Report: Ed Taylor Memorial Road Race

Gavin Moore of the Pro Cycle Hire UK Racing Team takes his first win of the year on home turf at Great Thurlow

Gordon Wiseman writes … Taking his first win of the year – and his first in the colours of Pro Cycle Hire UK Racing Team – Stowmarket’s Gavin Moore won Sunday’s 50 mile Ed Taylor Memorial Road Race after 10 hard laps of a five mile circuit at Great Thurlow.

The 25 year old lab technician was part of a five man break in the early stages of the Haverhill Wheelers organised race that also included eventual second placed rider Scott Cousins, these two proving to be the strongest of the around 60 man field.

That early break held together until around half distance. “Things got a bit confusing at that point” Moore explained after the race. “We were given a good time gap on the rest of the field who were chasing us down but when I looked over my shoulder they were nearly upon us!”

Shortly after two riders dropped back to the bunch but the remaining trio were soon down to just Moore and Cousins who then worked together to pull away to an eventual minute and a half lead at the finish.

“We’re both pretty good at time trials and we kept talking together to work out what we had to do to keep our lead. We pretty much shared out the hill and points prizes over the final laps”.

There are two main climbs around the circuit with one leading up to the finishing area before the road flattens out towards the finishing line. “There were nagging cross and head winds at certain parts of the circuit but I didn’t really feel anything until the end but by then I was pretty cooked”.

With just the finishing climb to come, Cousins was the first to attack but Moore was quite happy with his rival’s tactic. “Scott kicked on the climb but I held onto his wheel. I think he went just a bit too soon. As we crested the climb I was able to kick down myself, pull round and take the win. I was more than happy with that”.

Moore puts his improved form down to planning his training rides a little more carefully. “If I have a hard session one day I now make sure that I also have some rest. It’s just a question of balancing things properly.

“At the start of the day I didn’t really think I had the form to actually win so to do so – and in front of my parents as well – is great. I’ll celebrate with them tonight with one of my mum’s roasts. And a bottle”!

The Essex based PCH UK line up had more success over the weekend as well. The ever consistent Wayne Maguire – whose scored points in all but one race so far this year – finished in 7th place in Sunday’s Fleche Welwyn whilst Dan Scott and double PCH UK winner Joe Gigging came home in 7th and 9th places respectively in Saturday’s 70km Essex Roads CC Spring Road Race and added to the team’s growing ERRL points total in doing so.

1. Gavin Moore, ProCycleHire
2. Scott Cousins, Maldon & District CC
3. Patrick Schils, Velo Schils-Interbike RT
4. Kieran Brady, City Cycle Centre.com
5. Billy Whenman, PM Racing
6. Ben Lamb, Wilier/Live To Ride
7. Liam Stones, Team Corley Cycles
8. Tom Gallagher, Metaltek-Scott
9. Tom Stephenson, Colchester Rovers CC
10. Daniel Young, Glendene CC
11. Felix Barker Cambridge CC
12. Edward Farnell Cambridge CC
13. Gray Turnock Finsbury Park CC
14. Stuart Pryce Strada-Sport
15. Joshua Green Glendene CC