Report – Beeline Bicycles Road Race

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Jack Kirk wins the Beeline Bicycles Road Race for category 2/3/4 riders in Oxfordshire

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Report – Beeline Bicycles Road Race

NOTE: Send your results as well as club, team & event news here

Report written by Nick Beale | Beeline Bicycles Road Race | 21st September

Seventy eight riders took to the start line on a sunny autumnal morning for the inaugural Beeline Bikes Road Race (for 2/3/4 cats) held over 3¾ laps of the rolling Otmoor course in Oxfordshire, which includes a short sharp climb out of Horton cum Studley and a long drag from Islip to Beckley each lap.

The first to animate the race was lone rider Christopher Morrison of Cadence Cycling Performance, who attacked early on and quickly built up a lead of over a minute and slowly extended this over the first two laps, to a maximum of 1m 43s.

Behind, the peloton had been whittled down to no more than 40 riders by the start of Lap3. For most of the third lap the peloton had Morrison in their sights and he was slowly being reeled in, with several riders pulling strongly to bring him back, including Clive Nicholls from Zappi’s. By the time the race reached Islip, Morrison was almost caught.

It was “gruppo compacto” in the run up to the bell, but after a brief respite, the attacks started in the last eight miles of the race. Several small groups gained 10-15 seconds on the bunch behind but they were chased down each time and it looked like any race winning move would have to come on the final climb from Islip.

Cue an attack from Jack Kirk, who was joined by one other rider, with a further three chasing strongly behind being pulled along by the most combative rider of the day, Christopher Morrison, who still seemed to have plenty of power in his legs.

After a brief lull on the final descent and some re-grouping at the front of the bunch, several riders, including Kirk, were still clear with 2k to go, which included a final 200m kick up to the finish. Jack Kirk continued to climb away to a superb victory with Danny Axford (Arctic Tacx RT) a worthy second only seven seconds behind, closely followed by Paul Elcock (G.S Henley).

1 Jack Kirk
2 Danny Axford Arctic Tacx RT
3 Paul Elcock G.S. Henley
4 Ioan Smallwood Cardiff Ajax CC
5 Robert Ward Felt-Colbornes-Hargroves RT
6 Benjamin Allen Dulwich Paragon CC
7 Steve Thomas Dream Cycling
8 Michael Burke Welland Valley CC
9 Paul Londors Arbis – Colbert Cycles RT
10 Christopher Morrison Cadence Cycling Performance
11 Arthur Tye Dulwich Paragon CC
12 Richard Cleaver Leisure Lakes Bikes.com
13 Christopher Bennett Club Corley Cycles
14 Edward Ashby
15 James Plumb I-Ride.co.uk

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