Result: Eddie Soens Memorial

A winner back in 1998 riding for North Wirral Velo, Matt Bottrill came back after second last year to win the Eddie Soens Memorial again, lapping the whole field on a day the wind blew everyone else backwards

Result: Eddie Soens Memorial
Thanks to Mark Young of myeventtiming (superb job as always)

PHOTO REPORT

Here is how the Eddie Soens 2019 unfolded over the 30 laps in one hell of a windy day

First group leaves the start at 9.30am…

The second one at 1 minute…

… the third one with Matt Bottrill at 1.30

… and the scratch group at 3 mins with 3 from Madison Genesis , 8 from Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother_UK & 3 from Team Ribble …

Second lap & 3 youngsters were away with the first two groups close & Matt Bottrill already clear on his own. A rider who should have been in Strade Bianche being run on the same day (10th in 2017), Scott Thwaites, was leading the Vitus Pro Cycling team. Scott was an unfortunate victim of a big ‘cull’ in the Dimension Data team and is back in the UK looking to get back to the World Tour

Splits

With the wind blowing a gale down the back straight, groups that set off at different times at the start came together quickly but whilst Bottrill was out front powering away on his own, the scratch group blew apart into little groups.

Dillion Bryne, Matt Holmes of Madison Genesis and Cameron Jeffers in one of the many little splits that came from the Scratch group

Simon Wilson of Ribble Pro Cycling another rider jumping from group to group

The last ‘groupet’ from the Scratch group with Bibby, Handley (both Madison Genesis) and Graham Briggs and Ed Clancy (Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK)

10 (or so) laps gone, Bottrill was well on his way to lapping the field whilst behind, a chasing duo of Simon Wilson of Team Ribble & Adam Kenway of VitusProCycling p/b Brother UK started a long chase.

Rus Downing chasing a group in front

Second half of the race now and after Matt Bottrill had caught all the groups, he went up the road again …

Scott Thwaites of Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK in pursuit of Matt Bottrill and chased by Rus Downing and some juniors as well spinning their restricted gears

Peloton thinned out chasing the leaders

A lead group formed with the likes of Matt, Rus Downing, Scott Thwaites and others. Wilson & Kenway were also caught by this group

Then the cohesion in the group was lost as attacks came and went …

Russell Downing having a big dig chased by Bottrill

On the other side of the course, Gruff Lewis (Ribble Pro Cycling) got away, was joined by Bottrill and the two rode away …

Chased by Max Rusby, Samuel Watson and that man, Russell Downing

Gruff Lewis sits up in second and gives Matt Brottrill space to celebrate a stunning victory.

Junior Max Rushby won the sprint for third ahead of Watson and Downing

another junior Ollie Rees won the sprint for 6th.

… continued after advert

1 Matthew Bottrill Team Bottrill – Vanguard 2M
2 Gruffudd Lewis Ribble Pro Cycling 1
3 Max Rushby HMT Hospitals Giant Cycling Team 2J
4 Samuel Watson PH-MAS/Paul Milnes Cycles 1J
5 Russell Downing Giordana Racing 1M
6 Oliver Rees HMT Hospitals Giant Cycling Team 1J
7 Simon Wilson Ribble Pro Cycling E
8 Dillon Byrne Tactic Sport 1
9 Alfred George Discovery Junior Cycling Club 1J
10 Jonathan Bourne Pro Vision Race Team 2
11 Scott Thwaites Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK 1
12 Adam Kenway Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK 1
13 Farley Barber Pro Vision Race Team 2J
14 Frederik Scheske Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK E
15 Robert Donaldson Fensham Howes – MAS Design 2J
16 Isaac Peatfield Green Jersey RT 2J
17 Matthew Holmes Madison Genesis 1
18 Cameron Jeffers Saint Piran E
19 Christopher Latham Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK E
20 Jenson Young HMT Hospitals Giant Cycling Team 2J
21 Scott Howieson Spokes Racing Team 2J
22 Jonathan McEvoy Madison Genesis E
23 Tobias Bartlett Kingsnorth International Wheelers 2
24 James Bentley Team PB Performance 2
25 Jonathan Bridge Crimson Performance Race Team 2
26 Zac Herrod University of Derby Cycling Club 3
27 Joe Burns Innovation Racing 2J
28 Will King Prologue Racing Team 2
29 Giles Pidcock Fensham Howes – MAS Design 3M
30 Daniels Kucerjavijs Team JRC 3J
31 Joseph Pidcock Fensham Howes – MAS Design 2J
32 Richie Allen GS Metro 2
33 Ben Samuels BC PM 2
34 Thomas Mitchell Birkenhead North End CC 2J
35 Joseph Cadwallader Bury Clarion Cycling Club 3M
36 Thomas Stewart Liverpool Century Cycling Academy 2J
37 Harry Hunt Otley CC 3
38 William Harding Marsh Tracks Racing – Trek 3J
39 Jack Rootkin-Gray Solihull CC 2J
40 Joe Coukham Shibden Cycling Club 2J
41 Raymond Bell Liverpool Braveheart Bicycle Club 3M
42 Jack Crook Liverpool Mercury (Dolan) CC 3
43 Hayden Norris RST/Cycle Division Racing Team 3J
44 Paul Wilkinson North Cheshire Clarion 2
45 Tom Roper Liverpool University Cycling Club 3
46 George Higgins Birkenhead North End CC 2
47 Alex Dobrowolski Harry Middleton Cycling Club 4J
48 Scott Morley BC PM 4
49 Graham Howell Port Talbot Wheelers 2
50 Stephen Burns North Cheshire Clarion 3
51 Matthew Warhurst High Peak Cycles RT 2
52 Richard Moores BC PM 4
53 George Wood Team JRC 3J
54 Adam Smith Innovation Racing 3J
55 William Abbott Innovation Racing 2J
56 Ben Lloyd Pro Vision Race Team 2
57 Abi Smith RFDA 3JW
58 Monica Dew Storey Racing 2W
59 Andrew Fraser Ellmore Factory Racing 3M
60 Marc Lowden Bury Clarion Cycling Club 2
61 Louis Evans Innovation Racing 3J
62 Steven Whitehurst Somer Valley CC 2M
63 Theodor Obholzer Durham University Cycling Club 2
64 Thomas Bates Team Wheelguru 3J
65 Joe Wilson Team Ribble 2J
66 Liam Davison Team JRC 3J
67 James Duffy Bury Clarion Cycling Club 3
68 Jamie O’Connor Cycling Performance Squad 2J
69 Charlie Critchley Tactic Sport 2
70 Nicholas Whitley Chester RC 2M
71 Darren Milligan Abingdon Race Team 3
72 Martin Phillips Team PB Performance 2
73 Jon Chambers Chevin Cycles.com Trek 3M
74 Mark Astles 3C Payment sports 4M
75 Francis Woodcock Bury Clarion Cycling Club 3J
76 Hamish Graham BC PM 1
77 Adam Whitfield Abingdon Race Team 3
78 James Wordsworth Fensham Howes – MAS Design 3J
79 Declan Hudson Liverpool Century RC 2
80 Anthony Greenhalgh Team Chronomaster 3M
81 Alexander Simmons Pro Vision Race Team 2
82 George Finch GS Invicta/ELO/Herberts Cycles 4
83 Peter Smith Cowley Road Condors 3
84 Christina Wiejak Team Jadan Weldtite-Vive le Velo 2W
85 Jo Ryding Team JRC 3W
86 Laura Gray 3C Payment Sports 3W
87 Rachael Brown Pro Vision Race Team 4W
88 Claire Whitworth Team JRC 4MW
89 Ellen Inglis Team JRC 3JW

CATEGORY AWARDS
2nd Cat: Matt Bottrill Team Bottrill Vanguard
3rd Cat: Zac Herrod University of Derby Cycling Club
4th Cat: Scott Morley BC PM
Junior: Max Rushby HMT Hospitals Giant Cycling Team
Woman: Abi Smith RFDA
Master C+: Matt Bottrill Team Bottrill Vanguard

PODIUM
Winner Matt Bottrill Team Bottrill Vanguard
2nd Gruffudd Lewis Ribble Pro Cycling
3rd Max Rushby HMT Hospitals Giant Cycling Team
Eddie & Mima Super Sprint: Matt Bottrill
Ken Matthews Sprint: Matt Bottrill Team Bottrill Vanguard