In the first British classic of the season, UK Youth’s Ian Wilkinson became the first person to win the race twice after an exciting event in the East Midlands
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 Interview with 2012 Winner Alex Blain | Saturday Recce Photos
Preview of the 2013 Edition | View Official Startsheet (PDF)
Thanks: To Graham Harper for being VeloUK’s moto Pilot and bringing you exclusive images of the race action
After a few attacks to get clear failed, Yanto Barker from UK Youth was first to make it into a successful move with two riders from New Zealand; Tom Scully (Raleigh) and Mike Northey (Node 4). Â Whilst they toiled away in the wind out front, there was move after move behind and it took another hour before eight riders got clear and in there was Ian Wilkinson for UK Youth.
King of the Mountains Bello Calixto who rode very strong until the finale when he was dropped, Ian Bibby (2nd), Ian Wilkinson (UK Youth) and Frenchman Eric Berthou
After a short chase, the eight caught the three and for hour after hour they led the race and it soon became clear the winner was going to come from this group. As the finish line approached, both Barker and Wilkinson did their best to go clear. With ten kilometres left, Ian Wilkinson got a gap and whilst it wasn’t a lot, he was resisting being caught until with three kilometres left, Ian Bibby made the catch along with Wilkinson’s teammate Barker.
Top team in the race, UK Youth with winner Wilkinson, fourth placed Yanto Barker and Niklas Gustavsson.
There wasn’t much time left for Wilkinson to get his breath back and as they came into the town of Melton Mowbray, former winner Wilkinson knew what he had to do. He dived for the final corner, got into it first and then gave it everything all the way to the finish line before celebrating what was a great victory for the him and the team.
RACE REPORT in PHOTOS EXCLUSIVE TO VELOUK
Two teams turned up with motorhomes, UK Youth and Madison Genesis. Here the UK Youth team have their team talk with manager Dave Povall and coach Steve Benton.
A big crowd turned up at 11am to see the 2013 edition of the CiCLE Classic roll out of town.
Wouter Sybrandy (IG Sigma Sport) was very active and was the race’s first attacker and kept on having a go but missed the vital move but did have teammate Peter Williams in it.
After a few short lived breaks, this one of two Kiwis and an Englishman went clear. Mike Northey (Node 4 Giordana), Tom ‘the Scud’ Scully (Team Raleigh) and Yanto Barker (UK Youth). They were out front for a long time, two laps of Rutland Water before a chase group finally caught them and it was race over for the rest.
By the time they had finished the Rutland Water loops, a chase group had formed and was eating up the time gap between them and the three leaders.
Over Stygate and it’s almost time up for the three leaders as the chasers close in.
King of the Mountains Bello Calixto makes his intentions clear from the word go.
The gravel section in Owston yet again caught out many many riders. They really need to put a bouncy Castle here for all the riders going to fast to get round the bend!
A great signing for Twenty3c.co.uk/Focus bikes is Stephen Adams who was in the big move but ran out of legs on the gravel of Owston and was tailed off.
Yanto Barker, one of many who punctured but as he explained later, as the pace wasn’t on, it was the best time to puncture (if at all).
The peloton kept racing but with the big teams having a rider in the move out front, it was never going to catch them. Here former World Champion Andy Tennant forces it on the Somerberg.
After Somerberg with over 30k to go, the attacks started to flow in the break. Here New Zealand’s Mike Northey (Node 4 Giordana) has a go chased by Team Raleigh’s Eric Berthou.
The final sector, Sawgate, and Eric Berthou forces it and that reduced the numbers down some more.
Unlucky Pete Williams punctures on Sawgate with only the finishing loop to go.
After being sick on the way to the race the day before, Kiwi Tom Scully (Team Raleigh) chases the leaders with empty legs. Just being on the start line was a great achievement but to be out front from 10k out, that was an awesome ride by the ‘Scud’.
Huge crowd greets the race as they come through the finish with a lap to go.
Ian Bibby has a dig but UK Youth and the rest are quickly on it. No sectors now, just rolling roads after 105 miles under their wheels.
Lots of this cat and mouse as Will Bjergfelt, Ian Bibby, Eric Berthou, Yanto Barker, Ian Wilkinson and Mike Northey all look at each other…
And then 10k out, Ian Wilkinson (UK Youth) has a go and while the gap was not big, no-one was closing it until a little mini ‘berg’ four k out saw Bibby, Barker, Berthou and Bjergfelt come up to him.
First into the corner, Ian Wilkinson heads for the line with Bibby right on his wheel.
But no-one was going to deny Wilkes his big day and he celebrates long and loud!
Talking about the final few kilometres, Ian Wilkinson explained “Coming into Burton Lazars, there’s a little kicker and I saw Ian Bibby coming across and Yanto with him which was amazing and that was real good for the morale. I was like blacking out a bit but managed to get back on the wheel and Bibby attacked again. Yanto was with him so I thought that’s alright and I saw Eric Berthou and Will Bjergfelt coming across and to be fair, I got a nice ride on their wheels.”
“I knew Bibby was a fast boy and when we were on them, I knew I had to get into the last corner first and then sprinted for line full gas. Too win that race twice in nine years, I’m looking forward to a monster Duvel (beer) tonight!â€
Much more to come on this race. Over 2200 pictures taken so a lot more to come in the Big Album later …
Live Photo Album
1 WILKINSON Ian Team UK Youth 04:46:48
2 BIBBY Ian Madison- Genesis st
3 BERTHOU Eric Team Raleigh st
4 BARKER Yanto Team UK Youth st
5 BJERGFELT William MG-Maxifuel st
6 NORTHEY Michael Node 4-Giordana Racing @0:42
7 SCULLY Thomas Team Raleigh @2:26
8 WILLIAMS Peter Team IG-Sigma Sport st
9 GILHAM Kit Metaltech-Knights of Old st
10 CALIXTO Manuel Bello Start-Trigon Cycling Team @3:28
11 HAWKINS Peter Team IG-Sigma Sport @5:47
12 SKUJINS Toms Retumu-Delfin @5:48
13 CRONSHAW Matt Team IG-Sigma Sport @6:11
14 APPLEBY Dale Metaltech-Knights of Old @6:12
15 GUSTAVSSON Niklas Team UK Youth st
16 DIBBEN Jonathan Great Britain Under 23 Academy st
17 TENNANT Andrew Madison- Genesis st
18 PARTRIDGE Robert Team UK Youth @6:54
19 BISSINGER Florian Team Vorarlberg st
20 HOLOHAN Liam Madison- Genesis st
21 BIALOBLOCKI Marcin Team UK Youth @7:07
22 LAMPIER Steven Node 4-Giordana Racing st
23 DE JONGE Maarten Team Vorarlberg st
24 KOMORI Ryohei Deschuytter-Eurasia-Westkerk Region @8:18
25 BOOTH Daniel Team Hope Factory Racing st
26 HAWDON Andrew Herbalife-LeisureLakes Bikes st
27 BYRNE Declan MG-Maxifuel st
28 MURRAY Tom Metaltech-Knights of Old st
29 McCALLUM James Rapha-Condor-JLT @8:18
30 CLANCY Edward Rapha-Condor-JLT st
31 CLARKE David Synergy-Baku Cycling Project st
32 ATKINS George Great Britain Under 23 Academy @8:23
33 OLDHAM Paul Team Hope Factory Racing @8:32
34 WITMITZ Sam Team Raleigh @10:07
35 LINES David MG-Maxifuel @10:21
36 LOWE Samuel Great Britain Under 23 Academy st
37 GEE Matthew Team Corley Cycles st
38 BARRAS Tom Wheelbase-Altura-MGD st
39 Van EERD David Start-Trigon Cycling Team st
40 STEPHENSON Will Rapha-Condor-JLT st
41 LAVERACK Edward Rapha-Condor-JLT st
42 MARDLE Richard Felt-Colbournes-Hargroves st
43 SMAIL Robert Metaltech-Knights of Old st
44 TANFIELD Harry Herbalife-LeisureLakes Bikes st
45 HAND Gary Herbalife-LeisureLakes Bikes st
46 ZUGASTI Iban Start-Trigon Cycling Team st
47 URBANOWSKI Marcin Team Wilbatech-Brzeg st
48 SYBRANDY Wouter Team IG-Sigma Sport st
49 MEERSSCHAERT Kristof Deschuytter-Eurasia-Westkerk Region st
50 CALDWELL Jamie MG-Maxifuel st
51 GULLEN James Team Hope Factory Racing st
52 SPRINGER Christoph Team Vorarlberg st
53 BROERS Remco Team Vorarlberg st
54 BUGGLE Arron Rapha-Condor-JLT st
55 WILLIAMSON James Node 4-Giordana Racing st
56 VARLEY Christian Node 4-Giordana Racing st
57 SCHWEIZER Christoph Synergy-Baku Cycling Project st
58 NORRIS Lachlan Team Raleigh st
59 RODGER Shem Node 4-Giordana Racing st
60 VAN UDEN Roman Node 4-Giordana Racing st
Live Text Updates
Will text some updates before, during and after the race but most of the info will be in the live photos!
RELATED LINKS
Preview of the race including start sheetÂ
2012 Race report, results and images
2011 Race report, results and images
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
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- The Way Ahead (domestic road racing): Part 8
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- Team News: Chris Froome optimistic about 2021
- News: Ambitions for Trek-Segafredo leaders
- News: Tom Dumoulin Programme
- News: Team Bahrain Victorious 2021 Goals
Other News on VeloUK
- Feature Interview: Ian Watson (Brother UK LDN)
- The Way Ahead (domestic road racing): Part 8
- News: Tom Dumoulin Stops Racing
- News: Nottingham Uni Track Team
- Emma Trott & Jenny Gretton join CAMS-Tifosi
- Feature Interview: Tim Elverson (Canyon DHB Sungod)
- News: Wout Van Aert Extends Contract
- News: Star Studded Lineup for UAE Tour
- News: Will Valverde Retire?
- News: Drops to Race on Ribble
- News: GB Team for World CX Championships
- News: Tadej Pogačar to work on his time trial
- News: Fernando Gaviria Hopes for 2021
- News: Julian Alaphilippe to start in Tour de la Provence
- News: Dan Martin Still Learning
- News: Froome after 5th Tour Win
- News: Beeston Race Team
- Team News: Astana – Premier Tech 2021 Goals
- Brits in UCI Teams 2021
- News: British Junior Racing Team Tofauti Everyone Active
- News: Tour of Valencia (3-7 February)
- News: Bernal & the Giro
- News: 2021/22 CX Season British Dates
- News: Fabio Jakobsen Getting Better
- News: Bauke Mollema’s 2021 Season
- News: Tom Pidcock’s aims for 2021
- News: Tim Wellens Focus on Classics
- News: UAE Tour returns in Feb
- News: Deceuninck – Quick-Step Media Day
- News: Gilbert uncertain about 2021
- News: Jakob Fuglsang at Ruta del Sol
- Team JRC Shutt Ridley Women’s Team
- Team News: Chris Froome optimistic about 2021
- News: Ambitions for Trek-Segafredo leaders
- News: Tom Dumoulin Programme
- News: Team Bahrain Victorious 2021 Goals
- News: Busy season ahead for Peter Sagan
- UAE Team Emirates signs Marc Hirschi
- News: WorldTourTeams in Challenge Mallorca
- News: Wout Poels to focus on the Tour de France