Result/Report: Exeter University Stage Race

Dexter Mansel-Thomas winner of the Exeter University Stage Race in delightful conditions for the time trial and road race in the South West on March 30

Result/Report: Exeter University Stage Race
Around forty-five riders took to the start line on Sunday morning for the Exeter University Stage Race p/b Kalas. Conditions could not have been better for the university’s first-ever stage race on the road. The road race took place on a familiar circuit, having hosted events like the Tom Hawkins & Peter Sandy Memorial races in recent years.

Winner of the road race William Jeffrey from overall winner Dexter Mansel-Thomas. Photo Aegean Bramley

Stage One featured a fast, net-downhill point-to-point time trial on a new course, with Okehampton CC’s Callum Orchard taking a surprise victory for many. Primera-TeamJobs’ Steve Lampier kicked off his season with a narrow joint-second place finish alongside Schils-Doltchini RT’s Dexter Mansel-Thomas, just six seconds behind the man from North Dartmoor.

In the afternoon road race, everything was still to play for, with two sets of primes offering time bonuses, along with additional bonus seconds on the finish line. Several small breaks went up the road but never gained more than just over a minute, with a motivated bunch keeping them in check. A group of around twenty riders reached the final sprint together after a few last-ditch solo attempts to escape in the closing kilometres. Zappi Racing Team’s William Jeffrey was delighted to take a well-deserved win, opening up his sprint early and holding his advantage over the M5 motorway bridge to the finish, where a small crowd had gathered. Schils-Doltchini’s Mansel-Thomas finished fast in second, while an in-form Elijah Kwon (Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT) secured the final podium place, also picking up a handful of bonus seconds.

Photo Aegean Bramley

While both Kwon and Jeffrey improved their general classification positions from the TT, the overall podium contained the same riders as the morning’s time trial—albeit in a different order. Mansel-Thomas (Schils-Doltchini RT) maximised his opportunities in the intermediate sprints and at the finish line to leapfrog Orchard (Okehampton CC) and take overall victory. Steve Lampier (Primera-TeamJobs) proved he still has what it takes to be at the sharp end, finishing third overall after picking up three bonus seconds at the second intermediate sprint.

Lucy Cox (The Widger Spoke Easies) took the female overall win, whilst Charlie Hoy (Pronto Bikes) was first Junior & Macauley Vincent (Team Tor 2000 Kalas) took home the prize for being the first 4th category rider across the line.

Stage 1 (Time Trial): Top 10
1st Callum Orchard, Okehampton Cycle Club 0:09:50
2nd Dexter Mansel-Thomas, Schils – Doltcini Racing Team 0:09:56
2nd Steve Lampier, Primera-TeamJobs 0:09:56
4th Robert Hodge, Mid Devon CC 0:09:57
5th Andrew Davenport, Team Tor 2000 Kalas 0:09:58
6th Elijah Kwon, Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT 0:10:03
7th Tristan Kelsall-Spurr, Okehampton Cycle Club 0:10:05
8th Jack Rose, Team Milton Keynes 0:10:06
9th Adam Lightfoot 0:10:10
10th Alex Jones 0:10:12
10th Matthew Britton, Avid Sport 0:10:12

Stage 2 (Road Race): Top 10
1st William Jeffrey Zappi Racing Team
2nd Dexter Mansel-Thomas Schils – Doltcini Racing Team
3rd Elijah Kwon Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT
4th Adam Lightfoot
5th Kade Straker-Meads University of Exeter CC
6th Charlie Hoy Pronto Bikes
7th Zhenyu Li Reflex Nopinz
8th Andrew Davenport Team Tor 2000 Kalas
9th Steve Lampier Primera-TeamJobs
10th Edward Fraile-Whysall Mid Devon CC

Overall:
1st Dexter Mansel-Thomas, Schils – Doltcini Racing Team
2nd Callum Orchard, Okehampton Cycle Club
3rd Steve Lampier, Primera-TeamJobs
4th Andrew Davenport, Team Tor 2000 Kalas
5th Elijah Kwon, Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT
6th William Jeffery, Zappi Racing Team
7th Adam Lightfoot,
8th Kade Straker-Meads, University of Exeter Cycling Club
9th Andrew Whittemore, Exeter Wheelers
10th Corey Bale, BGE
12th Henry Cadwallader, Mid Devon CC
11th Charlie Hoy, Pronto Bikes
13th Harvey Thomas, Reflex Nopinz
14th Ian Vagg, Project 51
15th Zhenyu, Li Reflex Nopinz
16th George Whitlock, Mud Dock Racing
17th Steven Williams
18th Charlie Lacaille, Schils – Doltcini Racing Team
19th Alex Jones
20th Edward Fraile-Whysall, Mid Devon CC
21st Macauley Vincent, Team Tor 2000 Kalas
22nd Joseph Bearman, League RT
23rd Josh Smith, Avid Sport
24th Matthew Mernin, League RT
25th Tristan Kelsall-Spurr, Okehampton Cycle Club
26th Ezequiel Newton Navazo
27th Michael Sleeman, Gillingham and District Wheelers
28th Benedict Lloyd, Roath University of Exeter Cycling Club
29th Andriy Shamardiv
30th Darren Legg, Plymouth Corinthian CC
31st Finlay Webb, Exeter Wheelers
32nd William Wilson, Gillingham and District Wheelers
33rd Lucy Cox, The Widger Spoke Easies
34th Robert Hodge, Mid Devon CC
35th Jack Rose, Team Milton Keynes
36th Matthew Britton, Avid Sport
37th Samuel Nancarrow, 5-03
38th Justin Hoy, Pronto Bikes
39th Sebastian Robertson, University of Exeter Cycling Club
40th Oliver Pennington, Boost RC
41st Joshua Snow, Mid Devon CC
42nd Caio Waters, Mid Devon CC
43rd Jonah Bryant, Avid Sport
44th Edward Locke, University of Exeter Cycling Club
45th Charlie McFadzean, Spirit Racing Team