Report: Eastern Region RR Championship

Rhys Howells won the Eastern Regional Championship Road Race after breaking away from a large leading group with five miles to go

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Report: Eastern Region RR Championship
From Fergus Muir

Rhys Howells (Team Wiggins) won the Eastern Regional Championship Road Race after breaking away from a large leading group with five miles to go

Howells had been racing in the Rapha Copenhagen Nocturne the previous evening and had had flown back overnight to compete in the race – which, as the Rapha Road Race, he had organised for the previous two years.

The course was a new version of the courses based on the old A11 near Saffron Walden and climbing into the Chiltern Hills west of that road. This 10.5 mile version took in narrow lanes through Strethall and Catmere End and included a lot of up-and-down in a total of 84 miles. Action started early with Olli Jones (Team OnForm) attacking alone on the first lap, mindful that in that the previous week he had seen a first lap break stay away to the end.

A lap later Rob Ormond (Morvelo-Basso), Tom Stead (St Neots CC) and Neil Phillips (Kibosh) had joined Jones, while Dougal Toms (Pedal Power Ipswich), Lloyd Chapman (Catford CC/Banks), Tom Elwood (CC London) and Toby Parnell (Cambridge CC) were on the way to linking up to form a lead group of eight. After more riders joined and a crash at Littlebury Green intervened, the race settled down with a lead group of about 23 riders and a second group dropping over two minutes in arrears – eventually to be given a finish one lap early

One lap to go – Vartazarian attacks

Coming up the finish hill and over the M11 bridge with one lap to go, Arlen Vartazarian (Regent Park Rouleurs) attacked with Charlie Passfield (Spirit Bikes) in close attendance. George Wood (Richardsons/Trek) chased and exploded the group with Antony Moye (Spirit), Matt Clements (Catford/Banks), Tommy Power (Strada), and Howells surviving….and these seven worked well and left the rest behind.

Howells attacked just before the descent to Wendens Ambo, clearly dominant – and had nearly half a minute in hand at the line. There he was followed home by Moye and Wood, after Power’s uphill charge had ended in a bang from his back tyre.

Lloyd Chapman (Catford/Banks) and Mark Richards (DAP CC) distanced the remaining field to take eighth and ninth places with Clay Davies (Verulam – Really Moving) completing to top ten.

Result
1 Rhys Howells (Team Wiggins)
2 Antony Moye (Spirit Bikes) +00:26 secs
3 George Wood (Richardsons/Trek) +00:29
4 Charlie Passfield (Spirit Bikes)
5 Matt Clements (Catford CC/Banks)
6 Arlen Vartazarian (Regent Park Rouleurs)
7 Tommy Power (Strada Sport) +01:04
8 Lloyd Chapman (Catford CC/Banks) +02:38
9 Mark Richards (DAP CC) + 03:11
10 Clay Davies (Verulam-Really Moving) + 03:22

11 Joshua Aiken Pedal Power Cycles Ipswich
12 Neil Phillips Kibosh
13 Tom Elwood CC London
14 Robert Ormond Morvelo Basso RT
15 Tom Fitzpatrick Private Member
16 Patrick Willan Cambridge CC
17 Jack Burgin St Ives CC
18 Oliver Jones Cycle Team OnForm
19 Tom Stead St Neots CC
20 Simon Alexander Richardsons-Trek RT
21 Fabian Horrocks West Suffolk Wheelers
22 David Warwick Orwell Velo
23 Gregory Smith Finsbury Park CC
24 James Hedley-Smith Verulam – reallymoving.com
25 Adam Colvin Army Cycling Race Team (ACRT)
26 William Drury Pro Cycle Hire UK Racing Team
27 Mark Harris Pro Cycle Hire UK Racing Team
28 Tom Yiangou Neon-Velo Cycling Team
29 Laurence Kirby Catford CC Equipe/Banks
30 Sam Toy Velo Schils – Interbike RT
31 Josh Rock Finchley Racing Team
32 Ian Franklin Pro Cycle Hire UK Racing Team
33 Elliot Fullerton Bloodwise QSW
34 George Marshall Rapha Cycling Club
35 Mike Smith Rapha Cycling Club
36 Charlie Bratt St Neots CC
37 Frank Longstaff Richardsons-Trek RT
38 Matthew Shepherd Lee Valley Youth Cycling Club

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