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Report: Ham Hill & Pittards Trophy Road Races

Sunday 10th April 2011
Race HQ: Nuffield Sports Pavilion, Ilchester
Promoted By: Yeovil Cycling Club
Report & Images: Graham Robins (grahamrobins.net)

These two races used a course through the Somerset countryside which was mainly flat except for one long climb to tackle on each lap. The weather was lovely with bright sunshine and high temperatures.

The Ham Hill E/1/2 race was first away tackling four laps and a total of 96 km (60 miles). As the full field of eighty riders pulled away from the HQ the pace was ramped up and as they became de-neutralised two riders attacked off the front as they approached the climb for the first time.

Jake Martin (Pendragon Le Col) and John Heaton-Armstrong ((Le Col) were the first to show with Benjamin Pearce (Andover Wheelers) a few seconds behind. The bunch was a further 10secs behind with Ben Stockdale (Qoroz) on the front.

On the second lap the two leaders had pulled out a large gap of 40secs with Peter Kench (GWR Team) 10secs clear of the bunch. After this the speed increased with riders reporting speeds of over 30mph as the race approached the business end. At the front was the Qoroz team trying to open a gap for Ben Stockdale, but the strong Pendragon team had other ideas.

The third lap saw the front of the race come back together with the Pendragon team now on the front. Gaps started to appear behind a group of about twelve riders and those that weren't in the group were soon dropped before the climb

The last lap saw Marcin Bialobocki (Motorpoint) driving the race with a gap of 50m up the climb. Before the summit of the climb riders had pulled Marcin back and again it was the ever hard working Pendragon team doing all the chasing. Once at the top there was a scramble to get across before the long decent and Justin Hoy followed by team mate Lee Smith managed to make the jump across and this was the race-defining move.

Through the twisty villages and tight bends it was Pendragon trying to put as many riders on the front in order to control it for Chris Opie. With less than 300m to go all the lead out men were trying to get there man on the front. Will Bjerfelt (Motorpoint) was leading out Marcin, Chris Opie was there and so was Justin Hoy. Chris looked over his shoulder to see where Justin was and then started his sprint but he went a little early which allowed Justin through to claim the win. At the finish Justin said that he "had to follow a wheel" and it was Chris's that gave him the sprint he needed.

Provisional Result

1st Justin Hoy Felt- Colbornes 2hrs 14mins 5secs
2nd Chris Opie Pendragon Le Col Colnago @st
3rd Marcin Bialobocki Motorpoint @st
4th Ben Stockdale Qoroz @st
5th Ben Luckwell Willer -Go Self Drive @st
6th James Williams Primal Europe/RUTT/Ricci @st

The support race was three laps 72km (45miles) of the same course as the main race. The race stayed together for most of the first lap before there was a serious attack.

The first rider to show was Ashley Martin (Chippenham Wheelers) who managed to get a 30sec gap over the bunch, but there didn't seem any urgency for them the close him down and he was soon pulled back as they climbed out of Yeovil on the second lap.

As the bunch came into few to take the bell it was all together and it stayed that way until the sprint for the finish. As they approached 200m from the line and the leaders clear there was a crash in the middle of the chasing bunch after a touch of wheels brought down several riders.

With the line looming quickly it was Simon Snowdon (Chippenham Wheelers) and Ian Fensome (Exeter Wheelers) that were clear of the bunch and it was Simon just piping Ian to take the win.

Provisional Result

1st Simon Snowdon Chippenham Wheelers 1hr 47mins 5secs
2nd Ian Fensome Exeter Wheelers @st
3rd Ashley Martin Chippenham Wheelers @st
4th Steve Chattell Somerset RC @st
5th Ken Holder Paramount CRT @st
5th Keith Satchwell Primal Europe/RUT

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British Cycling would like to thank the organising team, officials and everyone else who helped promote this event. Our sport could not exist without the hundreds of people, many of them unpaid volunteers, who put in many hours of hard work running events, activities and clubs.