Bath Road Junior Road Race
July 27, Cublington (Buckinghamshire)
Report and pictures Larry Hickmott
Victory for David Nichols as Glendene CC make it a 1-2-3 in what was the fastest ever edition of the race on this course held in temperatures of up to 28 degrees.
On Sunday, the 27th of July, first year Junior, David Nichols, lead home a Glendene CC 1-2-3 in the Bath Road Club/ETR Junior Road Race.
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After having been at the Olympic Holding Camp this week, I made the journey to the pretty village of Stewkley (Buckinghamshire) for the annual running of the Bath RC Junior Road Race, part of British Cycling’s National Road Race Series for Juniors. Whilst at the Olympic Holding camp, I had enjoyed interviewing Geraint Thomas, a former winner of the Bath RC race and it is at these type of races where stars of the future are brought into the public eye. Other winners of this race include Tom Southam and Alex Dowsett who have represented Great Britain as has Luke Rowe who was second in the European RR Championships this year.
With the Great Britain Olympic Development team away in Germany at a stage race, the Bath Road Club's Junior road race gave the rest of the Juniors in Britain the chance to make a name for themselves and perhaps put themselves in the frame for a spot in the ODP next year. The field may not have been a large one but they came from far and wide – Isle of Man, Guernsey, Scotland, Wales and around England. The race is held on a tough circuit with the climb into Cublington tough enough when done once, but the Juniors had to cover many more laps than that before the winner was decided on the climb itself.
Still recovering from the effort five minutes after he finished, David Nichols explained: "There was a few up the road, and then this rider who I don't know was going really strong and he chased it. I got on his wheel and he pulled me up to Nathan. The three of us went up the road and just before the downhill before the final climb, there was a group of six of us and just as they came to over to us, I attacked and got away. Then Joe and Nathan came across to me at the bottom and we just went for the line."
"It was a sprint and best man wins".
Asked how the bunch was working, he replied, "really well. It started with only a few riders and a few came over and then more and then we working really together until we got a five minute lead and then riders started attacking and group broke up."
"This is my first national series win and I won a stage in a UCI race last week in Belgium so I have good form at the moment so we'll see how the championships go. I'm looking forward to it."
Race report in pictures
With over 80 riders entered for the national championships in a few weeks, it was a disappointing entry for this race.
Above: Coming through to start the first of five laps, Joe Perrett leads Simon Thomas and John Mould.
Half a lap later, Richard Handley goes on the attack
Attacks followed from the peloton to get in the move.
Two riders speed through the village of Whitchurch trying to secape the peloton.
And the Glendene CC string it out to bring them back.
Above: Richard Handley and David Nichols off the front of the race in the early laps of the event.
Above: Tom Walker leads a teammate, John Cooper and John Mould as they chase the two leaders.
Above: Richard Handley leads the break of around a dozen riders which formed after the early skirmishes around the hilly course. The break soon got down to working hard and despite a number of favourites having been left behind in the bunch, a committed chase never came about and it was the riders in the bunch loss as the break stayed away. Riders out front included John Cooper, Jake Eddy, Joe Perrett, David Nichols, Nathan Edmonson, Tom Walker, Russell Falder, Chris Legg, Dexter Gardias, Jason White and John Mould.
You see some sights when on duty at a bike race....
A chase group forms but doesn't manage to make it stick
Feeding zone and much needed liquids are taken from roadside parents and supporters
Above: Robert Bordi gives chase alone but was unable to cross the gap which was by now many minutes.
Tim Kennaugh, winner of the Sid Standard round of the series, goes off to chase alone.
Cooling down time for the Nathan Edmonson as he and Chris Legg escape the break with a lap to go.
... and Joe Perrett attacks to go across to his teammate.
Half a lap to go and Joe Perrett drives the break along. After a lot of attacks on the final lap, the original break is starting to split to pieces. One of the riders in this front section of the split, Chris Legg was very dissapointed after punctured twice, the last time in the final mile.
David Nichols sprints for all he is worth to win the race in a Glendene CC 1-2-3
George Atkins wins the sprint for 13th place, 10 minutes behind the winner.
RESULT
1. David Nichols, Glendene CC 2.50.50
2. Joe Perrett, Glendene CC
3. Nathan Edmonson, Glendene CC
4. Richard Handley, Maxgear RT 14
5. Dexter Gardius, Torq Colnago @ 18
6. Chris Legg, AW Cycles @1.06
7. Jason White, Bikinmotion @1.27
8. John Mould, Cardiff Ajax
9. Russell Falder, Mammoth Lifestyle
10. Tom Walker, Torq Colnago
11. John Cooper, Wolverhampton Wheelers
12. Tim Kennaugh, Team Isle of Man @ 7 minutes
13. George Atkins, Pearl Izumi 10.01
14. Guy Wilkins, Bikeinmotion
15. Rhys Gravelle, Bynea CC
16. Jamie Cordwell, API Metro
17. Callum Lister, Torq Colnago
18. Tom Gosbee, Team Welwyn CC
19. Will Jansen, Bikeinmotion
20. Robert Bordi, Beyond Mountain Bikes
21. Luke Merrilees, Private Member
22. Joshua Edmonson, Glendene CC
23. Rowan Marshall, Private Member
24. Michael Cummings, Maccesfield Wheelers
25. Tom Yearman, Glendene CC
26. Jack Salt, Leicester RC
27. Phil Lister, Team Welwyn
28. Simon Thomas, DH Cyclesport
29. Paul Young, JD Cycles
30. Roland Hanbury, Bikinmotion
31. Alex Bellinger, Evans Cycles
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