Sigma Sport Specialized rider, Wouter Sybrandy has won the 145 kilometre Elite/1/2/3 race in Saffron Walden.Â
The 4th running of the Glade CC event saw a full field of 60 riders take to the start line in bright sunshine over in Essex. Ahead of the riders lay eight and half laps of a 17 kilometre circuit and early on, the racing was dominated by breaks of one or two riders but nothing really stuck until with three laps to go. With the circuit’s main climb taking its toll on tiring legs, Sigma Sport’s Wouter Sybrandy attacked and soon had four riders for company to make a group of five in the lead.
A win for Dutchman Wouter Sybrandy. The sprint for second, photos: Martin Orpen, Idea Digital Imaging Ltd (click to see the full gallery)
Then, Steve Lampier too jumped the chase group and he took with him Graham Briggs, Martin Forde and Marcel Six and with two laps to go, this foursome joined the leaders to make a group of nine out front. More attacks followed though from the lead group. Sybrandy was certainly restless and when he was brought back, local Andy Lyons too had a go.
Rapha’s Graham Briggs meanwhile was choosing his efforts wisely after a tough race where he found himself heavily marked. He explained that since the Tour of Normandy, he’s had a heavy training block and was actually finding the race tougher than the Dengie Marshes Tour the week before. Briggs, with a sprint few can live with, was gambling on a sprint and it almost came to that.
The sprint for second, photos: Martin Orpen, Idea Digital Imaging Ltd (click to see the full gallery)
A climb though stood between him and a sprint victory just over a kilometre out from the finish and Sybrandy made his move on that climb to open up a gap of a few seconds. Briggs kept the Sigma rider close but when he saw the ever dangerous Steve Lampier on his wheel, he backed off for fear of being jumped should he make the effort to bring Sybrandy back.
That left the road clear for Sybrandy to power to victory ahead of Briggs with Jason White sprinting in for third. For Sybrandy, the victory was proof his form is good ahead of the Tesco CICLE Classic next weekend, a race that Briggs too has high hopes of doing well in after two second places in two weeks.
Photos: Martin Orpen, Idea Digital Imaging Ltd (click to see the full gallery)
More Photos: James Whatling (Team Twenty3C/Orbea)
1 Wouter Sybrandy Sigma Sport Specialized Cycling Team E 92 miles in 3h 40m
2 Graham Briggs Rapha Condor Sharp E @ 8s
3 Jason White Cyclepremier.com – Metaltek E @ s.t.
4 Marcel Six Twenty3c-Orbea E @ s.t.
5 Steve Lampier Sigma Sport Specialized Cycling Team E @ s.t.
6 Jake Hales Team Corley Cycles/Cervelo/Alpha RC 1 @ s.t.
7 Adam Norris Vanillabikes.com E @ s.t.
8 Ashley Cox Team Corley Cycles/Cervelo/Alpha RC E @ s.t.
9 Nic Hutchings CS Grupetto 1 @ s.t.
10 Dominic Schils Wielerteam Van Eyck Sport E @ s.t.
11 Jamie Cawdwell St Ives CC 2 @ s.t. (1st Second Cat)
12 Llewellyn Kinch GWR Team E @ s.t.
13 Andy Lyons Twenty3c-Orbea E @ 20s
14 Martin Ford Mammoth Lifestyle RT E @ 45s
15 Simon Gaywood Team Corley Cycles/Cervelo/Alpha RC E @ 1m 20s
16 Simon Henley Team Corley Cycles/Cervelo/Alpha RC 2 @ 3m 15s
17 Krisitan Downs Twenty3c-Orbea 1 @ s.t.
18 Roger Maidment East London Velo 1 @ s.t.
19 Douglas Coleman Anders TMG Horizon RT 2 @ s.t.
20 Joseph Perrett Twenty3c-Orbea @ s.t.
21 Owen Lake Cambridge CC 2 @ s.t.
22 Malcolm Smith St Ives CC 2 @ s.t.
23 Martin Jones Fenland Clarion 2 @ s.t.
24 Neil Wass Anders TMG Horizon RT 2 @ s.t.
25 Graham Galvin East London Velo 1 @ s.t.
26 Tom Durno Cambridge University CC 2 @ s.t.
27 Paul Londors Python RT 1 @ s.t.
28 Gavin Moore Stowmarket & District CC 2 @ s.t.
29 Mike Wragg Python RT E @ s.t.
30 Richard Dunnett Diss & District CC 2 @ s.t.
31 John Peters CC Luton 2 @ s.t.
32 Basil Moss Cambridge CC 1 @ s.t.
33 Ian Knight Team Corley Cycles/Cervelo/Alpha RC 1 @ s.t.
34 David Miller West Suffolk Wheelers 3 @ s.t.
35 Wayne Crombie East London Velo 2 @ 1 lap
36 Daniel Crawley PCH UK Racing Team 2 @ s.t.
37 Edgar Medellin Finchley RT 2 @ s.t.
38 Mike Smith Colchester Rovers @ s.t.
39 James Hawkins GWR Team 2 @ s.t.
40 Nigel Stephens Finchley RT 2 @ s.t.
41 Piers Brown Finchley RT 3 @ s.t.
42 Ben Wright VC Revolution 2 @ s.t.
43 David Barnes East London Velo 2 @ s.t.
44 Lubomir Belak Welwyn Wheelers 2 @ s.t.
45 Rhys Howells CC Hackney 2 @ s.t.
46 James Sale Eagle RC @ s.t.
Points
1. James Hawkins (GWR Team – Swindon Cycles, High5, Kalas, Joyriders)
2. Paul Londors (Python RT – Smartest Energy, Push Print)
3. Steve Lampier (Sigma Sport Specialized Cycling Team)
3. Nic Hutchings (CS Grupetto)
