Junior Sam Freeman Wins Portsmouth NE Road Race, Report/Results

Just a day after finishing his O Level exams, Sam Freeman (Hargroves Montezumas RT) let off steam by winning the Portsmouth North End Summer road race at Owlsebury in Hampshire. The 16 year old from Portsmouth impressively beat Oliver Winwood-Bratchell (VC Venta) & another 16 year old, South Region Junior champion Tom Day (Giant CC-Halo Films).

Freeman had been part of a 4 man group that had reeled in long time leader Gregory Fitzek (ZeroBC) with just over a “K” to go. It was heartache for Fitzek, who along with Adam Cotterell (Project 51) had broken away halfway through the 60 mile race, the first meaningful move of the day.

As the weather closed in Fitzek, always the stronger, pressed on as Cotterell faltered but did not quite have the legs, the 21 year old doing well to hang on to 4th place. So impressed was NEG rider Gregg James with the effort of Fitzek, he immediately stuck his hand in his wallet and put up a £40 combativity award, guess who got it. Freeman, Day, Winwood-Bratchell & Ed Slot (Sotonia CC) collected Cotterell in their pursuit of Freeman and he sat on for 6th place. 

Rider Reaction
Sam Freeman

“ I started the attack on the steeper part of the climb, thought I would just give it a go, no one followed, I looked behind I was amazed, then all of a sudden three riders got to me and we just hammered it. We caught Greg (Fitzek) with less than a K to go, it was crazy, It all chilled down before the finish, Ollie (Winwood-Bratcell) went first, I was on his wheel and I just went round him, Amazing Race!”
Gregory Fitzek

“200 Metre’s from the line, I was dying, going as hard as I could but I did not have enough…….on the last lap I had about 20 seconds, i was not sure, should I wait or should I go, I still felt ok over the climb so I decided just to to go for it, see what I could do, maybe I made the wrong decision and should have waited? At the final left hander I could see them, I got as aero as I could and pressed on, at that point I was fully committed, I had no sprint left anyway, three of them came flying passed me, I was surprised to get fourth, presumably there were some games going on behind”

1 Sam Freeman Hargroves-Montezumas 2 J
2 Oliver Winwood Bratchell Velo Club Venta 2
3 Thomas Day Giant Cycling Club - Halo Films 2 J
4 Gregory Fitzek ZeroBC 2
5 Ed Slot Sotonia CC 2
6 Adam Cotterell Project 51 2
7 Peter Merritt TBW23 Stuart Hall Gett Taxi 2
8 Simon McNamara Southdowns Bikes – Casco PET 2
9 Pat Wright Paceline RT 2
10 Joe Parker Blazing Saddles Cycles 2
11 Alexander Cross Meudon Pedal Heaven Le Col RT 2
12 George Skinner Primera-TeamJobs 2
13 Barney Clacy Hargroves-Montezumas 2 J
14 James Bevan Army Cycling Union 2
15 Matthew Allsopp Wightlink,Wight Mountain CRT. 2
16 Steve Calland Southdowns Bikes – Casco PET 2
17 Warren Jesse Meudon Pedal Heaven Le Col RT 2
18 Brook Elgie Sotonia CC 2
19 Samuel Clark Hargroves-Montezumas 2 J
20 Michael Guilford Meudon Pedal Heaven Le Col RT 2
21 Dean Corney Meudon Pedal Heaven Le Col RT 2
22 Samuel Wadsley Primera-TeamJobs 3
23 David Le Roux Velo Sport Jersey 2
24 Phillip Cole Mud, Sweat n Gears CC 2
25 Jamie Caldwell Cycle Team OnForm 2
26 Max Nelson University Of Portsmouth CC 2
27 Owen Lewis Velo Club Venta 2
28 Cameron Cragg Project 51 2
29 Charlie Beake Zappi Racing Team 2
30 Lawrence Coyle Brighton Mitre CC 2
31 Ian Vagg Project 51 2
32 Callum McQueen Team HUUB 3
33 James Veal Wightlink,Wight Mountain CRT. 3
34 Harry Johnson VC St Raphael 2
35 Adrian Lawson Nopinz Symec Race Team 2
36 Matthew Houlberg Portsmouth North End CC 2 J
37 Paul Newsome Project 51 3
38 Richard Cartland Southdowns Bikes – Casco PET 2
39 Nicholas Tyrie Primera-TeamJobs 2
40 James Peckham Sotonia CC 2
41 James Nicholson Surrey Hills Cycleworks 2
42 Elliot Chilton New Forest CC 3
43 Joseph Clark I-Team Cyclists Club 2
44 Dan Byrne Black Line 2 J
45 James Kenward Portsmouth North End CC 3
46 Matthew Day Hargroves-Montezumas 3 J
47 Ben Elvin Fareham Wheelers Cycling Club 3