Team News – Madison Genesis at Wilton

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Podium for Mike Northey of Madison Genesis after a frustrating race at the Wiltshire Grand Prix on Sunday

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Team News – Madison Genesis at Wilton

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Madison Genesis were once again in action over the weekend, this time competing in the Wiltshire GP. In only its second edition, the race has quickly become one of the highlights of the Spring Cup Series. This year’s 174km race was based on two circuits around Wilton, a larger circuit – featuring the ascent of Fovant Down – to be completed five times before moving on to four laps of a nine kilometre finishing circuit.

A balmy 16 degrees and a hazy sun greeted the riders as they pulled away from the ceremonial start in Salisbury market place and headed out towards Wilton for the race start proper. As with almost all races nowadays the attacks started immediately, with nothing really gaining any headway.

It was only on the second ascent of Fovant Down did the race start to split. Initially a group of 20 riders went clear but with several passengers in the group it never really forged any kind of lead. Several riders re-joined the front of the race however that didn’t last long as a new group of 20 emerged with Mike Northey, Tobyn Horton and Erick Rowsell there for Madison Genesis.

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As the race moved on, the chasing groups quickly lost interest and the leaders gained over seven minutes in a very short period of time. At only half distance it was already apparent the race was to be decided from the front group. Entering the fifth and final loop of the large circuit four riders went clear and quickly opened a two minute lead, however with NFTO not contributing to the workload upfront the group was never going to stay together. Mike rode aggressively but at the end had to settle for winning the sprint for third.

“It was a hard race in general” explained Mike Northey. “It kicked off straight away and every time up the climb was really hard and everyone felt it. When the split happened, a group got away and a handful of us went across on the climb and that created a big group.”

“No-one wanted to work properly and it was a small move that rolled off the front so there were four of us for the last 60k.” Asked was he pleased how the race went, Mike, winner of the Welsh GP among other races, replied, no, not really. A bit frustrating to be stuck in the second group with two up the road and I was definitely going to make sure I was on the podium after that.”

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“I was confident I could get him (Edmund Bradbury, NFTO) in the sprint but he was strong and still attacking me coming into the finish. I’ve got the Tour Series now so need to find the crit legs as it’s going to be pretty fully on. We’ll see how it goes!”

Roger Hammond, Team Manager “That was a strange race with a rider sitting on for the best part of 70km in a four man group and nobody chasing behind. It was always going to be a difficult final few laps and Mike just missed a bit of luck not to have been racing for the win, but still showed his class by easily winning the sprint for third.”

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