Report/Results/Photos! Eddie Soens Memorial

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The 2013 Eddie Soens Memorial has been won by Ed Clancy (Rapha Condor JLT) in a bunch finish of over a hundred riders. 

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The 2013 Eddie Soens Memorial has been won by Ed Clancy (Rapha Condor JLT) in a bunch finish of over a hundred riders with New Zealander Thomas Scully of Raleigh-GAC second and Ian Bibby (Genesis Madison) third.

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Eddie Soens decides to drown me in champagne after winning the 2013 Eddie Soens. He said afterwards, he was very confident of winning the race and that showed in the ease he crossed the line first.

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One of the biggest bunch gallops you will see in Britain in 2013 with the winner being Olympic Champion Ed Clancy

On a day when the sun shone, and there was little wind, the chances of the race breaking up were slim and so it proved. The various groups lined up for the start at 9.30am with the first group only seconds behind the Elite one as it left the start line.

Raleigh-GAC didn’t waste anytime putting riders on the front of the scratch group and they were soon picking up the groups in front.

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First group get ready to start in bright sunshine.

The race was marred by a number of crashes needing the ambulance including one in the back straight where over 20 riders hit the deck. No surprise then when one of the riders commented afterwards he was in fear of his life a few times!

The last third of the race though were pretty much crash free and while there were attacks off the front, the men in black (RCS) were keeping the pace high as were Raleigh-GAC.

Into the final lap and there were various trains from the big teams gunning for the finish side by side with Richard Handley (Rapha Condor JLT) doing his ‘hero’ turn at the front for Clancy. It paid off and Clancy afterwards described how he was going to do this and that in the finish, but in the end, felt so good, he just sprinted round the outside of the riders in front on the final turn and headed for the line. Awesome ride!

Other Awards: Tom Murray won the Ken Matthews Memorial trophy. He explained afterwards how he and his two teammates knew it was going to be tough to get on the podium so went for this mid race sprint by attacking and going clear and hanging on to win the award.

Photo Album (100 plus photos)

Post Race Reactions

Ed Clancy “I felt really good all day. I was cruising at the start but didn’t know whether everybody else was feeling like that. It wasn’t a massively hard race like sometimes you get cross winds and the like. It was pretty easy sitting in the wheels but I was really up for it.”

“John (Herety) gave us a good team talk at the start and we wanted get a win on the sheets. John had said to me at the Claremont Hospital when we went for our fitness tests everyone is going to be riding for you, eleven riders, and I was at the track worlds dossing round and thought no pressure then!”

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Richard Handley puts his head down to get the Rapha train going with Ed Clancy in a great position

“So I felt quite nervous them riding for me and I didn’t want to let them down. Through that last turn, I felt so good. The plan was to go down the inside but I felt so good so I went around the outside of everyone and it was good.”

Asked how dangerous it was, Ed, twice an Olympic Champion, explained “It was when you were catching the other groups and they were coming back through the group. So every time we were catching a group, I tried to get to the front to avoid the carnage.”

Ed talked about how he has been training as well as relaxing like riding his (motox) trials bikes last weekend and then did some big rides on Monday and Tuesday, then on Wednesday a decent ride and then Thursday and Friday were easy days.

Talking us through the sprint, he explained how he made it look easy sprinting in the saddle. “People think I’m doing that to take the mick but I just think most of the time it’s faster. We do a lot of seated accelerations on the track and I just feel unless I really need to kick hard, I have got ultimately a longer and faster sprint if I stay seated and roll it out”.

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Olympian Lucy Martin joined fellow London Olympian Ed Clancy at the start.

“I did go a long way out and if you get out of the saddle, you can blow before the line and tie up.”

“Felix (English, Rapha Condor JLT) was on the front going into the last bend and then a Raleigh rider and then Jimmy (McCallum, Rapha Condor JLT) and it was all going to plan and Jimmy said he was going to go on the right and I was going to follow him and do them down the straight. But I just felt so good I went from mid turn as I didn’t want to get swamped on the corner. Two laps out it is always a bit dodgy but Richard Handley (Rapha Condor JLT) got on the front with a lap to go and did the biggest hero turn ever, he was going well. So thanks to the lads”.

“I didn’t spend a lot of time with the lads last year because of the Olympics so it’s good to come back and get a win straight away. The track is finished now so hopefully I’ll do a lot of road. It wasn’t easy getting ready for the Worlds (Track) so soon after the Olympics but now there is nothing now unless they have these qualifying races for the track, I’m looking forward to a full road season.”

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Dean Downing (Madison Genesis): “It wasn’t windy enough to split it to bits so it was very controlled and always going to be a bunch kick with 12 Raleigh’s and 12 Rapha’s so we just tried to get behind those trains. We (Dean and Ian Bibby) did a good job with that but it was very hairy as everyone in the top 20 was thinking they could win the bike race.”

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“I almost got my handlebars taken from me down the back straight when I was on Ed’s wheel and ended up 20th in the peloton and came round the outside but I ran out of legs after that. Ian made the podium so it’s a good start to the year. We had five riders here, half of what the other teams did. We came here under our own steam like, to have a hit out and decided to stay together in the pack.”

“It was always going to come down to a sprint and that had Mr Clancy’s name all over it so well done to Ed.”

Ian Bibby (3rd, Madison Genesis): “It was good race but a bit scrappy when we were catching the other groups and then at the finish everyone was fighting like mad. There was a Raleigh train and a Rapha train and I was trying to dive on to Ed’s wheel for most of it but that was hard work keeping the wheel and fighting so I did a bit of a late surge and got past a few in the sprint.”

“I started the season really well winning the Bike Show crit and then I was going well in Majorca (10th on a stage of the Majorca Challenge) so I have been trying to keep that form. We stayed on for a week after Challenge Majorca training so I did a big week then came home for a few easy days and then had my bike nicked so was off for four days.”

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Thomas Scully (2nd), Ed Clancy and Ian Bibby (3rd)

“I felt alright though. I don’t have a lot coming up right now so I am going to have a good weeks training and then we go to the Tour of Taiwan on the 18th.” The race will be quite hilly and Bibby says he wants to have a good go at that and is looking to do well.

Thomas Scully (Raleigh GAC): First race on the road in the UK and the New Zealander said “It was good to get going with a second placed podium with Raleigh. The boys got on the front early to take control and get things started and then coming into the finish, things got a bit hectic but I am really happy with how the guys performed out there today.”

“It was quite a bit of an unknown sprinting against these guys who I didn’t know but I have seen a few of them racing out in New Zealand and Australia before so I did recognise a few faces. We do race a lot of handicap races back in New Zealand but it was always going to be interesting to see how things go especially with 247 starters.”

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Mark O’Brien on the front for Raleigh followed by Russell Hampton.

Asked how such a new line up is gelling together, Thomas said “we gelled together in the training camp in Majorca at the start of the season and from then we had good vibes in the team and we’ve gone well from then on and we’re looking forward to plenty more podiums.”

“I have been here since the 26th of January and it was very cold to start but its been good, a fresh team for me and coming off the back of the Olympics and Brad’s win in the Tour, there is a good vibe in British racing”. Thomas and the team from Raleigh now jump in the cars to head for France and GP Lilliers and then off to the Roy Thame and Jock Wadley the week after.

Mark O’Brien (Raleigh-GAC) : First race in Britain for Raleigh’s Aussie signing Mark ‘Obrien and it was a rough and tumble affair for the riders. “We do a lot of handicap races back home but this was a pretty unique one because it came together so early. It was so still and flat which made it chaotic in the peloton to be honest.”

“It was fun but I was scared for my life for the majority. The first big crash that happened was a rider hitting my back wheel and the other one was right in front of me and I managed to pull a matrix manoeuvre around it but when I saw them laying down for the next ten laps, I thought that was a good one to miss!”

“It was a great race though with a good crowd and there is really good competition here with the other pro teams so it was a lot of fun. I stayed upright but it’s a shame we couldn’t come up with the win.”

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Raleigh-GAC-Manager Cherie Pridham gives her team talk in the warmth of the Golf Club cafe

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Tom Murray on the attack, netting the Ken Matthews Sprint award.

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Tom Barras on the attack

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Simon Wilson on the attack as well.

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Raleigh’s Evan Oliphant had a dig too in the closing stages with fellow Scotsman, James McCallum chasing for rival team Rapha. 

RESULT

1 Edward Clancy MBE Rapha Condor JLT E 1:40.14
2 Thomas Scully Team Raleigh 1 st
3 Ian Bibby Madison Genesis E st
4 Richard Lang Team Raleigh E st
5 Ryan Mullen Team IG – Sigma Sport E st
6 William Goulbourne V-Sprint 3 st
7 Christopher Lawless Kuota – Spinergy – GSG J1 st
8 David McGowan Metaltek – Knights of Old Racing Team 1 st
9 James McCallum Rapha Condor JLT E st
10 Matthew Gibson Velocity WD-40 J2 st
11 Christopher Whorrall Team IG – Sigma Sport 3 st
12 Charlie Tanfield Velo29 Cycling Team J2 st
13 Matt Cronshaw Team IG – Sigma Sport E st
14 Tom Murray Metaltek – Knights of Old Racing Team 1 st
15 Harry Tanfield Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes.com 1 st
16 Samuel Witmitz Team Raleigh 1 st
17 Hamish Haynes Team Hope Factory Racing 1 st
18 Tom Mazzone Team Manx Telecom 3 st
19 Dean Downing Madison Genesis E st
20 Matthew Pilkington Metaltek – Knights of Old Racing Team E st
21 Oliver Wood Team Sportscover J2 st
22 Jake Kelly Manx Viking Whls CC J2 st
23 Russell Hampton Team Raleigh E st
24 Tom Barras Wheelbase Altura MGD E st
25 James King Team Sportscover J1 st
26 Matthew Gee Team Corley Cycles 1 st
27 Simon Wilson Team Corley Cycles E st
28 Daniel Fox Airedale Chemical RT 3 st
29 Jack King Forme Bikes UK J3 st
30 Alexander Braybrooke Velocity WD-40 YA st
31 Jake Womersley Team Sportscover J2 st
32 James Locker V-Sprint 3 st
33 Richard Hepworth Node4 – Giordana Racing E st
34 Ellis Kirkbride Border City Wheelers CC YA st
35 Dan Spashett Team Wheelguru 3 st
36 Chris Nicholson Spin Rotor Primal C-Originals RT 2 st
37 Elliott Porter Rapha Condor JLT 1 st
38 Evan Oliphant Team Raleigh E st
39 Michael Rawson Kuota – Spinergy – GSG 2 st
40 Lucy Martin Dolmans Boels-2013 W st
41 Peter Banham Fred Williams Cycles 3 st
42 Will Stephenson Rapha Condor JLT E st
43 Ryan Bonser Team Wheelguru 3 st
44 James Newey Cadence Sport 1 st
45 Tom Trimble Cycle Club Ashwell (CCA) 4 st
46 Adam Lewis Wolverhampton Whls J2 st
47 Paul Griffin Rhyl Cycling Club 4 st
48 Jacob Scott Team Sportscover J1 st
49 Joe Evans Hargroves Cycles RT-Specialized J2 st
50 Matthew Ryan Rhos On Sea Cycling Club 2 st
51 Matt Lee NFTO 2 st
52 Tom Bracegirdle Biketreks Racing Academy 2 st
53 Frank Pilkington Bill Nickson Cycles RT 2 st
54 Stephen Swindley PMR@Toachim House 2 st
55 Aaron Buggle Rapha Condor JLT E st
56 Andrew Coupe WHEELBASE.co.uk/MGD 1 st
57 William Rudgard Dynamic Bicycles UK/RPC 2 st
58 Felix English Rapha Condor JLT 1 st
59 Andrew Griffiths Team IG – Sigma Sport E st
60 Matthew Robinson All Terrain Cycles 2 st
61 Joshua Knights Champion System/Maxgear/Base J2 st
62 Adam Howells Fred Williams Cycles 2 st
63 Dominic Jelfs Madison Genesis 2 st
64 Oscar Williamson Mossley CRT YA st
65 Kristian Zentek Team Leapfrog 3 st
66 Owen Jeffries Bristol RC 3 st
67 Craig Seaman County Cycles Racing Team 2 st
68 Luc Hall Kuota – Spinergy – GSG J2 st
69 John Holt County Cycles Racing Team 1M st
70 Peter Murdoch Paisley Velo Race Team 1 st
71 Leigh Cowell Kuota – Spinergy – GSG 2 st
72 James Gullen Team Hope Factory Racing E st
73 Terry Byrne Para-T Cycling Team 2 st
74 Darran Acton Team Leapfrog 4M st
75 Martin Woffindin Cycle Sport Pendle 2 st
76 Oliver Payton Cycle Sport Pendle J3 st
77 Adam Blakeley Pendle Forest CC 3 st
78 Lee Tunnicliffe Clay Cross Road Team 2 st
79 Christopher Welburn Forme Bikes UK J3 st
80 Christian Ellis Team Wheelguru 3M st
81 James Sampson Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes.com E st
82 Thomas Bustard Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes.com E st
83 Peter Williams Team IG – Sigma Sport E st
84 Dillon Byrne Champion System/Maxgear/Base E st
85 Stuart Reid Wheelbase Altura MGD 1 st
86 Peter Cocker Forme Bikes UK J2 st
87 Ben Ives Team Sportscover E st
88 Andy Leigh Velocity WD-40 J2 st
89 Dominic Smith Retford & District Wheelers 2 @0:26
90 Luke Grivell-Mellor Rapha Condor JLT 1 @1:00
91 Richard Handley Rapha Condor JLT E st
92 Matthew Jones Team IG – Sigma Sport E st
93 Jack Pullar Madison Genesis E st
94 Hugh Carthy Rapha Condor JLT 1 st
95 Leon Mazzone Team Isle of Man J2 st
96 Matthew Holmes Team Raleigh E @1:58
97 Robert Britton Team Raleigh 1 st
98 Michael Cuming Rapha Condor JLT E st
99 Jordan Rigby Teamwallis CHH Racing Team J2 @1 lap
100 Steve Thompson Clay Cross Road Team 2 st
101 Alex Orrell-Turner V S Cycles Brighouse J2 st
102 Joe Holt County Cycles Racing Team YA st
103 Graham Thompson Anfield BC 4 st
104 Fabian Brennan Velocity WD-40 YA st
105 Joseph Donohue Fareham Wheelers Cycling Club J3 st
106 Anthony Weston Liverpool Century RC 4M st
107 Andrew Webster High Peak Cycles RT 3 st
108 Duncan McLaren Stockport Clarion CC 3 st
109 Aaron Handley Bike Box Alan/Whiston Velo J3 st
110 Connor Swift Bike Box Alan/Whiston Velo J2 st
111 Jody Cundy MBE Para-T Cycling Team 2 st
112 Chris Edwards Liverpool Mercury (Dolan) CC 3M st
113 Oliver Maxwell Forme Bikes UK J3 st
114 David Lowe Newcastle Racing Club 2001/Vekta Velosport 2 st
115 Ivan Boyes Team Cystic Fibrosis 3M st

Ken Matthews Sprint
1 Tom Murray Metaltek – Knights of Old Racing Team 1

Category Awards
2nd Chris Nicholson Spin Rotor Primal C-Originals RT 2
3rd William Goulbourne V-Sprint 3
4th Tom Trimble Cycle Club Ashwell (CCA) 4
Junior Christopher Lawless Kuota – Spinergy – GSG J1
Youth A Alexander Braybrooke Velocity WD-40 YA
Woman Lucy Martin Dolmans Boels-2013 W
Master C+ 38 John Holt County Cycles Racing Team 1M

 

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RESULTS
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