Leicestershire RC-Pedal Power 2-Day

June 13/14, 2009
Photos:  Dave Binks (www.davebinks.com)

Postman Matt Stamps his Class on Leicestershire Stage Race

Matt Bottrill delivered a dominant performance in the 2nd annual Leicestershire Road Club-Pedal Power  2-Day stage race at the weekend. Bottrill (Team I-Ride) was the overnight leader by 14 seconds  after winning both the 1.8 mile prologue and 42 mile criterium at Mallory on Saturday. In Sunday’s 55 mile third stage, consisting of 10 laps of the Bagworth course, Bottrill got into an escape on lap 3 that gained 15 seconds on the bunch. Just as the escape group was reeled in by the bunch on lap 5, Bottrill attacked again, working with Oliver Graham (Artic Premier) to make a gap of 35 seconds on the bunch by the end of the lap.

The two riders worked well together extending their lead over the bunch to 1’03” by the end of lap 9.  The bunch could make no impression and Bottrill, the stronger of the 2 breakaway riders,  took the stage and overall victory with Graham taking a fine second in both.  Carl Dyson (CyclingBargains.com) took the sprint for third place 55 seconds back.  Third overall was Jon Sturman (ActivCycles-Fentimans RT). Not content with taking all three stages Bottrill completed a clean sweep by also taking the King of the Hill competition.  A strong CyclingBargains.com took the team prize, with Will Fox, Matt Fostun and Carl Dyson leading them home.

The junior competition was won by Perry Bowater (CC Giro), from Ben Berry (Concorde CC) in second and Tom Lowe (GoSportSpex.co.uk RT) in third.  Commiserations go to Nino Piccoli (API-Metrow/Silverhook Chemicals) who took the unofficial ‘Unluckiest Rider’ award when he crashed on the first corner of the prologue a quarter of a mile in. Having injured his ankle he was unable to continue, but was consoled by the prize of a highly valuable and much sought after inner tube, which, I’m sure we can all agree, was well worth the six hour round trip and a night in a hotel.

Mallory Park, Stage 2

Jimmy Rutherford

Stage 2 action

Stage 3 Action

STAGE 1
1. Matt Bottrill 64 Team I-Ride
2. Jon Sturman 69 ActivCycles-Fentimans RT
3. Will Fox 16 CyclingBargains.com
4. Scott Walker 65 Team I-Ride
5. Charles McCulloch 60 Shorter Rochford Exclusive Ranges
6. Stefan Rick 67 Zenith CC
7. Shane Leadley 23 Gosportspex.co.uk RT
8. Carl Dyson 14 CyclingBargains.com
9. Matthew Fostun 17 CyclingBargains.com
10. James Wagstaff 59 Sportscover.co.uk/Spiuk/JE James

STAGE 2
1. Matt Bottrill 64 Team I-Ride  01:25:55
2. Will Fox 16 CyclingBargains.com 01:25:57
3. Alistair Rutherford 53 Science in Sport.com 01:25:59
4. Jake Tanner 73 Sportscover.co.uk/Spiuk/JE James 01:26:01
5. Paul Bell 20 Doncaster Wheelers 01:26:01
6. Matt Blythe  38 Newport Shropshire CC 01:26:01
7. Stuart Pryce 39 Nottingham Clarion 01:26:01
8. Stefan Rick 67 Zenith CC 01:26:01

STAGE 3
1. Matt Bottrill 64 Team I-Ride  02:11:29
2. Oliver Graham 1 Artic Premier 02:11:31
3. Carl Dyson 14 CyclingBargains.com 02:12:29
4. Duncan Putman 18 Derby Mercury 02:12:30
5. Paul Bell 20 Doncaster Wheelers 02:12:30
6. Jon Sturman 69 ActivCycles-Fentimans RT 02:12:30
7. Lee Ward 27 Heanor Clarion 02:12:38 410119
8. Jake Tanner 73 Sportscover.co.uk/Spiuk/JE James 02:12:42
9. Tim Lawson 52 Science in Sport.com 02:12:42
10. Adam Hardy 66 Wolds RT 02:12:47

OVERALL
1. Matt Bottrill Team I-Ride  3:41:20
2. Oliver Graham  Artic Premier 3:41:53
3. Jon Sturman  ActivCycles-Fentimans RT 3:42:34
4. Carl Dyson  CyclingBargains.com 3:42:43
5. Will Fox  CyclingBargains.com 3:42:52
6. Duncan Putman  Derby Mercury 3:42:55
7. Scott Walker  Team I-Ride 3:42:58
8. Charles McCulloch  Shorter Rochford Exclusive Ranges 3:42:58
9. Jake Tanner  Sportscover.co.uk/Spiuk/JE James 3:42:59
10. Shane Leadley  Gosportspex.co.uk RT 3:43:01
11. Matthew Fostun  CyclingBargains.com 3:43:01
12. Lee Ward  Heanor Clarion 3:43:01
13. James Wagstaff  Sportscover.co.uk/Spiuk/JE James 3:43:02
14. Perry Bowater  CC Giro 3:43:03
15. David Langlands Fenland Clarion    3:43:03