Alex Blain of Endura Racing solos to victory in the 2012 CiCLE Classic
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Podium for the 2012 CiCLE Classic: James McCallum (3rd, Rapha), Alex Blain (Endura Racing) and Jamie Sparling (2nd, Raleigh GAC). Race winners jersey by BioracerÂ
Just as he was in the Maldon Dengie Tour, Alex Blain of Endura Racing, in his favourite type of race, was clearly the strongest and the winning margin of almost two minutes says it all. It was many riders agreed, an Epic race where the conditions played as much a part in the race than anything.
Riders afterwards talked of the cold and attacking to keep warm. It rained the whole day, and it was cold rain with one official saying that with wind chill, the temperature was more like minus one or two. The race was also shortened due to flooded roads and Jamie Sparling (2nd) said afterwards the water got deeper and deeper on one section of road.
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Alex Blain “I’m very very happy to win this race. We tried a lot to split the bunch and be more selective on the sectors and more and more on the sectors I tried to force it and force it. I had bad puncture on the first part of Somerberg and I came back straight away and I still felt good.”
“On the Burrough on the Hill climb, I knew I had to try something because every lap the others were struggling and I wanted to try and split it and thought someone would come with me but when I saw I was on my own, I think maybe it is a long way to go, 25 to 30k …â€
“First, I tried to open up a big gap and I did that but the last three kilometres were horrible because I did a lot of efforts to get that gap and I just tried to maintain my rhythm but my legs were cooked. It is though easier when you are in the front than chasing behind, so mentally it was a bit easier.â€
Alex also shrugged off the cold saying “Sure, it gets to you but you need to be a warrior in a race like this, it’s in your head and you just keep thinking, go for it, go for it… It is a really nice win and a great race. I am happy to have my name on the winners list, really happy.â€
PHOTO ALBUM FROM DAVE O’NYONS
Picture report from start to finish …
Alex Blain celebrates another victory in Britain for his team Endura Racing.
Pouring rain for the start and Alex Blain is already at the front of the peloton.
 First lap of Rutland Water and a Flanders rider has a small lead everything is still pretty much together.
Niklas Gustavsson ( UK Youth, right in white) and Simon Richardson (IG Sigma Sport) lead a split of a few dozen riders which happened we understand with an attack by last years winner Zak Dempster and Endura Racing were certainly well represented in the break. Included in the break were Jamie Sparling (Raleigh GAC), Ian Wilkinson (Endura Racing), Peter Williams (Node 4), Yanto Barker (UK Youth), Bernie Sulzberger (Raleigh GAC), Alex Blain, Zak Dempster  and Iker Camano (all Endura Racing). Just a small number of the riders in that first break.Â
First KoM and  Niklas Gustavsson ( UK Youth) is again on the front with Jamie Sparling in close attendance.
Chasing was Russell Downing (Endura Racing) whose bad luck at the start saw him chasing the leaders all day.
Just after Pickwell a few hours into the race and there was a very big lead group not really going full gas as you can see.
An hour and a half later of standing in the rain and we first get the news the race has been shortened because of flooding and then a break of three come through lead by Alex Blain with Jamie Sparling and Yanto Baker.
And chasing them was a group of about a dozen or so lead by James McCallum and Simon Richardson.
Alex Blain winning another off road/on road race, one that he said afterwards makes up for his bad luck at the French equivalent , TroBro.
The pain of the ride is still there as he peels away the layers of Endura Equipe clothing after his victory.
PREVIEW: 2012 Cicle Classic Preview
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RESULTS
1 BLAIN Alexander Endura Racing 04:36:33
2 SPARLING Jamie Raleigh – GAC @1:59
3 McCALLUM James Rapha Condor Sharp @2:02
4 ERLER Tobias Arbo-Gebruder-Weiss @2:39
5 BARKER Yanto Team UK Youth @2:57
6 WILLIAMS Pete Node 4 – Giordana Racing @4:40
7 SYBRANDY Wouter IG – Sigma Sport @5:30
8 CAMANO Iker Endura Racing st
9 ADAMS Stephen CyclePremier @7:19
10 SMAIL Robert Team Wallis CHH st
11 JORGENSEN Kasper Linde Glud & Marstrand – LRO @7:23
12 BACKSTEDT Magnus Team UK Youth st
13 NICHOLSON Michael Asfra-Flanders @8:32
14 DOWNING Russell Endura Racing @13:44
15 BJERGFELT William CyclePremier @16:29
16 BIALOBLOCKI Marcin Node 4 – Giordana Racing st
17 BRIGGS Graham Raleigh – GAC @18:57
18 HAWDON Andrew Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes st
19 HOLT Simon Raleigh – GAC st
20 HOLOHAN Liam Raleigh – GAC @19:15
21 SULZBERGER Bernard Raleigh – GAC st
22 NORTHEY Mike Node 4 – Giordana Racing st
Hot Spot Sprints
Oakham
1. WILLIAMS Pete Node 4 – Giordana Racing
2. CAMANO Iker Endura Racing
3. SPARLING Jamie Raleigh – GAC
Owston 1
1 BLAIN Alexander Endura Racing
2 SPARLING Jamie Raleigh – GAC
3 McCALLUM James Rapha Condor Sharp
Owston 2
1 BLAIN Alexander Endura Racing
2 SPARLING Jamie Raleigh – GAC
3 WILLIAMS Pete Node 4 – Giordana Racing
Corporate Ascents King of the Bergs
Cold Overton 1
1 GUSTAVSSON Niklas Team UK Youth
2 ERLER Tobias Arbo-Gebruder-Weiss
3 SPARLING Jamie Raleigh – GAC
4 MOORE George CyclePremier
Burrough on the Hill 1
1 SPARLING Jamie Raleigh – GAC
2 ERLER Tobias Arbo-Gebruder-Weiss
3 ADAMS Stephen CyclePremier
4 SULZBERGER Bernard Raleigh – GAC
Burrough on the Hill 2
1 SPARLING Jamie Raleigh – GAC
2 ERLER Tobias Arbo-Gebruder-Weiss
3 BARKER Yanto Team UK Youth
4 SULZBERGER Bernard Raleigh – GAC
Burrough on the Hill 3
1 SPARLING Jamie Raleigh – GAC
2 GRIVELL-MELLOR Luke Rapha Condor Sharp
3 McCALLUM James Rapha Condor Sharp
4 BARKER Yanto Team UK Youth
Cold Overton 2
1 SPARLING Jamie Raleigh – GAC
2 BARKER Yanto Team UK Youth
3 BLAIN Alexander Endura Racing
4 ERLER Tobias Arbo-Gebruder-Weiss
KOM Classification
1 SPARLING Jamie Raleigh – GAC 22pts
2 ERLER Tobias Arbo-Gebruder-Weiss 10pts
3 BARKER Yanto Team UK Youth 6pts
Team Competition
Endura Racing
BLAIN Alexander Endura Racing
CAMANO Iker Endura Racing
DOWNING Russell Endura Racing
Most Aggressive Rider
BARKER Yanto Team UK Youth
Lanterne Rouge
NORTHEY Mike Node 4 – Giordana Racing
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