Team News – Raleigh GAC in good shape in Normandie

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Raleigh GAC pro cycling get their season underway in France in the Tour of Normandie and team boss happy with their first race for 2016

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Team News – Raleigh GAC in good shape in Normandie

Raleigh GAC is one of three British teams in the Tour of Normandie and after the prologue and first stage, team owner, Cherie Pridham is content with how things are going for what is mainly a new group of riders, and staff, in their first race together in the iconic Raleigh colours.

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With it being the first race of 2016, their intentions are to do their best to get a result on individual stages and so they chose to race the prologue on their Raleigh Militis road bikes to kick start their season.

Having done that, it was onto the road stage on Tuesday, 200 kilometres long and a chance to blow the winter cobwebs away and get some racing miles in their legs. Blessed with good weather for a change, the riders were able to don their Primal gilets at the start but with temperatures of up to 14 degrees, the riders were soon back to their racing jerseys as the body warmed up.

The way the stage was raced played into their hands as a break escaped up the road and the riders were able to get a feel for racing again as the peloton cruised for much of the stage. Making his debut in the senior ranks for the team was Jack Escritt racing the longest race of his life and given a team role to help his teammates.

“Jack deserves a big pat on the pat on the back for his ride on stage 1 to get through the longest day of his life on a bike. The lad went in and just got on with the job, coming back to the Toyota for six bottles and delivered them to each rider in the team and that is what I asked of him. Even better, he was there right up until the pointy end of the race.”

“It is not an easy job to do for a young rider when they haven’t done that before but he was calm and there was no panic.”

And where were a lot of bottles of High 5 for Jack to take to the riders with each one using around six each during the long stage. “It was all about the riders making sure they refuelled with High 5 so they are ready for today’s stage” says Cherie.

“They all took on the new KitBrix musettes we have which are so good, it’s a shame the riders have to throw them off after they’ve got the food out!”

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Toyota team cars and T5 VW camper from Don Amott Leisure Kingdom

Talking about the stage on Tuesday, Cherie explained “We had a plan for the sprint and were happy with the way Seb (Mora) performed finishing 14th. There are a few things to iron out but I’m pleased with a top 15 at this stage. I’m just as happy to see the riders get through it as it has proven to be dangerous stage in the past so I was relieved everyone got through the stage upright.”

“The whole dynamic of the team has changed this year and we need a handful of races for them to get used to the way everyone rides. Matthieu has good legs but we have to wait for an opportunity for him”.

Today, says Cherie, is a new stage but an old finish. “It’s up and down all day every similar to racing up north in the UK with short sharp climbs. The big thing is normally the wind but so far in the race, that has not played a significant part in the stages.”

In summing up the racing, the team boss explained the riders now just need to position themselves well in the peloton, ride as a unit and take whatever opportunities that present themselves.

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