Jack Brough of the Cero - Cycle Division Racing Team proved that race number 13 is anything but unlucky, employing some wily race craft to take victory on the summit climb of Dderw Pitch and join some illustrious names on the Cadence Road Race honours board.
On the final day of the Olympics in Tokyo it was fitting that Brough, following the long-standing tradition of wearing the number 13 upside down, joined such names as Tom Pidcock, Ethan Hayter and Tao Geoghegan Hart in winning the coveted Cadence Road Race title ahead of Owen Lightfoot of Z Junior Race Team in second and Zachary Walker of Utmost IOM Junior Cycling Team in third.
A strong field of nearly 100 riders rolled out on the damp and windy Sunday morning over the 15km Three Cocks Circuit that culminated with the toughest hill finish of the season to date.
In keeping with this season’s trend so far, the peloton didn't even make it out of the neutral section before a number of rider's had a coming together for the first crash of the day.
Once back together the race settled into a steady pace with a small group of 10 riders allowed to go off the front and open up a few seconds before being closed down and the race largely coming together by the first prime and climb.
By the third passing a small breakaway of three riders including Jude Chamberlain, Team Jewson-M.I.Racing, Benjamin Bright, Tofauti Everyone Active and Owen Lightfoot, Z Junior Race Team had a 25 second advantage over 5 chasers and a further 35 seconds to the bunch.
Lightfoot took the fourth prime going over the top alone with a 10 second advantage to a chasing group of about 10 led by Jake Crossley, Tofauti Everyone Active and Zachary Walker, Utmost IOM Junior Cycling Team with the bunch a further 2:45 back.
Lightfoot secured the KOM with another win on the penultimate circuit, with Walker and Brough again following, and with the race concluding and riders starting to suffer, the lead group of 11 riders splintered with the gap to the bunch closing to 1:28.
Four riders hit the bottom of the final climb ahead and it was Brough who timed his attack to perfection, breaking away as the incline shallowed in the mid section, and holding off the chasing Lightfoot to take victory by just 2 seconds with Walker a further 2 seconds back, Lucas Jowett, Beeston Cycling Club rolled over in a credible fourth place with the rest of the peloton coming home some 50 seconds further down.
