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38th Severn Bridge Road Race
March 7, 2010; by Richard Robotham
Phil Sykes of the Sigma Sport Specialized racing team has won the 38th edition of the Severn Bridge Road Race near Bristol. Skyes, who won the recent Imperial Winter Series at Hillingdon in some style, used that good form to beat Raleigh's James Stewart and Grant Bayton of the Wilier/Big Maggys/Prendas Ciclismo racing team in the 66 mile road event.
Phil Sykes celebrates a fine victory in the long running Severn Bridge Road Race.
Race Report
In bright sunshine but freezing temperatures, a field of 80 riders left the start at Old Down near Bristol with 66 miles of rolling roads ahead of them. Eventual winner, Phil Sykes (Sigma Sport/Specialized) wasted no time going into attack mode. Along with Andrew Magnier (Cycle Premier Metaltek), the two leapt clear of the peloton and held on to contest the first prime won by Sykes.
Their lead over the bunch however was slender and the race soon came back together before more riders tried their luck. The manic pace saw the big group split on lap two with 19 riders going clear including last years winner, Marcin Bialoblocki (Wilier/BigMaggys.com/Prendas Ciclismo). Luck however deserted Bialoblocki when he double punctured while still on lap two.
He quickly swapped both wheels with teammate Jon Pain but was unable to rejoin the leaders. The Polish rider continued to chase on his own for the whole race and managed to get back to the bunch on the last lap.
John Pain (Wilier/Big Maggys/Prendas Ciclismo RT) drives the race up Old Down Hill.
The 18 leaders, now minus Bialoblocki, continued to work well together and soon had a two minute lead over the fragmenting bunch. Chasers would come and go but no-one was getting close to the lead group and it wasn’t until the bell lap, that the race came alive with an attack from the break.
Two riders had gone clear, Mark Perry (Wilier/BigMaggys.com/Prendas Ciclismo) and Richard Cartland (Corley Cycles) and they had a lead of around 20 seconds with 6.6 miles to go.
With such a slender lead and the numbers game against them, Perry and Cartland were unable to keep their advantage over the chasers and with the finish line fast approaching, the 16 were soon back together readying themselves for the sprint.
With only 400 yards left of the 66 mile race, Sykes attacked and found no-one was able to hold his wheel and the Sigma rider crossed the line several lengths clear of his nearest challenger.
Slideshow of photos from the race
Post Race Reactions
2010 race winner Phil Sykes of Sigma Sport Specialized said his win was fantastic and totally unexpected. He went on to say that the last two laps were hiddeous as there were a lot of team pairs in the lead group, and he was only expecting to finish in the top ten. He said that he just expected to sit in at the back of the lead group as they caught the two breakaway riders before the last climb but didnt expect the group to slow as they went over the top of the hill. Knowing he wasn't a great sprinter, he decided to attack with 400 metres to go, expecting the rest of the riders to come flying past him. He didnt realise he had won until he crossed the finish line.
2nd placed rider, James Stewart (Raleigh), said he was pleased with second place as he had concentrated on power training over the winter which had helped him to keep in touch with today's race winner Phil Sykes when he launched his attack for the finish. He said that the even tempo of the race had helped him during the race and he didnt feel disadvantaged for being a lone team rider and now looked forward to the rest of the season.
3rd placed rider, Grant Bayton (Wilier/BigMaggys.com/Prendas Ciclismo), said he was disappointed not to win but pleased to be on the podium as he felt his form was good for today's race. The good conditions, together with the large groups, made it easier than in previous years where the field had been smaller. With such a big leading group, he and fellow team mate Mark Perry tried to split the group.
His team mate, Mark Perry, along with Richard Cartland (Team Corley Cycles) managed to breakaway with two laps to go, gaining a 25 second advantage, allowing Bayton to sit at the back of the group for a while, but other riders in the group started to claw back the two leaders and they were finally caught just before the final climb. Bayton said he had saved his legs on the last lap, felt good on the final climb and thought he may have a chance. But, when Phil Sykes attacked, none of the others responded, so he counter-attacked first, using the grass verge to go around everyone, however fast sprinter James Stewart managed to come past him to take second place.
Afterwards, Mark Perry (Wilier/BigMaggys.com/Prendas Ciclismo) had this to say about his attempt to get away on the final lap. “After getting away on the penultimate climb with Richard Cartland, we opened up a decent gap and worked well. I really thought we had it in the bag but we got caught so close to the finish – I’m just gutted as it’s our local race and we had so much support out there today”.
Result (full)
1. Phil Sykes, Simga Sport Specialized
2. James Stewart, Raleigh
3. Grant Bayton, Wilier/Big Maggys/Prendas Ciclismo RT
4. Jack Kirk , Team Zappi’s
5. Lee Davis, Motor Point Candi
6. Duncan Jamieson, Felt Colbornes
7. Blake Pond, South Fork Racing
8. Gary Chambers, South Fork Racing
KOM: Richard Tanguy (Pendragon Colnago)
Note: Only eight riders placed out of the 16 in the leading group.
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