At the foot of the first climb
Race day
David Nichols and his fellow Glendene CC/ Bike Trax team mates came to the race hoping to repeat their 2008 success of a 1-2-3 held round the Buckinghamshire villages of Stewkley, Dunton, Whitchurch, Cublington and Wing. David Nichols started today’s event leading the 2009 Junior Road and Circuit Race Series but only by a narrow margin over his nearest rivals, Sandy King (Twickenham CC) and European Time Trial champion Joe Perret (Glendene-Bike/Trax).
Before the race, David Nichols said although he hadn’t had a win in this year’s series, he was hopeful of a podium in the day’s race. Exams he said, had got in the way of his riding and now that he had finished them, he’d been riding full time and his form was returning.
Joe Perret meanwhile, third overall in the series standings before the race said that the team would work together to get the best result possible and the most points for the series whilst his teammate Joshua Edmondson, winner of this year’s Tom Simpson Grand Prix
said that his confidence had been boosted by his form during this, his first year as a Junior.
Finally, Alexander ‘Sandy’ King who was lying second in the series was hopeful that his form was returning after an enforced rest due to sustaining injuries to his face, his shoulder and his side in a recent mountain bike accident. The race in Buckinghamshire was going to be the test for Sandy and on the start line with him were 51 other riders facing 115 km on the hilly course around Cublington.
The riders wasted no time getting going with John Cooper (BC West Midlands Region) making the first attack of the day just after the lowering of the neutralised flag. His attempt was soon reeled back in but it was to be the start of lots of attacks and counter attacks during the race.
Tom Stockdale forcing the pace on the first climb
The main attack of the race came when Robert Hassan (Rockhard Racing MTB Club), Joshua Edmonson (Glendene CC/Bike Trax), Jamie Rogers (Scunthorpe Poly CC-Jack Tighe), John Cooper (BC West Midlands Region), Rhys Gravelle (C.M.C.), Tom Stockdale and Perry Bowater (both BC West Midlands Region) broke away from the main field half way round the first full lap of the race.
They soon gained 30 seconds and were increasing their lead over a lone chasing rider Matthew Hamilton (Discovery Junior CC) whose slight advantage from the main field was being chased down hard. Robert Hassan (Rockhard Racing MTB Club) suffered a puncture and he dropped temporarily out of the leading group.
With the leaders being pulled back following a hard chase by the bunch, they were soon in sight of the chasers and Joe Perret (Glendene CC/Bike Trax) and Tom Moses (Team Wallis) took advantage of this and managed to bridge the gap to the leaders. Following this, Chris Nicholson (Team Isle of Man-Microgaming), Felix English (Team Corridori-Specialized) and Mark Baxter (West Drayton MBC-Beyond Mountain Bikes), also broke away from the front of the main field and were chasing down the leaders hard picking up a flagging Tom Stockdale (BC West Midlands Region) along the way.
The crucial break during the second lap
Several riders from the main field launched another attack and they too bridged to the chasers and formed a new chasing group of 10 riders. The leading group of riders were now over a minute ahead of them following the new input of energy from Joe Perret and Tom Moses. This left the remaining field fracturing behind them.
The leading group of riders continued to tap out the miles and gradually gained a convincing lead over the remainder left in the race. With one and half laps to go, Joshua Edmonson (Glendene CC/Bike Trax) punctured.
After a rear wheel change from neutral service he had to work hard to regain the leading riders. He caught the back of the leading group just as his team mate Joe Perret (Glendene CC/Bike Trax) attacked off the front as they crossed the line on the finish hill and took the bell for the final lap of the race.
Joe Perret didn’t stay away for too long as the leading group came back together on the flat section of the course. The high tempo of the race proved too much for John Cooper and Rhys Gravelle as they were dropped from the leading group.
The main chasers were now nearly two minutes behind the head of the race and the main field another two minutes behind the chasers. The race was now on for the leading group of riders and they started to test each other out with mini attacks off the front. Jamie Rogers (Scunthorpe Poly CC) had a go but the others had him covered.
Meanwhile, the first of the fragmented groups behind the leaders reformed into a large chasing group but made no attempt to reel the leaders in who were now over three minutes ahead. Into the final section of the race for the leaders, Joe Perret started to tire and dropped out the back of the leading group. Only four were now left to contest the steep uphill sprint finish. Joshua Edmonson went flat out up the hill and out sprinted Perry Bowater to be first across the finish line.
Joshua Edmunson claiming the win but is relegated to sixth for gearing problems after taking a wheel from neutral service when he punctured. Perry Bowater is 2nd over the line and takes the win after a request to check the gearing of Joshua who is then placed 6th.
A post race deliberation of the Commissaires upheld an appeal against Joshua Edmonson who was relegated to 6th place after it discovered that his wheel change had given him an unfair advantage, by riding a non junior gear.
After the announcement of the relegation of Joshua Edmonson, Perry Bowater said. “I am happy with the decision; I noticed that he was pedalling a lot slower than me when he caught us back up, so I looked at his gears so I said to John Cooper – his gears not right he’s over geared. He should have noticed that his gear was not right and put his hand up again to get it changed. I feel really happy to have won; it’s my first major win this season in the UK.”
Ben Berry is ill on the 2nd lap and retires
The break on the climb
Tom Moses chasing down the leaders
The long drag on the back of the course
Tom Moses joins the leaders
Leaders joined by Joe Perret who takes up the pace with Tom Moses
Chasing group
Sandy King, Felix English and David Nichols don't give up the chase
Joe Perret tries his luck with an attack on the climb at the bell
Feed Zone half way up the climb
1. Perry Bowater BC West Midlands Region 115K in 2hrs51m43s
2. Jamie Rogers Scunthorpe Poly CC Jack Tighe @ 4s
3. Tom Moses Team Wallis-CHH Electronics-Telenet-Wallis Cycles @ 11s
4. Joe Perrett Glenedene CC Biketrax Specialized Bioracer Maxim @ 1m52s
5. John Cooper BC West Midlands Region @ 2m15s
6. Joshua Edmonson Glenedene CC Biketrax Specialized Bioracer Maxim s.t.
7. Jamie Shirlaw Liverpool Century @ 3m05s
8. David Nichols Glenedene CC Biketrax Specialized Bioracer Maxim @ 3m10s
9. Paul Fostun Raleigh Avanti Racing Team s.t.
10. Robert Hassan Rockhard Racing MTB Club s.t.
11. Alex Murison Glenedene CC Biketrax Specialized Bioracer Maxim s.t.
12. Rhys Gravelle C.M.C s.t.
13. Alexander King Twickenham CC s.t.
14. Lewis Balyckyi Team Wallis-CHH Electronics-Telenet-Wallis Cycles s.t.
15. Mark Baxter West Drayton MBC Beyond Mountain Bikes @3m20s
16. Jack Salt Team Pedal Power Loughborough @3m22s
17. Ben Goddard West Midlands Development Team @3m31s
18. Ewan McDonald BC West Midlands Region @3m39s
19. Matthew Hamilton Discovery Junior CC @6m44s
20. George Pearl BC Eastern Region @6m50s
21. Paul Young Glenedene CC Biketrax Specialized Bioracer Maxim @7m35s
22. James Lowsley-Williams Chippenham Wheelers s.t.
23. Joe Corden West Midlands Development Team @7m41s
24. Finlay Young Equipe Velo Ecosse Montpelliers Harley Haddow @7m44s
25. Mike Gregg Team Probikekit.com @7m51s
26. Samuel Deakin Somerset RC Bicycle Chain s.t.
27. Tom Yeatman Glenedene CC Biketrax Specialized Bioracer Maxim s.t.
28. Rowan Marshall Bynea CC @8m06s
29. Matt Gittings AW Cycles @9m42s
30. Chris Hughes BC Eastern Region @9m47s
31. Tim Allen VC Lincoln @9m53s
32. Tom Stockdale BC West Midlands Region s.t.
33. James Bowtell Ingear Development Squad One Life Sports & Leisure @9m58s
34. Andrew Leith Discovery Junior CC @10m01s
35. Matthew Jones Cwmcarn Paragon RC Dudleys Pontllanfraith Discount Carpets @11m15s
36. Felix English Team Corridori Specialized @14m.38s
37. Jake Martin Rapha Condor @15m17s
38. Drew Holmes Ingear Development Squad One Life Sports & Leisure @15m21s
39. Alexander Simmons West Midlands Development Team @15m26s
40. Alexander Tyrrell Garstang Cycling Club @15m33s
41. Tom Fitzpatrick BC Eastern Region @18m58s
NOTES: Joshua Edmonson/Glendene CC – Relegated from 1st to 6th; TEAM: BC West Midlands Region
