Jason White was the winner of the Archer Spring Road Race and Mike Simpson the winner of the Inverse RT road race. We have photo report of the Archer event plus words from Stuart Benstead … Stuart Benstead writes … Action in the 55th Archer Spring RR started and ended with action by the two Cycle Premier/Metaltek representatives. To the surprise of the many spectators in balmy weather around the very tough Chiltern Hills circuit, it was trackman specialist Tony Gibb who essayed bravely forth to form an early break. The surprise was only barely justified as Tony did fade slightly by the end of the 60 miles race to a very respectable 17th place. More importantly, it was at the finish was when his colleague Jason White also bravely attacked into the final corner for a very long sprint into a headwind finishing straight that some followers considered doomed for failure.
No lead out train for Jason, but sheer power paid off to keep him ahead, narrowly ahead, but ahead enough to take victory from Martin Ford, Mammoth Lifestyle RT, and Matt Jones, Tm Raleigh, from the seven survivors at the head of the race. On the Hughenden climb immediately after the bell had run for this four lap race on a 15 mile circuit, Chamberlain and Mark Baines, Spirit Racing, broke clear and built up a 40 second lead In fact Baines, had an adventurous race as he was in the very first break of the day.
They held the lead up Longdown hill and held it up the notorious Whiteleaf hill, but the following seven miles were flat and the 35mph chase by six others hauled them in. So it was down to the sprint finish by a select group, with the main field 2m 15s behind having at times being split all over the place but gradually reforming as they realised that chasing in ones and twos was not going to be productive. Congratulations came from many riders for what they deemed as a very tough and demanding circuit, but a fair one. Nevertheless, they were glad that it was kept to 60 miles whereas the lapboard marshal had them very worried by showing it as a five lap race, instead of four!
All were agreed that would have spoilt a real race, as it turned out for this class of field, and turned it into a mere slog.
A Photo report by Gerry McManus Photography – www.gerrymcmanus.co.uk | www.splitsecondimages.co.uk
Left: Russell Falder (Mammoth Lifestyle Rt/ Specialized) leads the early break on Whiteleaf Hill . Right: Race winner Jason White (CyclePremier – Metaltek) is focussed as he chases the leaders on the second ascent of Whiteleaf Hill.
Left: Tony Gibb (CyclePremier – Metaltek) feeling the heat on Whiteleaf Hill after his early attack. Right: Greg Simcock (Tm Corley/Cervelo) on the ascent of Whiteleaf Hill
Richard Wood (Tm Milton Keynes/Abbeygate) leads the chase group on the final lap
Jason White (Cycle Premier – Metaltek) punches the air in celebration after he won the sprint to win the race
Archer Spring Road Race
1 Jason White www.Cyclepremiercom/Metaltek
2 Martin Ford Mammoth Lifestlye RT/Specialized
3 Matt Jones Tm Raleigh
4 Russell Falder Mammoth Lifestlye RT/Specialized
5 Roy Chamberlain Tm Corley/Cervello
6 Marc Baines Spirit RT
7 Mike Smith Tm Corley/Cervelo
8 Andrew Hasting Finchley RT/Paul Simon Magic Homes
9 Simon Henley Tm Corley/Cervello
10 Richard Wood Tm Milton Keynes/Abbeygate
11 Douglas Coleman AndersTMG Horizon RT
12 Alistair Slater Hargroves Cycles/Trant/Specialized
13 Jamie Caldwell St Ives CC
14 Luke Wallis La Fuga/Sigma Sport
15 William Macke A W Cycles
16 Rob Jackson Inverse RR/Cyclaim
17 Tony Gibb www.Cyclepremiercom/Metaltek
18 Toby Parnell Cambridge University CC
19 Mike Jackson CC Luton/Bandon/Eddington
20 Greg Simcock Tm Corley/Cervello
21 Paul Caton AndersTMG Horizon RT
22 Mike Wragg Python RT/Smartest Energy
23 Joe Harris Reading CC/Hale/Mar
24 Josh Maynard Welwyn Wh
25 Scott Merrilees Wyndymila Maxifuel
26 John Peters CC Luton/Bandon/Eddington
27 Richard Da Silva Stevenage CC
28 Werner Otto Inverse RR/Cyclaim
29 Niall Digby La Fuga/Sigma Sport
30 Thomas Durno Cambridge University CC
31 James Stratton London Dynamo
33 Liam Maybank Twickenham CC
34 Tim Gallacher Welwyn Wh
REGIONAL B – Inverse RT RR
1 Mike Simpson GS Henley
2 Matthew Melville A W Cycles/Giant
3 Jared Spier La Fuga/Sigma Sport
4 Roger Prior Tm Zappi’s
5 Tim Hyde GS Henley
6 Kevin Holloway VC10
7 Henry Latimer Tm Zappi’s
8 Julian Mills Tm Corley/Cervello/Alpha RC
9 James Fettiplace London Dynamo
10 Josh Lawless Private Member
11 Adam Stone North Read CC
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13 Chris Smith Python RT
14 Ian Cardy Inverse RR/Cyclaim
15 Kieran Brady ASFRA Racing
16 Declan Higgins TwickenCC/Evans
17 Dylan Kenneway London Dynamo
18 William Rudgard University of Birmingham/Cult
19 Vaughan Moseley TwickenCC/Evans
20 Mick Fuller Tm Quest/Bike Shop
21 Gavin Rumbles CC Luton
22 Nils Gustafson Inverse RR/Cyclaim
23 Joe Holloway VC10
25 Tim Kearley Rapha Condor CC
26 James Walker High Wycomb CC
27 Roland Chuter Private Member
28 Gavin Morton Charlotteville CC/Shiny Cufflinks
29 Joe Clark High Wycomb CC
30 Adam Elderfield Tm Quest/Bike Shop
31 Mike Betts Vegeterian C&AC
32 Simon Notley Reading CC
33 Rudie Marais Archer RC
34 Matthew Wakeford Wyndymila Maxifuel
35 Michael Norris Crest CC
36 Matti Lehto Putney Cycles
37 William Couch West Drayton MBC/Beyond MB
38 Andy Lack Kingston Wh/Sigma Sport
39 Richard Fairholm Kenilworth Wh.
41 Graeme Davidson Kenilworth Wh.
42 Simon Jackson Putney Cycles
43 Jason Painton Rides on Air
44 Andy Wilde St Ives CC
45 Thomas McLaren East London Velo
46 Jon Halfhide Putney Cycles
47 Dave Squire Cheltenham & County CC
48 Darryl Green Inverse RR/Cyclaim
49 Stuart Sergeant Aribis LLP/Roy Pink Cycles
50 Philip Wege Inverse RR/Cyclaim
51 Ernest Marais GS Henley
52 Mark Lawn Inverse RR/Cyclaim
53 Paul Simpson Aribis LLP/Roy Pink Cycles
54 Mark O’Brien Archer RC
55 Sam Lawson Spirit RT
56 Nick Hinze Tm Zappi’s
57 Brad Lamb Glade CC
58 Christopher Lyon Private Member
59 Tom Caldwell St Ives CC
60 Paul Buckley Thames Velo
