Another win for Cycle Premier as Stephen Adams is best in the rain at Lamberhurst/Frant
Dave Hayward (www.davehayward.com) writes: Grim conditions would have been a good enough description to describe the weather today for the 80 riders queued up the first race of SERRL’s Summer season road race. Far from summer, winter was back with vengeance as the rain continued to poor for the next 70 miles.
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USAGE: Click a photo to display, Use the Left & Right cursor keys to move back and forth between photos; Click an image to close! And then applaud Dave for what must have gone through to get them!
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With it being so cold, the riders were keen to get going with riders jumping clear at the start and holding good advantages, but these breakaways did not containing any key riders but as one break came back, another leapt into action and this was the aggressive nature of the day.
“It’s going to be a tough rider who wins here today†commented Kevin Knox from ViCious Velo who organised the team of marshals for the day. It took 50 miles of constant attacking before the 80 strong field was reduced to 20.
Seven of those had rode clear in the closing stages as the persistent rain had turned to sleet. Chris McNamara (Pedal Heaven RT), Lewis Atkins (Twenty3c.co.uk-Orbea), Wouter Sybrandy (Team IG – Sigma Sport), Stephen Adams (Cyclepremier), James Moss (Node4 – Giordana Racing) and Nicolas Hutchings (CS Grupetto) all look comfortable tapping through over the closing miles.
Who would have the legs to escape this select group of riders? Stephen Adams tried for sure. He’d been up front most of the race, in most of the moves and showed not only was he good at being an escape artist, he could sprint as well crossing the line a bike length clear of Lewis Atkins and Wouter Sybrandy for third.
James Moss of Node4 – Giordana Racing, picked up the most aggressive rider award for his efforts.
Wouter Sybrandy said afterwards “I tried several times to try and get away from the sprinter in the group, but they were strong todayâ€. Stephen Adams added “I’ve not had a win like this for a while, I always seemed to go well in conditions like thisâ€. As an expert in cyclo-cross, that is an understatement Stephen!
Result
1 Stephen Adams Cyclepremier Racing Team
2 Lewis Atkins Twenty3c.co.uk-Orbea
3 Wouter Sybrandy Team IG – Sigma Sport
4 James Moss NODE4 – Giordana Racing
5 Nicolas Hutchings CS Grupetto
6 Chris McNamara Pedal Heaven RT
7 Allan Ridler Pedal Heaven
8 Paul Pickup Pedal Heaven
9 Chris Morrison London Dynamo cc
10 francis cade VO2 Development Team
11 David Creeggan Pedal Heaven RT
12 Phil Starr Python rt
13 Nicholas Baker Zappis CC
14 John Heaton-Armstrong Felt-Colbornes RT
15 Anthony Moye Velo29 OTR Vankru
16 Pete Wager Felt-Colbornes RT
17 joe norledge velo 29, OTR, VANKRU
18 Lawrence Carpenter V02 Development
19 Tao Geoghegan Hart Cycling Club Hackney
20 Mark McCullagh Dulwich Paragon
21 Robin Kirk Kingston wheelers
22 Zappi Flavio Zappis CC
23 Ciaran O’Grady Team Toachim
24 Keith Henderson Condor Cycles
25 Steven Smith Clay Cross RT
26 Phil dempsey Aprire RT
