William Tidball edged out British Cycling Junior Road Series leader and training partner Oscar Mingay to take top spot in the Junior CiCLE Classic on Sunday.
The two led the way in the closing stages, but it came down to a sprint as they crossed the line with the same time, though the PH-MAS/Paul Milnes/Oldfield ERT rider was the one left celebrating the spoils.
There was a bunch sprint to determine the last podium spot, which eventually went to Jacob Vaughan - adding to his extra success in the day, while Thomas Pidcock took fourth.
The fifth round of the British Cycling Junior Road Series saw the riders tackle a shorter version of the Elite Men’s CiCLE Classic course – featuring class unpaved sections of road around Owston in Leicestershire – including the Somerberg and the Manorberg sections – and the gravel surface of Chouffe Corner.
The field of 100 riders set off from Melton Mowbray, rather than the traditonal Oakham start – and headed out on a zig-zag route to the race’s heart – the village of Owston, which the riders would pass through five times before heading back to Melton Mowbray.
The first action of the day say Daniel Coombe of Team Backstedt/Hotchillee take the first of the King of the Bergs points at Borrough on the Hill – with national champion Vaughan of VC Londres taking second ahead of Theo Modell of Team Corley Cycles.
Several riders managed to get away – building leads of close to a minute, but never much more. On the unsurfaced climb of Manorberg it was Ben Healey of Zappi Racing Team who led, alone, by 45 seconds, but by the return passage in the opposite direction, the field was all together.
Timothy Torrie of HMT with JLT Condor took the second set of Bergs points at Cold Overton with Vaughan again second and series leader Mingay of Giant Cycling Club-Halo Films third.
Over the second pass of the Somerberg it was Healey away again – this time with Matt Shaw of Wheelbase Cabtech and Jake Stewart of Swinnerton Cycles for company – and, again, with a lead of just under a minute.
And it was Shaw who took the final Bergs points – from Stewart and William Corbett of Brother NRG Driverplan.
By the conclusion of the second lap of the finishin circuit, only William Tidball of PH-MAS/Paul Milnes/Oldfield ERT and Mingay were at the head of the race- their lead – which had gone out as far as 50 second – tumbling rapidly as the bunch battled it out for third.
The gap was under 15 seconds by the time the leaders hit the finishing straight, but it was enough for them only to have to worry about each other. Mingay led out, but it’s a deceptively long straight and Tidball eased past him in the final metres to take the win.
Vaughan of took a close bunch sprint for third – having already picked up the King of the Bergs prize along the way. Mingay’s second kept him in the Series lead, although Tidball’s win limited the damage to his nearest rival – Tidball’s team mate Tom Pidcock.
Tidball said: “Sick race that, wasn’t it? I enjoyed it – it was good to mix it up a bit – although they said it was a 95km race and it was 103! The last 8km I was hanging on a bit – me and Oscar did a great job working together. It was nice to do it with him, because we train together.
“It’s definitely the best race I’ve done this year and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the best race I do all year on British soil.”
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