Report & Results: 30th Jock Wadley Memorial Road Race

GB Academy rider George Atkins has won the Jock Wadley Memorial Road Race in Essex today after outsprinting  Marcin Bialoblocki of Node 4 Giordana.

Preview: Click here to read the preview about the race

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The Jock Wadley for 2012 was a funny old race! With little wind and fine sunny conditions, the race was different to previous editions according to those I spoke to who know the race well and have won it in the past.

On that very first lap, five riders escaped, Matt Higgins, Niklas Gustavsson, John Heaton-Armstrong, Richard Cartland and George Atkins and that was it for the next ten laps and only two other riders got across to them before the finish, Yanto Barker and Marcin Bialoblocki who’d attacked with 12k to go.

It was in the last three kilometres though the race lit up, out of our sight, and the winning moves were made and in the sprint for the line, Atkins outsprinted Bialoblocki. Following are the reactions from some of the key players in the race.

Post Race Reactions

Niklas Gustavsson (UK Youth)
Niklas Gustavsson explained how Richard Cartland (Corley Cycles) had attacked and he went across to him with Matt Higgins and they were then joined by George Atkins and John Heaton-Armstrong. “We got a gap straight away, one minute 20 was the first time check and that gave the group a lot of confidence.”

“When I saw the lap board and it said 11 laps to go, I thought it is going to be a long day! But I prefer to ride in a breakaway in the UK than to sit in the bunch because of all the attacks and stuff.”

“Everyone was working even though some were stronger than others and the last three laps we were pretty much soft tapping. We thought Yanto and Marcin were going to come up quicker or some one else. I think the team did really well.”

“Yanto and Marcin went straight to the front when they caught us and Yanto pretty much attacked straight away with Marcin on his wheel. I joined them and then Matt Higgins counter attacked and I had to close that down because Yanto had been on the front. Then Marcin and the 100% me guy countered attacked and they got a gap and Yanto was unable to close it. I was proper screwed at that point!”

PHOTO ALBUM (almost 100 pictures from the race)

More photos can be seen here:  http://sheridan.zenfolio.com/jock_wadley_12

Yanto Barker (UK Youth): One of the most experienced riders in the race, bronze medallist in the British RR Championships and a rider who has represented Wales in the Commonwealth Games and GB in World Championships, Yanto Barker was close to that podium place they were after.

“That race was as all over the place as any race I have ever ridden. I think I must have been in every group and it felt like I was checking that everyone was alright! There were some really intensive periods in that race when we were working really hard even though there was no structure to it and towards the end, people were definitely getting tired.”

“I remember this race from 2009, and as we were crossing the gap to the leaders, Marcin turned to me and said “do you remember we did this in 2009” which we did. Once we got to the last lap, Marcin put in a big dig up the climb and I followed him and we got a gap straight away. He is such a smooth rider, we did a few turns and found ourselves 30 seconds off the chasers and 40 seconds off the lead.”

“I did attack when we caught them because I thought if we can eliminate all of them straight away and take them by surprise it was the best way to do it but they responded. Unfortunately I got 10 yards off the back of them when Matt Higgins went and the guy from 100% ME went over the top and Marcin went, I found myself just trying to close the gap.”

Niklas had gone but he’d been up the road all day and put himself in a box and I just couldn’t get to the front three and Matt looked round and saw Marcin and decided to keep going. I was 30 metres off the back chasing them all the way to the line. It was a good race.”

Matt Higgins (Node4-Giordana Racing): “Once we had a time gap, it was quite cruisy in the break, nice steady turns.” On how the break formed, once which many said was a soft move, Matt explained “I was at the front and Richard Cartland attacked (they have been teammates in the past) and I pressed on and looked behind me and there was a gap.”

“So I continued to press on to Richard with another rider and then Atkins came across with the guy from Felt and that was it”

Matt explained that when Marcin and Yanto caught the break just before the Reservoir where the roadworks were, they were still together and they went straight past us. We got on the back and then when the group was together again, I took a flyer straight away and drew out Marcin and Atkins and I just rode on the front because Marcin is a much stronger rider than I am and I’d spent to many sherrys being out there all day.”

PHOTO REPORT

After being caught in the last 3 kilometres by Yanto Barker (UK Youth) and Marcin Bialoblocki of Node 4 Giordana, Atkins and the rest of the break were not about to roll over and let the two interlopers spoil their party. Barker attacked as he and Marcin Bialoblocki  caught the break, and when that failed, others tried the same and then a  final attack by Matt Higgins in the last kilometre saw George Atkins and Higgins teammate Marcin Bialoblocki  go clear. Atkins was then able to outsprint Bialoblocki to record the team’s first victory of 2012.

The move off the front, a soft one say many, was started by Corley Cycles rider Richard Cartland who was joined by Matt Higgins and then the rest of the five and that was it until 3k to go when only two riders were able to catch them.  In the break was Matt Higgins, Niklas Gustavsson, John Heaton-Armstrong, Richard Cartland, George Atkins 

End of the first lap, break is up the road and Patrick Schils is off the front getting stuck in.

Dave Clarke signals he’s stopping for a nature break as they cross the reservoir on lap five.

After it had looked like the bunch were not interested in chasing the break, around half distance the attacks started to come, this is one by the Twenty3C-Orbea team.

Aussie Richard Lang, enjoying the warmer weather, has a dig over the hill which came just over a kilometre from the finish.

Marcel Six leads a chase group with five to go. Afterwards he said they would caught the leaders had the other two wanted to do that. They of course had teammates in the break.

Marcin Bialoblocki leads another chase group as the race really came alive with five laps to go.

And behind the two chase groups of three came the Roy Thame Trophy winner Phillip Lavery ripped it up as the peloton splinters as the gas is turn on full.

Two laps to go, the break is only a minute up the road but the chase group is being hauled back and Dale Appleby has a look to see where they are.

Bell lap and Roy Chamberlain finds the diesel in him kicks in and he chases the break alone.

A Pedal Heaven riders off the front through the finish at the bell chasing Chamberlain and the break. On that final lap, Marcin Bialoblocki attacked with Yanto Barker, a move they also did back in 2009, and the two caught the break with only 3 k to go.

RESULT (thanks to Tony Asplin)

1 George Atkins 100% ME 3-17-48
2 Marcin Bialoblocki Node 4 – Giordana st
3 Matthew Higgins Node 4 – Giordana @12s
4 Yanto Barker Team UK Youth @21s
5 Richard Cartland Team Corley Cycles RT-Blue @29s
6 John Heaton-Armstrong Felt Colbournes st
7 Niklas Gustavsson Team UK Youth st
8 Jason White Metaltek Scott @1-22
9 Dale Appleby Metaltek Scott st
10 Owain Doull 100% ME st
11 Dave Clarke Node 4 – Giordana st
12 Will Bjergfelt Wilier Live2Ride st
13 James Moss Node 4 – Giordana st
14 Peter Wagner Felt Colbournes st
15 Colin Parry Wilier Live2Ride @1-46
16 Roy Chamberlain Team Corley Cycles RT-Blue st
17 Russell Hampton Team Raleigh st
18 Oliver Davies Planet X st
19 Ashley Cox Team Corley Cycles RT-Blue st
20 Alan Ridler Pedal Heaven RT st
21 Gruff Lewis Team UK Youth st
22 Alexander King Loughborough Students st
23 Adam Camier RM Cycles st
24 Wayne Coombes Primal Europe @2-14
25 Jamie Caldwell Cycle Premier st
26 Sam Harrison 100% ME st
27 Alistair Slater 100% ME st
28 Joseph Kelly 100% ME st
29 Chris Spence Felt Colbournes st
30 Matt Jones Team Corley Cycles RT-Blue st
31 Tom Stockdale Primal Europe st
32 Mike Auger Strada Sport st
33 Ashley Holding GB MSTina RT st
34 Paul Londors Spin Rotor st
35 Roger Maidment East London Velo st
36 Richard Lang Rapha Condor Sharp st
37 Brian Crump Eagle RC st
38 Ian Franklin Pro Cycle Hire UK st
39 Andy Lyons Twenty3c-Orbea st
40 Philip Lavery Node 4 – Giordana st
41 Billy Joe Whenman PM Racing st
42 Simon Yates 100% ME st
43 James Millard Team Corley Cycles RT-Blue st
44 Owen Lake Cambridge CC st
45 Kieran Friend Node 4 – Giordana st
46 Mike Smith Team Corley Cycles RT-Blue st
47 Dominic Schils Wieler Team Van Eyck st
48 David Seager PM Racing st
49 Wojciech Szlachta Twenty3c-Orbea st
50 Rhys Clegg PM Racing st
51 Adam Norris Pro Cycle Hire UK st
52 James Jackson Twenty3c-Orbea st
53 James Sale Pro Cycle Hire UK st
54 George Harper Felt Colbournes st
55 Rhys Howells Twenty3c-Orbea st
56 Daniel Young Glendene CC-Ridley st
57 Gonzalo Rodriguez East London Velo st
58 Steven Griffiths Pro Cycle Hire UK st
59 Dean Shannon Twenty3c-Orbea st
60 Symon Lewis Edwardes st
61 John Wagner Felt Colbournes st
62 Richard Mardle Felt Colbournes st
63 James Stewart Team UK Youth st
DNF Andrew Hastings Metaltek Scott DNF
DNF Marcel Six Metaltek Scott DNF
DNF Ben Stockdale Metaltek Scott DNF
DNF Chris McNamara Pedal Heaven RT DNF
DNF Mike Cuming Rapha Condor Sharp DNF
DNF Richard Da Silva Stevenage CC DNF
DNF Liam Gentry Strada Sport DNF
DNF Greg Mansell Team UK Youth DNF
DNF Adam Bright Primal Europe DNF
DNF Christopher Jennings Rapha Condor Sharp DNF
DNF Johnathan Shuster XRT-Elmy Cycles DNF
DNF Philip Hetzel Ipswich BC DNF
DNF Nathan Miller XRT-Elmy Cycles DNF
DNF Patrick Schils Velo Schils Interbike DNF
DNF Daniel Snow Glendene CC-Ridley DNF
DNF Robert McCarthy Pedal Heaven RT DNF
DNS Andrew Sanders Giant-Radlett DNS
DNS Perry Bowater Flanders-Asfra DNS
DNS Jake Hales IG Markets-Sigma Sport DNS
DNS Tony Gibb Metaltek Scott DNS
DNS Richard Handley Rapha Condor Sharp DNS
DNS James McCallum Rapha Condor Sharp DNS
DNS Oliver Rossi Rapha Condor Sharp DNS
DNS James Lowesley-Williams Team UK Youth DNS
DNS Daniel Kogan Twenty3c-Orbea DNS
DNS Neil Chapman Maldon & Dist CC DNS

 

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