Post Race Chat – Yanto Barker

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Talking to winner of the Star Trophy in 2014 and now third overall after second place in the Wilton GP on Sunday, Yanto Barker of One Pro Cycling

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Post Race Chat – Yanto Barker

Second in a two up sprint at the end of over a hundred miles in the Wiltshire country side, Yanto Barker of One Pro Cycling showed yet again how riding for the win each race will take care of any ambitions for the series whether it’s a goal or not.

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The race at Wilton has finished in a bunch kick each time, and this year many of the teams had their top gun sprinters, but an extra lap on the big loop including the climb of Fovant Downs, and a soft break at the end saw Yanto fighting yet again for a win. It wasn’t to be as he was beaten by Andy Tennant but Yanto seemed content with the result.

“That was a hard race” Yanto said as he warmed down after podium duty. “It was fast, long and there were a lot of good guys coming off the back of Tour of Yorkshire last week and quite a lot of tired guys in the group too. I could see the gaps going quite quickly first lap up the climb.”

“So I made a point of getting stuck in. I wasn’t thinking of distance; just about making sure we as a team had enough guys in the splits which were happening quite quickly and take it from there”.

“The four us getting away at the end was a bit of an accidental move because there was still quite a long way to go and prior to it going, it was not a massively cohesive group with not everyone pulling through. It was too big and with two or three from each team in it, no-one was super committed.”

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“It was just an intermediate selection and was always going to be whittled down in some form or another. So Andy Tennant and Bradbury just rolled off the front after the feed and I thought, I’m not having that, and didn’t really make an massive effort to get across with Mike Northey.”

“It was a good group and we had five to ten seconds straight away and the gap went from there.”

“For the majority of the time we were away, I was happy. I know Andy’s a good time trialist and does lovely long smooth turns compared to me having shorter more punchy ones. I have a lot of respect for Andy and Northey and enjoy racing with them so was happy to be in a break with them”.

The four though didn’t want to take a newcomer to the racing at this level, Edmund Bradbury of NFTO, to the finish and it was an attack by Barker that saw the four split. After he went, and was chased by Northey who countered and was brought back by Bradbury, Tennant made his move and with the pursuit his speciality (he was Junior world champ in 2005), he bridged to Barker.

The two then sprinted it out with the Wiggins rider getting the verdict. The second place though saw Barker showing yet again very consistent form and he sits in third place after the first half of the race for the Star Trophy.

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“I am trying not to go for the overall to be honest” he said on the stage when interviewed and to VeloUK during our chat.” I’m riding on auto pilot and I can’t help myself. I just want to be up there in the races.”

“As far as I’m concerned, being at the sharp end racing the distance is where I want to be. If I am in a group racing for twelfth or fifteenth, that is not why I go out training hard on my bike during the week. So I am always happy when I can make it into a move and at least have a chance of coming away with the win”.
“Having a podium is an excellent result and I think we have done a good job with three guys in the top 10”.

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