Graham Robins writes… Colin Parry (Willier Live 2 Ride) soloed to a fine win after attacking ten miles from the finish line
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Graham Robins (http://www.grahamrobins.net/) writes… Colin Parry (Willier Live 2 Ride) soloed to a fine win after taking his chance and escaping with ten miles to go and catching the bunch napping at the top of the races only climb.
Both of today’s races were presented by Yeovil CC and were run on a rolling course just outside the town of Yeovil in Somerset. The morning started a little chilly and the course was dry but the temperature soon warmed up and there wasn’t a great deal of wind to deal with.
The race lap was fifteen miles in length and the climb came about after five miles on each lap of four. On the opening lap the bunch stayed together and it stayed this way until the climb when the first attack came and there were six riders who forced the pace and got a gap as the race turned towards Yeovil at the back of the course.
The six riders were Colin Parry and his team mate Will Bjergfelt, Grant Bayton (Ride 24/7), Rob McCarthy (Pedal Heaven RT), Ben Anstie (Cadence Cannondale) and Alex Baskaya (Dream CC), and this group soon had a gap of over one minute as they headed out on the third lap which they increased by the time they got over the climb.
The chasing bunch was now being lead by most of the riders from the Zappi’s team as they tried to pull the race back together as it looked like they missed the jump. The six riders at the front were now beginning to control the race and the time stayed around the minute mark.
The final climb over Coppitts Hill saw Colin pull away, he attacked the group and got away as the race reached the summit. Once over the top and with a slight head/side wind to contend with he got away and soon had a lead. He held the lead all the way in Marston Magna and then onto Queen Camel. Once out of sight the wind changed direction to a tail wind and Colin used this to his advantage to stay away.
Back down the road the group that were away with Colin began to split and one rider to benefit was Harry Bulstrode (Peter Hansford Cycles). Along with Ben Anstie (Cadence Cannondale) Harry got a gap but he was unaware that Colin was already away and out of sight.
The front of the bunch was now being controlled by the riders from Felt Colbournes trying to set up Justin Hoy for a sprint to the line for the minor places. Harry now thinking he was leading kicked off the last corner and sprinted towards the line, only then to realise he was second.
Photo by Chris Rhymer
Result
1st Colin Parry Willier Live 2 ride 2hrs 12mins 35secs
2nd Harry Bulstrode Peter Hansford Cycles @38secs
3rd Rob McCarthy Pedal Heaven @42secs
4th Will Bjergfelt Willier Live 2 Ride
5th Ben Anstie Cadence Cannondale
6th Tom Marshall Cadence Cannondale
7th Grant Bayton Ride 24/7
8th Alex Baskaya Dream CC
9th Jonathan Dibben Hargroves Cycles
10th Justin Hoy Felt Colbornes RT
PITTARDS TROPHY ROAD RACE
The support race for third and fourth cat riders was held over three laps of the same circuit. Once the race started there were a few attacks as they raced out towards the climb. The race kept coming back together over the climb but once over two riders got a small gap and a further group of eight also got away.
On the second lap these two groups joined forces and soon pulled out a gap over the chasing bunch by over two minutes.
On the last lap the race started to come back together but it was Andrew Hitchens (Mid Devon CC) who arrived at the line first to take the win just ahead of a charging bunch.
Result
1st Alex Hitchens Mid Devon CC 1hr 46mins 11secs
2nd Malcolm Dixon Severn RC
3rd Peter Giddings Zappi’s Cycling Team
4th Jamie Fabrizio CS Dynamo
5th Michael Leech Team Tor 2000
6th Sean Frost votwo.co.uk/USN
7th David Medhurst Cardiff Ajax
8th Edward Griffin Cyclogy Bikes
9th Mike Kiss RPC Racing
10th Matthew Blackmore Bristol RC
