Report: 24th Roy Thame Cup Road Race

After racing in Belgium last year with An Post Dolan Bikes, Phillip Lavery is with Node 4 and continuing their winning streak with victory in the Roy Thame Cup in Buckinghamshire.

After two or three laps of attack and counter attack, a break finally escaped with the right combination with four major teams represented thanks to Tom Moses (100% ME),  Richard Lang (Rapha), Phillip Lavery (Node4) and Ben Stockdale (Metaltek Scott).

While UK Youth gave it a good go at chasing it down, it wasn’t until the final lap that a group got close to bridging to them but three of the break stayed clear and after a long headwind sprint, Philip Lavery crossed the line arms aloft and clearly delighted to have won.

Phillip Lavery wins the 24th Roy Thame Trophy from Richard Lang.

More later.

Preview: Click here to read about the race

Post Race Reactions

Phil Lavery: It was hard today. We went early and I had just come back from a puncture, got back into the bunch and went again. Towards the end, the guys were getting up to us, George Atkins came across and on the climb, I attacked again and split the group. At the finish, Moses made his move and I took his wheel and knew it was a headwind, so I waited as long as possible. I stuck it in the 53×11 and knew once I was in front, they were not going coming to come round me”.

“The level here is really good and there are a lot of pro riders and it is different to Belgium and a level I can win at, maybe consistently, and that is what teams are looking for. I had glandular fever last year and have had a rough few years so I just want to get back into the habit of winning, one step at a time.”

“I said to the guys once we had 40 seconds, We just have to ride here because there is no-one stronger than the four teams in our group so everyone did their bit, no-one glass cranked, everyone realised there was a job to do and got on with it.”

“The course was quite hard and it was quite windy. There is nothing that stands out, no major climbs, but it is like national championship course where it’s fast and rolling but after a few miles you’re wondering why your legs hurt so much and its down to the course. The surface wasn’t great but that is the way it goes. Anywhere in the world, you’ll get that and you can’t change that.”

Richard Lang (Rapha Condor Sharp): After Australian Darren Lapthorne had won this race two years ago in the Rapha colours, Sydney’s Richard Lang went close, pushing Phillip Lavery of Ireland all the way to the line. “I saw Darren’s name on the winners list and did think it would be nice to put it on the board but it was a pretty difficult finish.”

“I tried to leave it as late as possible, with the headwind and having been out there all race. Form is starting to come good for Normandy next week, that’s a big goal and the team rode awesome today. We were going with all the moves and made the move that mattered.”

“I was glad it was warmer today because the body doesn’t like the cold like we had at the Eddie Soens. I am enjoying the racing here. It’s similar to back home where no team is really strong enough to control it so it’s a free for all until something snaps out.”

“It was full tilt for the first two laps where we pretty much covered everything and eventually something went that had the right combination with four big teams. We all worked really well together and I was glad we stayed away until the finish otherwise I’d have been buggered.”

“The scene here is a little stronger than what we have in New South Wales and up there with the Australian racing. It’s really competitive. It was only two and half hours, but 110k of really undulating roads.”

Photo Story

UK Youth on the attack as the flag for the race is pulled into the lead car.

Keiran Friend leads three riders away on the first lap, one of many early breaks

Chris McNamara has a dig outside Boldolph Claydon

Some seriously nice cottages along the route of today’s race.

Tom Moses, winner in 2011, drives the break along ahead of Richard Lang and Ben Stockdale.

Having missed the break, UK Youth are forced to chase.

Bell Lap, Tom Smith leads a chase group from which George Atkins was the only one to join the leaders.

FULL RESULTS (thanks Paul Thomson)

1 Philip Lavery Node4 – Giordana Racing
2 Richard Lang Rapha Condor Sharp
3 Thomas Moses 100% ME
4 George Atkins 100% ME
5 Ben Stockdale Metaltek – Scott
6 Simon Yates 100% ME
7 Yanto Barker Team UK Youth (UCI Team)
8 David Clarke Node4 – Giordana Racing
9 Steve Golla High Wycombe Cycling Club
10 Colin Parry Wilier/Live to Ride
11 Mike Cuming Rapha Condor Sharp
12 Harry Bulstrode Peter Hansford Cycles
13 Russell Falder Cyclepremier Racing Team
14 Joseph Kelly 100% ME
15 Marcel Six Metaltek – Scott
16 Sam Harrison 100% ME
17 Dale Appleby Metaltek – Scott
18 Oliver Rossi Rapha Condor Sharp
19 Nik Gustavsson Team UK Youth (UCI Team)
20 Paul Crook WDMBC Beyond Mountainbikes/Rapidracer Products
21 Matt Higgins Node4 – Giordana Racing
22 Adam Bright Primal Europe Powered By RuTrainingToday.co.uk
23 James Moss Node4 – Giordana Racing
24 Greg Mansell Team UK Youth (UCI Team)
25 Peter Wager Felt-Colbornes RT
26 Conor Ryan Performance Cycles-CMI
27 Matthew Jones Team Corley Cycles/Blue
28 Gruff Lewis Team UK Youth (UCI Team)
29 Kieran Frend Node4 – Giordana Racing
30 Will Bjergfelt Wilier / Live2Ride
31 Tim Elverson Pedal Heaven RT
32 Paul Robertson Spin-Rotor Racing Team
33 James Jones Beeline Bicycles RT
34 Richard Mardle Felt-Colbornes RT
35 Daniel Crawley Pro Cycle Hire UK Racing Team
36 Chris Jennings Rapha Condor Sharp
37 Richard Wood Team Milton Keynes
38 Joe Holloway VC10
39 Ashley Cox Team Corley Cycles/Blue
40 Mike Jackson CC Luton
41 Mark Baines Spirit Racing Team
42 Henry Latimer Dream Cycling
43 Tom Stockdale Primal Europe Powered By RuTrainingToday.co.uk
44 Ben Simmons Team Wiggle
45 Anders Christiensen Pedal Heaven RT
46 Douglas Coleman CC Luton
47 James Fox CC Luton
48 John Wager Felt-Colbornes RT
49 Will Jenkins Spirit RT
50 Alistair Slater 100% ME
51 Chris McNamara Pedal Heaven RT
52 Richard Cartland of Team Corley Cycles
53 Andy Betts Felt-Colbornes RT
54 Simon Henley Team Corley Cycles/Blue
55 Andrew Hastings Metaltek – Scott
56 Scott Holmes Hillingdon Cycling Club
57 Nickolas Baker Zappi’s CC

Category 3/4
1 Matthew Barrett cycle shack /forme coaching
2 Gavin Atkins Hemel Hempstead CC
3 Jason Lazard www.twenty3c.co.uk
4 James Walker High Wycombe Cycling Club
5 Richard John Spirit Racing Team
6 James Archibald G.S. Henley
7 Ian Baynes Hemel Hempstead CC
8 Thomas McLaren East London Vélo
9 Sean Dines Team Corley Cycles
10 Jason Painton rides on air
11 Paul Bird Virgin Active
12 Spencer Turnbull Spirit Racing Team
13 Paul Bennett Bio Cadenza RT
14 Simon Oxenham VC10
15 Vaughan Luff De Ver Cycles
16 Christopher Stuart-Leach iCycle
17 Luke Souter Banbury Star CC
18 Joe Clark High Wycombe Cycling Club
19 Alex Toghill Twickenham CC
20 Daniel Tamplin Aylesbury CC
21 Lubomir Belak Welwyn Whls CC
22 Glenn McMenamin www.twenty3c.co.uk
23 Sacha Wilson Reading CC
24 Hamish Floyd G.S. Henley
25 Peter Hudson Durham University Cycling Club
26 Richard Jerome Willesden Cycling Club
27 Chris Grange Hemel Hempstead CC
28 Anthony Goodwin CC Luton
29 Andy Mckay Zappi’s Cycling Club
30 Andrew Daniels Zappi’s Cycling Club
31 Paul O’Sullivan London Phoenix CC
32 Roland Clark Velo Club Rutland/Rutland Cycling.com
33 Stephen Goodman www.twenty3c.co.uk
34 Doug Baldock In Gear Quickvit Trainsharp Racing Team
35 Michael Ward Velo Club Montpellier
36 Lindz Barral www.twenty3c.co.uk
37 Stuart Williams Reading CC
38 William Macke AW Cycles
39 Andy Lack Kingston Whls CC
40 Simon Moss Spirit Racing Team
41 Chris Parks Spirit Racing Team
42 Gavin Mitchell Twickenham CC
43 Chris Clarke London Phoenix CC
44 Simon Howes Spirit Racing Team
45 Kevin Holloway VC10
46 Jacek Reder
47 Andy Sykes Team Quest – The Bike Shop
48 Adam Elderfield Team Quest – The Bike Shop
49 John Lacey Anders Electronics/TMG Horizon RT
50 Joseph Crolla AW Cycles
51 Sam Williamson Hemel Hempstead CC
52 Neil Heffernan Vivelo-Bikes/Inverse Cyclaim RT
53 Will Houghton Hillingdon Cycling Club
54 Callum Oliver Rapha Condor Cycling Club
55 Rich Cooper Willesden Cycling Club
56 Mark Lawn ViVelo-Bikes/Inverse CyClaim RT
57 George Aston Welwyn Whls CC
58 Joshua Swords Pedal Heaven RT
59 Rich Cooper Willesden Cycling Club
60 Mark Lawn ViVelo-Bikes/Inverse CyClaim RT
61 Dean Wagner CAF/Operation Rebound

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