Result – Tom Hawkins Spring Classic Road Race

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Mark Perry winner of the Tom Hawkins Spring Classic Road Race in Devon on Sunday

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Result – Tom Hawkins Spring Classic Road Race

Mark Perry wins the Tom Hawkins Spring Classic
(thanks to Elena Bremer of Exeter Wheeler CC)

Exeter Wheelers annual road race saw a change of format in 2014 with the club taking the opportunity to move the date to May; we were rewarded for this with a perfect spring day, with sunshine and a light breeze. We also upped the distance of the race from 7 laps to 9 laps, making the event a gruelling 67 mile siege that proved too much for some.

The race started promptly at 10:30 am with John Nye of the promoting club taking it upon himself to put in the first dig. This was short lived and was brought back on the hill by the bunch. In the second lap everyone had got to grips with the course and Scott Gurnett put in the first significant attack going clear of the bunch by 30 seconds. By the 3rd lap riders were starting to think about bridging to the rider away, it was Blake Pond who was first to go attacking on the hill, with Duncan Heywood and Richard Cleaver working together to bridge to Blake before the turn into the Devon lanes.

Scott Gurnett was able to stay away from this chasing trio to take the first prime on his own, however it was not long into the fourth lap when the three caught the lone rider. With these four riders up the road and out of sight in the twisting lanes the bunch made little effort to chase them down and it was the home club riders of Alex McGrath and Jamie Howard who were the next to try and make the bridge. By this point the lead group of four had 1:20 on the bunch, and whilst Alex and Jamie put in a great effort chasing for over a lap, it was not to be. They were soon enough swept up by the now dwindling bunch.

The second prime was taken by One and All junior Duncan Heywood, but the front quartet’s lead had now started to fall. By the end of the 8th lap the leading four had lost all but 10 seconds of their lead. The big guns left in the bunch must have been licking their lips in anticipation.

By the 9th and final lap it all started to kick off, a group of 7 had formed up front. In the bunch there was a desperate scramble to get clear from some whilst others had a desperate scramble just to stay with the bunch. A chasing group formed between the lead group and the main peloton; with a mix of riders from the early break and those from the bunch who couldn’t quite make it to the race head. The front 7 quickly forges a minute lead on the climb and over the top in to the headwind section of the circuit, with some tired legs struggling to match their pace.

It was Mark Perry who took the win in sprint finish from a leading group of 5, with Blake Pond hot on his heels and George Fowler very close behind. With points down to 15th there was still plenty to race for and the 35 or so riders that remained of the 75 starters rolled in with varying levels of vigour!

Well done to all the riders who completed the gruelling course. A massive thank you to the many volunteers who made this event possible and to all the riders who made it such a successful race. Hopefully we’ll see you all again next year!

1st  Mark Perry  Ride 24/7
2nd Blake Pond North Devon Wheelers- South Fork
3rd  George Fowler 1st Chard Wheelers
4th  Calum Croft Mud Sweat & Gears CC
5th  Deacon Cutterham NFTO Race Club
6th  James Davey Mid Devon CC
7th  Scott Gurnett Tanks Direct Cycling
8th  Charlie Revell Somerset RC-Bicycle Chain
9th  Peter Haworth  Team Tor 2000
10th  Edward Silverton Bicicielo
11th  Richard Cleaver Leasure Lake Bikes.com
12th/1st Junior  Duncan Heywood One and All Cycling
13th  Jason Poore Mid Devon CC
14th  Philip Collings Tavistock Whlrs NorthShoreGallery
15th  Benjamin Luckwell Ride 24/7
16th  Daniel McKimm Dream Cycling
17th  Owen Owen Cog Bikes
18th  Andrew Hitchens Mid Devon CC
19th  Paul Barratt 1st Chard Wheelers
20th  Harry Snow North Devon Wheelers- South Fork
21st  Mark Wiffen Tavistock Whlrs NorthShoreGallery
22nd  Jamie Howard Exeter Wheelers CC
23rd  Oliver Yates Royal Navy & Marines CA
24th  Barry Clewett VC St Raphaels
25th  Joel Hewitt One and All Cycling
26th  Hugh Knudsen Team Tor 2000
27th  Moris Elphick Exeter Wheelers CC
28th  Harry Luxton RUTrainingToday CC
29th  George Clews Somerset RC-Bicycle Chain
30th  Ryan Vale Somerset RC-Bicycle Chain

 

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