News – Tour Series Win Number 5 for Mould

2015_CONTI_Banner_TourSeries

Jon Mould of One Pro Cycling closes in on the record of most wins in the Pearl Izumi Series in Redditch

RST Cycle Clothing & Trigon Bikes

News – Tour Series Win Number 5 for Mould

Redditch_10web

It was back in Colchester in 2013 that Jon Mould won his first round of the Pearl Izumi Tour Series, only his second race in the series, and then in 2014, lit the flames of celebration by winning no less than three rounds.

His victories so far have come in:
2013: Colchester
2014: Edinburgh
2014: Durham
2014: Stoke on Trent
2015: Redditch

In the Series as a whole, Jon has also been second at Aberyswyth (2014) and 7th at the same venue in 2013 which was his debut in the series.

He said before this year’s series to repeat the wins individually would be difficult but in only the second crit of the 2015 series, he got the arms in the air after a mistake by Morgan Kneisky of Raleigh GAC.

It came after a very exciting end to the race where Kristian House of JLT Condor slipped away going for the individual win as his team came with only four riders and so the team win was never an option for them.

JonMouldRedditch

He was joined first by Mould before Kneisky and Mike Northey (Madison Genesis) joined them. Then, Gruff Lewis (Pedal Heaven) crossed the gap. With House driving the break, it wasn’t long before Northey went for a long one the final time up the hill but was passed by Kneisky with Mould on his wheel.

The Frenchman was looking to make it two from two for France in Redditch after Mathieu Boulo won in 2014. Kneisky however made the mistake of looking left, seeing no-one was there and then celebrating, opening the door nicely for Jon Mould who kept his eye on him as he passed and sprinted for the line to win for One Pro Cycling.

That victory in Redditch, Mould’s fifth individual win in the Series, moves him level with Dean Downing and just one behind Ed Clancy (JLT Condor) as the most successful rider in terms of individual victories in the Pearl Izumi Tour Series.

Remarkably Mould’s wins have come from just 15 events since that first win at Colchester in 2013. Individual wins are difficult to come by when playing the team game. An insider explained how Jon Mould is in great form at the moment but is restricted by the team competition which is a big prize that his team are chasing full gas.

2015_FSA_MidstoryBanner

With the team competition calculated on the time of the five riders, those in teams with an interest in the overall competition have to be careful not to play the individual game. IE, having to pull back from opening the burners flat stick because doing so may mean a teammate gets dropped and the team lose the chase for the team prize.

In Redditch though, Mould was reacting to the move by House which slipped away and with one rider from many of the leading teams, he was able to take the opportunity of the victory and he took it with both hands.

He did how ever feel for the Raleigh GAC Frenchman saying on twitter to Morgan “Gutted for you mate, it would have been good to have had a sprint!! See you in Wales!!”

“I thought Morgan had me pinned and I had messed up and then he opened it up as he celebrated” Jon explained post-race. “I was on his wheel up the climb and he was going really hard and over the top he seemed to start to die off a bit and I thought I need to get round him but I was just overlapping his back wheel.”

JonMouldRedditch2

“As we went round the left hander, he drifted right to the gutter on the right hand side and I literally had an inch of room between him and the barrier and I was thinking, he’s done this perfectly here. He’s put me right where he needs me and I didn’t think I was going to get round him.”

“He looked over his left shoulder and moved to the left and must have thought he’s got it because I didn’t have any room. With the gap opening, I started sprinting, looked left, and he had his hands in the air! He should know, he’s track rider like me and should be sprinting to the line”.

“He’ll be gutted like I would be but a wins a win and I know he’ll be fighting for it in the next one.”

Asked about the race prior to the sprint which has been a talking point of it, Jon explained “It was really hard. These Tour Series races are a tough whittling down process this year. It’s been a different flat out style of racing”.

Jon said there were mixed feelings after the victory with the disappointment in losing the team award. He explained on TV how these races are tough and riders being put in them like Marc Hester was, it can take time for them to find their legs. Hester being dropped and a crash/mechanical for George Harper saw One Pro’s hopes of a team win go out the window.

MarkHesterRedditch

It is a long series though says Jon. “Madison are one of the stronger teams this year so that will make the racing exciting and its far from a one horse race”.

Jon will be back in his native Wales on Friday at Aberystwyth.

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

Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)

Other News on VeloUK

Tags: , ,