Ethan Hayter led overall at the end of day two of the SD Sealants Junior Tour of Wales, as the final round of the British Cycling Junior Road Series headed towards a thrilling conclusion.
The VC Londres rider was 17 seconds ahead of his nearest rival, Peter Kibble (Wales), with Giant CC-Halo Films pair Charlie Meredith and Etienne Georgi just a few seconds back in third and fourth as they headed into the third and final day.
Stage Three
Tom Pidcock stormed to a fine solo win at Parc Bryn Bach on stage three of the Junior Tour of Wales, The VCUK PH-mas rider making his move with a handful of laps remaining on the slippery track around the park.
It was Mark Donovan (Beste Alle De Tostadora) who made the first move, jumping away on the descent into the last corner and gaining a gap but an attack that early wasn’t going to last and he was soon back into the bunch.
Day two gallery
A group of three tried their luck, Fred Wright and Ethan Hayter (VC Londres), along with Matt Draper (Velocity Globalbikes) attacking off the front and getting a useful gap. But the last corner proved to be sketchy and saw Draper and Wright hit the deck, and although Hayter jumped back on Draper’s race was all but over with a damaged bike.
Pidcock went to the front of the field and the pace increased, taking a group of around nine riders away from the main field which was now strung out across the top of the course.
Matt Walls (Velocity Globalbike) and Jake Grey (NRPT-Magnet) went away with Pidcock and the three worked well to keep a chasing group of five at bay including Charlie Meredith (Giant CC-Halo Films), Jake Beach (Yorkshire) and Swinnerton’s Jake Stewart.
But it was to be Pidcock’s day. With three laps remaining the first year junior attacked and no one was able to respond to the turn of speed and he rode the final laps alone.
Ethan Hayter took the bunch sprint some 57 seconds off the stage winner. Tour leader Rob Scott (VCUK PH-Mas) finished in the main field, his race lead safe. Ethan Hayter climbed above Peter Kibble to sit in second place whilst Pidcock climbed to third overall and team mate Adam Hartley dropped one place to fifth as they prepared for stage four.
Stage Four
Billy Robinson (Squadra RT) took his biggest win to date in stage four of the Junior Tour of Wales at Hardwick.
Robinson was part of a trio of riders who jumped off the front of the race just before the road turned back towards Penpergym and the finish.
He played the perfect game in the sprint to outwit his two companions, Fred Wright (VC Londres) and Eugene Cross (SSLL RT) who finished second and third respectively.
The 54-mile course was perfect for the sprinters - with just one small climb at Micheltroy, the afternoon was going to be head down attacks.
The race got underway in the midst of a torrential downpour which kept the field together for the opening miles, a few riders chancing their luck off the front of the race but with no real commitment to an attack.
Jake Grey was the first to gain any distance off the front but was soon dragged back to the field before the race hit the A40 dual carriageway. Etienne Georgi (Giant CC-Halo Films) and Charlie Quarterman (Zappi’s RT) attacked towards Raglan Castle, the pair having the strength to get a decent gap on the field and as the race rolled towards Micheltroy they were joined by Ryan Coulton (Pro Vision) and Billy Robinson, the four working well to keep the gap pegged at 10 seconds.
The quartet were joined by another four riders and as the race headed back towards Penpergym for the first time the gap had increased by another few seconds. Turning back on the A40 as the race took its second lap the leaders were joined by Owen Line (Champion Systems), Will Roberts (Wales) and Fred Wright (VC Londres) but the pace was too hot for Line and he rolled back to the bunch.
Charlie Meredith (Giant CC-Halo Films) took charge of proceedings as the race came back off the dual carriageway to head back towards Penpergym, and soon had a 12-second lead.
Again Jake Grey tried to mix things up and went on the chase but no one could get across to the race leader and coming into the feed for the final time the main bunch could see the lone leader and Meredith’s day on the front was soon to be over.
The field caught him on the dual carriageway and with the race turning into the old A40 for the final time it was the trio of Robinson, Wright and Cross who made the gap off the front and stayed away to the line.
Results
Overall (after four stages):
1. Ethan Hayter (VC Londres) 5:05.38
2. Peter Kibble (Wales) at 17sec
3. Charlie Meredith (Giant CC-Halo Films) at 21sec
4. Etienne Georgi (Giant CC-Halo Films) at 26sec
5. Eugene Cross (SSLL Racing Team) at 33sec
Stage Three (Parc Bryn Bach, 32.7km)
1. Thomas Pidcock (VCUK PH MAS) 48.15
2. Ethan Hayter (VC Londres) at 57sec
3. Matthew Walls (Velocity Globalbike)
4. Fred Wright (VC Londres)
5. Jake Stewart (Swinnerton Cycles) all same time
Stage Four (Abergavenny-Penpergwm, 86km)
1. Billy Robinson (Squadra RT) 1:55.55
2. Fred Wright (VC Londres)
3. Eugene Cross (SSL LRacing Team) all same time
4. Charlie Quarterman (Zappi’s RT) at 12sec
5. Anthony Anderson (Team Corley Cycles) at 14sec
