle Sport
57 Ioan Williams Cwmcarn Paragon RC
58 Adri Rouco Team Han
59 Luigi Baccerini Clwb Egni/Rhos on Sea
60 Julian Wilkes Cardiff JIF
61 Ben Goddard Newport Shropshire CC/ Geoff Thomas Foundation
62 Jim Northway PSUK GB Cycling
63 Thom Phillps Red Kite Cycles
