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Roy Thame Cup and Spring Chicken RRs
Story posted March 13, 2010; by Richard Robotham
Former Australian road race champion Darren Lapthorne (Rapha Condor/Sharp) won the Roy Thame Cup road race in Buckinghamshire on Saturday. Attacking in the final few miles, Lapthorne held on to win the race by 50 metres as the riders battling for second came close to reeling him in on the line.
Darren Lapthorne's low key celebration after winning the Roy Thame Cup.
Roy Thame Cup Road Race (video of the race)
A class field with some of Britain’s top pros lined up in Charndon for this early season race promoted by Hemel Hempstead CC. In all, 76 riders were on the start line including a very strong Rapha Condor Sharp team lead by British champion, Kristian House.
In overcast and windy conditions, the riders set off and very quickly, a break formed with Girvan winner Marcin Bialoblocki (Wilier/Big Maggys.com/Prendas) and Dan Staite (Cycles Dauphin) quickly building up a sizeable lead. There were a few chasers who tried to bridge the gap but it wasn’t until Rapha Condor Sharp put the hammer down and very quickly the large peloton was reduced to three smaller groups.
With two laps to go, the leaders had been pulled back and what was left of the lead group was a picture of aggression as riders attacked and counter attacked to get away. Rapha were figuring strongly in these moves as their sprinter Zak Desmpster had broken a chain and it was after riders from the men in black (Rapha) were brought back, that Lapthorne countered and hung on to take the victory.
Early break lead by Dan Staite.
Post Race Reaction
Darren Lapthorne (Rapha/Condor/Sharp)
"The race started slow and steady with the usual attacks going off the front. We had the plan to let the break go and then bring it together at the end for a sprint finish for Zak Dempster. Unfortunately, he snapped his chain so we ended up changing our tactics which gave us the opportunities to go up the road.”
“I enjoyed the last lap, it was quite aggressive racing. Tom and Dan were up the road with a few kilometres to go and I thought the race was over and I was quite relieved at that as I thought they had a good chance to win and I didn't feel great today. But then it came back together and I thought it's an opportunity, I'll go for it and went solo and managed to hold them off.”
"My particular aims this year are the Tours, the Tour of Normandy, Bretagne, and so on. I'll definitely be doing some of the Tour Series crits as well, probably the harder ones. A short and sharp race like today was probably what I need at the moment. I have been doing plenty of kilometres and I'm ready for the racing to start. The racing here is fairly similar to what I'd do in Bendigo or Victoria (Australia). The style of racing, with everyone wanting to go for their own opportunities, aggressive and the tactics are not like the big races where there are teams involved. It is more about individuals racing. I enjoyed it and it's great training."
James Stewart (Raleigh)
"I can’t be disappointed with second but it’s a bit annoying having three of them so far this year. Every race this season I’ve been second probably because of being ganged up on by other teams."
"Today, there were six Rapha’s and six Williers plus lots of other Teams blocking every move I tried. I think it’s because all of my team mates live up north and I’m the only southerner! Again, I'm not disappointed as I felt strong enough to win today but I think Rapha must have known this as I got away with two of them with John Pain and neither of the Rapha Riders would work to gain an advantage."
"I tried to go with every move but missed the winning one. If I’d had a further 50 metre to the line, I would have won it. I’m pleased with how my winter has gone despite it being a hard Winter. This year I’ve been working full time and my partner and I have a baby as well."
"I’ll be honest, having a baby is working well because I can get up 6am and feed and change him, then go out on my bike for three hour before I go to work. This will help keep my racing fitness up."
Race Slideshow from Richard Robotham
Video Interview -- British Champion Kristian House
RESULT (click here for the full result -- page also includes video of this race)
1. Darren Lapthorne Rapha Condor Sharp
2. James Stewart Team Raleigh - Raleigh / High 5 / Skoda
3. Andrew Magnier Cycle Premier - Metaltek Pro CRT
4. Andy Betts SigmaSport Specialized CT
5. Tom Southam Rapha Condor Sharp
6. Dan Craven Rapha Condor Sharp
7. John Wager Felt - Colbornes RT / Felt / Colbornes / Zipp / Castelli / Tiger
8. Jon Pain Wilier / BigMaggys.com / Prendas Cyclismo
9. Llewellyn Kinch GWR Team - Swindon Cycles / High 5 / Kalas / Scott Wilson / Diamond-HF
10. Grant Bayton Wilier / BigMaggys.com / Prendas Cyclismo
Spring Chicken Road Race
Nathan Smith celebrated the birth of his son (above) four weeks earlier, with victory in the category 3-4 race. A break of three riders, Jonathon Shurbelt (Verulam CC), Ian Knight (Virgin Active) and Paul Dring (Team Echelon-Spuik) dominated the race despite never having a big lead over the main peloton. The leaders had help come up to them in the form of Gavin Atkins but it was enough and they were caught in the final five miles of the race.
With most of the 80 riders who had started still in the peloton, the sprint for the win saw a big bunch kick and it was Smith, racing down the left hand side of the road who clinched the victory and then promptly celebrated with his arms rocking the cradle to show everyone who the win was dedicated to.
Smith later admitted he was surprised with the victory as he had only had a couple of hours sleep the previous night and had not done a lot of training prior to the race. His sprint though didn’t let him down after he had spent the race at the back of the field, not worried about the break staying clear. Such was his speed, Smith admitted that he knew he had the victory with 200 metres to go after he’d managed to sneak through a gap and give it full gas.
The early break does their best to hold off the chasers
Race Slideshow from Richard Robotham
RESULT (click here for the full result)
1. Nathan Smith London Phoenix
2. James Norris High Wycombe CC
3. Gavin Atkins Hemel Hempstead CC
4. Luke Smith Whyte Racing UK
5. Stephen Shellard BC Private Member
6. Gareth Dickinson Farnborough & Camberley CC - Collard Waste Mngmnt / Porsche Centre Guildford
7. Christopher Dick London Phoenix
8. Adam Ellis Spalding CC - Gibbons Cycles / Shareteq
9. Tom Neale Inverse Racing - Bikefood / Continental / Bikepure
10. Alex Turner Team Trisports
