CC Weymouth Club 10, 14/03/15, Results

Jubilee’s Dave Pickering fastest on the p451 as veteran Terry Icke makes his debut for VC ST Raphael/Waites Contracts
1, DAVE PICKERING BJW 22.08
2, SAM WADSLEY PW 22.35
3, PADDY DUNN CCW 22.42
4, CHRIS RANDALL CCW 22.43
5, STEVE PINK CCW 22.47
6, TERRY ICKE VC ST RAPH 23.18
7, DAVID BUTT CCW 23.43
8, JOHN CHAPMAN CCW 23.44
9, ALISTAIR GAIN PW 24.31
10, PETE WILSON BACC 24.51
11, PHIL SMITH CCW 24.54
12, ANDREW JARDINE CCW 24.58
13,MIKE KEERSLAKE CCW 25.26
14,RUPERT SILMAN BJW 25.29
15,PETER JANES CCW 25.31
16,NICK IRELAND CCW 25.37
17,CONAL LOW-GRIER PW 26.53
18,MATT PYE CCW 27.17
19,SARAH WISE MSG 27.08
20,STEVE OLIVER CCW 27.33
21, ANDREW PRESTON CCW 27.41
22, CHARMAINE WALBY CCW 28.31
23,TIM BLACKMORE CCW 28.33
24, JEREMY GUY CCW 28.39
25, NICK MANNERING CCW 28.55
26,CHRIS ELLIS CCW 29.02
27,VICTORIA BARNETT CCW 29.19
28,BRANDON KING CCW 29.47
29, ELAINE PEARSON CCW 29.47
30,?WILDMAN CCW 30.04
=31 CARA JONES CCW 30.08
=31 BRIAM SANDS CCW 30.08
33,MATTHEW CALLAND CCW 31.40
34,CHARLIE BLADON CCW 32.10
35, ZOE-ANNE WHYTE CCW 38.38


Thanks to Steve Pink

Youth Track Omnium News

YOUTH TRACK OMNIUM NEWS

The track in Preston Park, Brighton is not expected to be available to be used for competition before the end of May 2015, at the earliest, therefore the third and final round of the British Cycling National South Area Youth Track Omnium Series will now be run at the track in Bournemouth (Slades Farm) on Saturday 16 May. This will be run by Poole Wheelers

Full event details and entry HERE

New Forest CC Kick Off New Season!

New Forest Cycling Club kicked off their extensive Time Trialling programme for 2015 on Sunday on the challenging P334 course. The picturesque course starts at Goatspen car park, looping towards Lyndhurst down the A35 turning left towards Burley, before heading back to Goatspen. An impressive field of 30 riders participated in the event on a cold and dry morning taking the opportunity to shake off the cobwebs after the winter months. Ben Boardman from NFCC showed good early season form to win the solo category in a time of 24:16 ahead of last year’s NFCC club champion Stuart Peckham (25:21) and club runner up James Bannister (25.55). Adam Waggott, newcomer Nicholas Buck and Graham Lenton made up the top six, all within 30 seconds of the top three places. Paula Eardley was the first lady home in 37:38 followed by Catherine Pascoe (38:10). However, the NFCC riders did not have everything their own way as fastest home was the formidable duo of Steve Whitewick and Julian Jenkinson on a tandem ripping up the course in 23:22. For access to the Time Trial programme organised by NFCC in 2015, please visit the NFCC web site.

New Forest riders were present over the weekend for the two Time Trials organised by Antelope RT on Saturday and Sunday last weekend. The event on the Saturday was a 10 mile TT held on the Stockbridge Road course north of Romsey, the P140. The event was won in a blistering time of 21:23 by Robert Moore, representing Pedal Heaven Colborne RT. Nick O’Hara was the first NFCC rider home in 23:17, followed by Stuart Peckham (24:25), Martin Balk (28:32) and Bob Joliffe (30:03). The event on the Sunday was a two up on the same course won by Parker/Berogna VC St Raphael in 21:30, with Greeshields/Lorton and O’Hara and Balk finishing in 26:53 and 29:25 respectively.
Club Result
1 Ben Boardman 00:24:16 24.7
2 Stuart Peckham 00:25:21 23.7
3 James Bannister 00:25:55 23.2
4 Adam Waggott 00:25:56 23.1
5 Nicholas Buck 00:26:16 22.8
6 Graham Lenton 00:26:19 22.8
7 Nick Wright 00:26:23 22.7
8 Sacha Ring 00:26:27 22.7
9 Joe Phillips 00:28:07 21.3
10 Richard Mason 00:28:13 21.3
11 Hugh Roper 00:28:15 21.2
12 Phil Underwood 00:28:29 21.1
13 David Eardley 00:29:53 20.1
14 Phil Jones 00:30:35 19.6
15 Geoff Weller 00:32:18 18.6
16 Bob Jolliffe 00:32:19 18.6
17 Peter Hawker 00:35:17 17
18 Paula Eardley 00:37:38 15.9
19 Catherine Pascoe 00:38:10 15.7
Privates
1 S Whitewick/J Jenkinson-Tandem 00:23:22 25.7 VELO REFINED
2 Cliff Rowe 00:24:54 24.1 B\MOUTH JUB.WHS
3 Tony Green 00:24:56 24.1 G.A.CYCLES
4 Freddy Coreth 00:24:59 24 S.R.A.M.
5 Tom Reid 00:25:04 23.9 PRIMERA
6 Ray Claridge 00:26:15 22.9 G.A.CYCLES
7 Pete Wilson 00:27:36 21.7 B\MOUTH ARROW C.C.
8 Debbie Hallett 00:32:20 18.6 P\MOUTH TRI CLUB
9 Stuart Grace 00:33:59 17.7 G.A.CYCLES
10 James Meakin D.N.F. S.R.A.M.
Thanks to Andrew Hanley

Power Meters: Racing &Training Talk

Thinking of investing in a power meter? Have already invested and want to get the most out your power meter during training and racing? Promoted by Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers, British Cycling coach Chester Hill will be hosting a Power Meter Seminar at Allendale Centre, Wimborne, Friday 27th March 7-9pm. This is the perfect opportunity to learn how to maximise your investment and your training.
£5 pre- book with Chris Courage 07811468026 chriscourage699@hotmail.com places limited to 20

In need of Inspiration?This Girl Can in Afghanistan!

In a country where women riding bikes are considered provocative and immoral, a national women’s team is gradually changing attitudes.
“Riding a bike is the most deep-seated taboo left in Afghanistan,” says Shannon Galpin founder of the nonprofit Mountain2Mountain dedicated to working with women and girls in conflict zones. “There are more women running for politics than riding bikes.”

Galpin is a Colorado-based American who travels to Afghanistan an average of three times a year to support and train with this handful of Kabul-based young women on the Afghan nation team. Despite bystanders hurling abuse and even throwing rocks, the girls have stood firm and continued to ride.

Using the bike to create change

Says Galpin: “They are not doing it to be revolutionary. They are riding a bike because they believe they have the right to. Why should a boy ride his bike to school in 15 minutes while the girls need one hour to walk there?

“These girls are not just racers, it’s not about competing, it’s about how do you use the bike to create change. Through the sport of cycling, these girls are going to normalise bikes for the rest of the country, enabling young girls to go to school on bikes and midwives to use bikes to access rural communities. Bikes literally can change lives.”

A single track mountain biker, Shannon Galpin was the first woman to mountain bike in Afghanistan in 2009. In 2010 she became the first person to cross the Panjshir Valley by bike. She had never seen another woman on a bike in the country until 2012 when she heard about the national team in Kabul.

These eight young athletes are fortunate to have the support of a (male) coach and their forward-thinking families. In some cases the fathers or brothers even ride with their family’s female athlete. “By doing this they are giving their stamp of approval,” marvels Galpin. “They are as much the heroes as the girls.”

She points out that much of the resistance comes not only from the men, but also the girls’ mothers, anxious to preserve their daughters’ honour. Some of those mothers have now admitted that they always dreamed of riding a bike when they were younger.

International competition

While high-level racing is not one of Shannon Galpin’s preoccupations, she says it can play a major role in encouraging acceptance of the sport for women.

“Things are evolving and people have seen the sport on Afghan TV. Two girls raced as the Asian Championships in Kazakhstan in 2014. The fact that they are riding can normalise bikes and the acceptance that it is not obscene.”

She would dearly like to enable at least some of the team to go to Rio next year to watch the Olympic cycling events, with a longer term goal of participation in 2020: “If we could even get one girl to Tokyo, flying the flag for Afghanistan….”

We are talking about a country where all women’s sport is fragile – the national women’s cricket team was recently disbanded – but Shannon Galpin is optimistic. As well as the team of six to eight women in Kabul, groups of women cyclists are starting up in other regions.

Their story on film

Liv, the cycling brand dedicated to women, has come on board with donations of bikes and equipment, and there is also strong support from Afghanistan’s National Olympic Committee.

“The work we are doing is insanely inspiring,” says Galpin, who has produced a feature length documentary “Afghan Cycles” due to be released in 2016. The documentary traces the story of these brave girls and their delight at having the chance to ride.

One of them tells the camera: “I am very proud of myself that I’m a cyclist.”

Her teammate adds: “They tell us that this is not our right to ride a bike in the streets and such. We tell them that this is our right and that they are taking our right away. Then we speed off.”

Making it Happen.
Source AIPS
(This article was first publised on www.UCI.ch)

Gillingham & District Wheelers Invest in the Future!

March saw the launch of the ambitious new Gillingham and District Wheelers – Wheels of Dorset Race Team. Affectionately known as #Project1 by the management, they have set a clear goal of developing local cycling talent from grass roots through to senior ranks. In 2013 Mark Geddes began the Club Youth training in association with British Cycling as part of the London Olympic Legacy programme. This has now evolved to support the developing riders in a senior racing environment. The team is competing in local Road Races, Time Trials and Criterium events at regional level for 2015 with a view to stepping up to National Level events for the 2016 season and beyond. Team manager Mark Geddes said “Without doubt the club is growing and evolving and this felt like a natural progression to retain the quality riders we've helped to develope.”
Anyone wishing to get involved with coaching or racing should contact Mark Geddes or Charles Rees at Wheels of Dorset Bike shop in Gillingham. More info on WEBSITE

British National Road Championships, A good Day Out!

Press Release

Entries are now open for all the events during the 4 day British Cycling National Road Championships via links on the event web site www.nationalroadchamps.co.uk These all close on June 2nd in order to produce the 48 page colour souvenir programme.
The Championships Time Trials on Thursday June 25th will be held to the east of the county in the Lincolnshire Wolds and based on the picturesque Cadwell Park Motor Racing Circuit.
The riders in the British Cycling National Time Trial Championships will start in the pit lane and complete almost a lap of the circuit and leave after the mountain climb out on to a closed roads country circuit using the Bluestone Heath Road crossing the top of the Lincolnshire Wolds and passing through the village of Ruckland via a long descent and a double bend before a testing climb out of the village. Ruckland is sited on the Greenwich Meridian line and the riders will cross this twice as they switch from left to right and back again through the village. This is part of a 7 mile circuit which the women and under 23 men will cover twice and the elite men three times before heading back to Cadwell to finish on the motor racing finish line for total distances of 21 and 28 miles.
There will also be supporting events at Cadwell Park starting at 9 am prior to the time trial championships.
Spectator tickets for the time trial championships at Cadwell Park on Thursday June 25thare now on sale. This is a great venue where the riders will be seen four times including the start and finish and twice up The Mountain.

The National Road Race Championships on June 28th are based on the well known Lincoln Grand Prix circuit with opening loops taking the riders out of the City through the West Lindsey areas before returning to Lincoln to complete finishing laps of the 8 mile Grand Prix circuit.
Grandstand tickets for Saturday and Sunday at the finish line in Lincoln's Castle Square are also on sale but hurry as there are not a lot remaining.
Hospitality packages for the Road Race Championships are also now available. Packages include access to a reserved area near to the finish line. CLICK HERE for details.

The Expo will have Europe's largest outdoor LED screen also showing the closing stages of the championships

Contact info@lincolngrandprix.org.uk for further information

Poole Wheelers Club 20/10 Results

Gallows Hill Circuit
2 LAPS= 20 Miles
1 JOHN SAMWAYS BJW 47.03
2, STEVE PINK CCW 47.54
3, MARK HARDWICKE BACC 50.32
4, GARY TUSKIN PW 52.01
5, PHIL SMITH CCW 52.14
6, PHIL HARVEY BJW 56.12
7, MARK JULIER BJW 56.38
8, ANDREW JACKSON CCW 59.41
2 UP
CHRIS COURAGE/BOB RICHARDSON BJW 49.00
1 LAP= 10 miles
1, HARRISON FIELDING PW 23.52
2, DARREN LEWIS PW 24.43
3, CHARLIE CALVERT BACC 24.52
4, MATT MERRITT CCW 25.35
5, PETE JAMES CCW 26.11
6, JON TERRY PW 29.16
7, JEFF HORSEMAN WRC 29.16
8, FRED NEWTON WRC 29.36
9, JOE STOCKWELL PW 30.11
10, WILLIAM WILSON CCW 32.54
3 UP
1, SCOTT WAREHAM, JONATHAN CARR, GEORGE CREASY BACC 26.26
2, BEN WRIGHT, GARY CURE, JAIMIE JOINTEN BACC 28.42

Antelope RT 2-UP 10, Berogna & Parker Fastest!

Gregg Parker & Simon Berogna (VC ST Raphael/Waites Contracts) beat the race favourites to win the Antelope 2-up 10 on the P140 Romsey-Brook course in Hampshire. Scratch pairing, Aran Stanton & Bryce Dyer clocked 22:13 but could not match the speed or cohesion of team mates Parker & Berogna who finished with 21:30. Chris Birch & Sam OrbelL (Hoops Velo/Farnham RC) separated the ST Raphael boys, their 21:59 securing second place on a chilly, breezy, March morning.

1, GREGG PARKER , SIMON BEROGNA (VC ST RAPHAEL/WAITES CONTRACTS) 21.30

2, CHRIS BIRCH , SAM ORBELL (HOOPS VELO/FARNHAM RC) 21.59

3, ARAN STANTON , BRYCE DYER (VC ST RAPHAEL/WAITES CONTRACTS) 22.13

4, SIMON MCLAUGHLIN, MARK VALENTINE (BOURNEMOUTH JUBILEE/POOLE WH) 22.22

5, GERRY MCGARR, SIMON HEALY (GLOUCESTER RC/ANDOVER WH) 22.34

6, WILLIAM FLEMMING, JAMIE FRANKLYN (VC VENTA) 22.36

7, LES PICK , SAM WADSLEY (POOLE WH) 22.39

8, JAMES HORTON, WAYNE PITMAN (PRIMERA/FIT TO RIDE) 22.46

9, HENRY NIXON THOMAS KEY (SOTON UNI CC) 22.48

=10, JAN LABROOY NIGEL PRATT (ANDOVER WH) 22.49

=10, TIM WALLIS GEORGE CRAMMOND (SOTON UNI CC) 22.49


11, JOSHUA OLDFIELD , ANDREW LOCKWOOD (SOTON UNI) 22.51
12, JAKE PRIOR, STU THOMPSON (VC ST RAPHAEL/WAITES CONTRACTS) 23.07
13, MATT WEBB, WILL HOUGHTON (HOUGHTON CC/HILLINGDON CC) 23.09
14, LEWIS MARTIN, JOE ANDREWS (FAREHAM WH) 23.16
15, GLENN LONGLAND RAY HUGHES (ANTELOPE RT/CLARENCE WH) 23.24
16, MICHAEL NAULLS , PAUL DOUBLE (VC VENTA) 23.26
17, LEE MARSDEN, MARK DENNY (POOLE WH) 23.26
18, CHARLIE LEECH, ALEX CLAYTON (SOTON UNI CC) 23.29 (INC 30SEC LATE START)
19, GAWAIN YOUNG, COLIN YEATES (SOTONIA CC) 23.37
20, JASON BRATTLE, JOHN SIBLEY (VELO REFINED AEROSMITHS) 23.48
21, TIM SMALES, JIMMY HUNT (VC VENTA) 23.52
22, STEVE WOOD, OLLIE EMMANS (ANTELOPE RT0 23.58
23, DOM JUDD, THEO WEBB (VC VENTA) 24.08
24, MARTIN ROWLAND, RYAN WESTON (POOLE WH) 24.12
25, RICHARD BLAKE GARY ALLAN (ANTELOPE RT / GA CYCLES) 24.13
26, CAMERON THOMPSON , JED WEBBER (ANDOVER WH) 24.36
27, SIMON HALL WILLIAM GRAINGER (ANDOVER WH) 24.47
28, NEIL WATTS, PAUL TEAGUE (FIT TO RIDE) 24.59
29, BARRY WATKINSON, GUY BOLTON (BOURNEMOUTH ARROW) 25.07
30, LUKE TRUSSLER, CRAIG WESTON (POOLE WH) 25.34
31, TREVOR GAUNT. ANDREW CROCKER (TEAM TOR 2000-KALAS SPORTSWEAR) 25.59
32, JOHN VINSON, CONAL LOW-GRIER (POOLE WH) 26.32
33, CHRISSIE STAINTON (L) WIL CLARK (POOLWH) 26.37
34, JOHN RIVETT, EINAR THORSEN (POOLE WH) 26.49
35, DANIEL HARRYMAN , JAMES YUILL (READING CC/PORTSMOUTH N E) 27.16

36, SOPHIE HERBERT, FLORENCE COLLYER-POWEL 9SOTON UNI) 27.41
37, CHRIS RANDALL, MATT PYE (CC WEYMOUTH, MUD SWEAT GEARS) 28.10
38, GARETH LLEWELLYN, CHRIS KELLY (POOLE WH) 28.56
39, SARAH WISE, VICTORIA BARNETT (MUD SWEAT GEARS) 29.06
40, JOHN BURROWS, LES JESSOP (POOLE WH) 29.06
41, MARTIN BALK, NICK O’HARA (NEW FOREST CC ) 29.25
42, FIONA HARES, ANNA MORRIS (SOTON UNI CC) 30.42
43, BARRINGTON DAY MATTHEW PEPPER (FAREHAM WH) 32.15
TANDEM
MATTHEW POSNER REBECCA BELWORTHY (SOTON UNI CC) 28.24

Bournemouth Jubilee Club 10, Results

Dave Pickering fastest on the P303 Kingston-Sopley circuit, a stiff south easterly making the going tough down to the Woolpack PH.
1 DAVE PICKERING 23:02
2 JOHN SAMWAYS 23:29
3 CLIFF ROWE BJW 24:02
4 CRAIG HARRIS BJW 24:18
5 ANDY COOPER BJW 24:24
6 CHRIS COURAGE BJW 24:26
7 DANNY FRENCH BJW 25:28
8 DAVE HICKS BJW 25:36
9 WILL SOLOMAN BJW 25:45
10 MARTIN BEALE VC ST R45APHAEL/WAITES CONTRACTS 25:46
11 KEVIN RIDGE BJW 27:09
12 NICK JONES BJW 27:22
13 KEVIN HARRIS BJW 27:30
14 IAN DIAPER BJW 27:32
15 MATTHEW ROLLINSON BJW 27:47
16 ROB GRIFFITHS BJW 27:52
17 MARK JEFFERIES New Forest CC 27:58
18 FELIX SPELLER BJW 28:09
19 ANDY KHAN BJW 29:05
20 EAMONN DEANE BJW 29:10
21 CLIFF BERRIDGE BJW 29:51
22 GARY ANDREWS BJW 30:40
23 PAT PINCHEN BJW 31:00
24 PAUL BROWN BJW 31:09
25 JON OBRIEN TRIKE BJW 32:08
26 SANDRO LEMOS BJW 32:08
27 SUE BARBER BJW 33:25
MIKE COURAGE BJE DNF PUNC
OFICIALS, PETE WARHURST,JACKY PROSSER, BOB WAREING, CLIVE PESKETT, NEIL WOODGATE, ANDRE BARBER

Fielding on Form at Ludgershall

I

Harrison Fielding (Unatt) won the final round of the Ludgershall Winter series on a wet and windy day on the Wiltshire test track. The former Poole Wheeler has spent much of the winter training in Spain, the eighteen year old has the miles in the legs, its all about finding speed now(and a team). Fielding says “ My condition is ok, at the moment I dont feel like I'm on brilliant form, I'm literally just coming of the back of hours and hours steady state work, so the ability to keep going all day long is there. The speed work is slowly starting to come into my training plan so should soon be getting some good form to hold onto for the year. I'm at castle coombe next weekend, and Wally Gimber on 22nd then James Atherton Road Race then after that little break for a couple of weeks, Three big races of the year that I'm targeting are the Rutland cicle, South region champs, and national under 23 champs.”

E/1/2/3
1 Harrison Fielding
2 Ian Robins Brighton Mitre CC
3 David Billings VC St Raphael
4 Charlie Leech Southampton University RC
5 Matthew Bone Danny Shane – Storck Racing
6 Adam Thompson Reading CC
7 Thomas Key Southampton University RC
8 Peter Medhurst Bikeshed – Exeter Uni
9 Jed Webber Andover Whls
10 Jake Hollins University of Bath Cycling Club


DHC Club Report

Race Report Ludgershall Winter Series Rd 9 Sat 28 Feb 15

A standard late February morning greeted our racers as they departed home for the Ludgershall circuit for the final instalment of the Winter Series. Grey, dreary skies with a constant drizzle and not a peep of sunshine, roll on summer racing!

As was the case for the last few races the 4ths were split in to odds and evens due to large numbers attending. The DHC boys all managed to secure places in the odds race meaning they could work together – this proved critical in the race.

Learning from his growing experience Matt stayed in the wheels for most of the race to preserve his strength for when needed – bike racing is not about going as fast as possible after all. Ed was up and down in the peloton and took a few turns on the front as did Lou.

Coming on to the last lap Matt was out in the wind toward the rear of the peloton; no body was letting him in, it seemed his race might be over. Step in Ed Rowe who had seen Matt was out on a limb, in an inspired and selfless move Ed sprinted hard past Matt to break the wind for him shouting at Matt to get on his wheel, Ed proceeded to drag Matt to the front of the Peloton exhausting himself and selflessly ending his own chances, chapeau indeed Ed!

After Ed exhausted himself Matt was able to jump on Lou’s wheel who again worked hard to pull the pair clear of the peloton, unfortunately the peloton caught the them, sensing his opportunity Matt mashed the pedals to jump on the wheel of another racer sprinting past, he stuck on the wheel and was only half a wheel from passing when the line came up. A massive result and second place achieved with great team play and supreme efforts from all three.

Matt 2nd.
Ed 12th
Lou 20th

In the 3rds DHC was represented by Andy and Gary, this was Andy’s second race in the 3rds, a definite but good step up from the 4ths – the racing being a bit faster and more aggressive, making it all the more enjoyable. The race panned out much as expected on the flat Ludgershall circuit, a few sporadic breaks were attempted but this week none stuck, all were sooner or later chased down by the baying pack. Due to his apparent lack of race savvy (intelligence?!) Andy took a few long turns on the front, dropping back in to the peloton to recover afterwards, maybe it will work one day… Gary had the sense to preserve his efforts staying in the wheels for the majority of the race.

At some point the heavens opened producing huge amounts of spray and muck to be kicked up from the track leaving the racers looking like Flanders hard men – it made for some great photos!

Coming on to the last lap Andy pushed his way forward in the peloton and was sat ideally at around 6th wheel coming down the back straight, a combination of allowing himself to be cut up by some aggressive riding and needing more work on his sprint saw Andy finish out of the points but happy with the race overall.

Andy 13th
Gary 18th

Bournemouth Arrow Easter 10: Entries Wanted

Riders have just 3 weeks to enter, the Bournemouth Arrow Good Friday 10 on the P311,Ringwood-Sopley course, entries Close 24th March. HQ is the David Lloyd Centre at Ringwood, enjoy changing rooms, a swim and hot food afterwards. Prizes go down to 8th place subject to 50 entries and all prizes will be topped up with David Lloyd goodies comprising travel bags, towels and bottles.
Entries to Peter Fairbank 3 Stour Way Christchurch BH23 2PF or via the CTT website, entry fee: £8.00.

Enter online HERE

George Harper Wins Severn Bridge, ONEPRO CYCLING Win Again! Report, Reaction.

George Harper celebrated his first win in over a year at the 60 mile Severn Bridge race, as ONEPRO CYCLING continues to dominate the early season. Harpers victory along with team wins at Perfs, Clayton Velo & the Devon Primavera have made it an all-conquering debut for Matt Prior’s team. Confidence is high, the excitment of the team launch, the new kit unveiled, a berth on the Pearl Izumi Tour Series announced, a piece of cake this cycling lark! No doubt sterner questions will be asked as spring starts to bloom, disappointments will have to be faced, the true test of morale but for now ONEPRO CYCLING have all the answers and as road captain Yanto Barker says “You can only beat who turns up”

Harpers win came after he and Will Bjergfelt (Sport Grub KUOTA) had bridged across to Barker and 18 year old Eddie Dunbar (NFTO) with three, six mile laps remaining on the Chew Valley circuit near Bristol. The climb of Stowey Hill, tackled ten times, would shape the race, forcing selections and dishing out suffering to early-season legs lacking race miles! Young Eddie Dunbar had energy to spare on the two mile climb, snapping up the King of the Mountain points and pulling away a strong group of ten that the bunch would never see again.The gap would eventually go out to more than three minutes. Dunbar and Harper had already enjoyed a few miles off the front before this decisive break

The youngster would certainly have benefited from the older head and stronger legs of teammate Rob Partridge who was amongst the ten but a mechanical problem forced Partridge to chase and left Dunbar outnumbered.

It was though, Dunbar again a couple of laps later, taking an unassailable lead in the King of the Mountain competition and opening a gap that only Barker could or would close. Harper and Bjergfelt worked hard to get across the gap, Harper was rewarded well for his effort, Bjergfelt would pay for his but thoroughly deserved fourth place.

Rider Reaction
George Harper “With the hilly course we knew Eddie Dunbar would be keen for the win but we basically focussed on getting a rider in every move, always moving forward, I was feeling really good going into the race, my training has been amazing, Steve Benton is a great coach, so my form has been better than it ever has been so I knew I was not going to struggle even though my legs felt a bit wobbly at the start. We were in a break of ten with teammates behind we knew the move was good, me Marcin and Yanto, there were three NFTO there but Rob (Partidge) had a bit of bad luck which was good for us. Yanto and Eddie chipped off up the road and got a minute, I had every faith in Yanto to finish the job but it was better for us to try and get numbers on Eddie, the safest option was to get across, I did not know if I could do it, it took us ten minutes to get over, Yanto saw me coming, I waved. We knew we needed to get rid of Will (Bjergfelt) to make things simple, Yanto did a massive effort, it almost cracked me but it got rid of Will.

I spoke to Yanto on the road and we agreed the sprint was good for me; it was pretty straight forward from there. It is my first win for eighteen months, I needed the win, I have had good form and I have been capable but just a lack of confidence”

*Harpers last win came at the Guildford Criterium 2013

Yanto Barker “You have got to be happy with that, a solid performance; we did not put a foot wrong. I knew George was coming across, I am expecting someone to come across, they are all talented boys. Eddie was taking the primes quite enthusiastically, I was a bit nervous but I am a turbo diesel these days, the longer the race goes on the better I feel. He gapped me at the top of the hill but I was not panicking. I was happy when George came across I was also keen to keep the variables to a minimum and that meant getting rid of Will (Bjergfelt) so it was just two against one, it’s part of having a strong team. I know what we are doing, we have the power meters and I know what other people will have to do to keep up. We are both fairly quick in the sprint but with a bit of a rise like that it probably suited George, he is a class bike rider and I think you will see him win a few more times this year”

Eddie Dunbar “ I am happy enough, its always nice to get a win but considering the riders that beat me have been racing for three weeks and this is our first race. Myself and Lloydy rode very well, Rob (Partridge) had a mechanical, if that had not happened the result may have been slightly different but in fairness to ONEPRO they took advantage of it and came out on top, hopefully in the next few weeks it will be us. I was hoping the two of us would stay away, I thought I would get the better of Yanto on the hill but I knew George Harper was coming which prevented Yanto from working, I was kind of left on the front. There are bigger fish to fry in the coming season so I am happy where I am”.

Will Bjergfelt “It was tough, I am a bit emotional actually, I moved house only forty eight hours ago, yesterday I was fitting carpets in the kids bedrooms. I have a lot of confidence in my ability at the moment, I have trained really hard over the winter, I have been on the track, lightened up and have not ridden any cross, really concentrated on the road and its made a big difference, I have a really strong team around me, fantastic equipment and I am full of confidence that I will have my best year this year. George and me got across, George was strong, as soon as Yanto saw us coming across he sat up, which is what you do as a teammate, that put Eddie on the back foot but Eddie is amazing for his age, so young, so talented, he has a great future in front of him”

Marcin Bialoblocki “ A very good race, we won again, It was not too hard, I am going really well”
Rory Townsend “ I was in the right place at the right time, we were working well for a few laps then things started to break down, every time up the climb Eddie Dunbar was clipping off and doing a good job, it’s the first time I have raced with him and he lives up to his reputation”
Dave Povall NFTO manager “The team have always committed to supporting good regional races and races close to home. We just wanted to blow the cobwebs away, the team have just come off of the back of a very, very hard five day block of work, we did not even give them an easy day Friday, we pushed them on, it’s nice to come and show our support, respect to the Severn Bridge race but we have other aims and objectives for the season, of course it would have been nice to win, Yanto did not pull a turn for Eddie for one full lap, Eddie is a first year senior, if I was managing Yanto I would have expected him to do exactly the same, we are racing you know. Maybe they have different aims; maybe they are targeting regional races for a couple of headlines. It’s a tough ask for a boy who is only just Eighteen, they are going to ride another 70 km home now.”

Result
1. George Harper (One Pro Cycling) 2-46-45
2. Yanto Barker (One Pro Cycling)
3. Eddie Dunbar (NFTO) all same time
4. Will Bjergfelt (SportGrub KUOTA) at 41sec
5 .Marcin Bialoblocki (One Pro Cycling) at 1-23
6. Rob Partridge (NFTO) at 1-34
7. Rhys Lloyd (NFTO) at 2-07
8. Rory Townsend (Pedal Heaven RT) at 2-55
9. Lee Frost (Tri UK) at 3-00
10. Gunther Zechmann (London Phoenix CC) at 3-50
11. Joseph Clarke (Team Envelopemaster/Bikeboxalan) at 5-34
12. Colin Parry (Ride 24/7)
13. Ben Davis (Wheelbase Altura MGD)
14. Joshua Jones (Bikeshed - Exeter Uni) all same time
15. Richard Harris (Cwmcarn Paragon Cycle Club) at 5-42
16. Thomas Baylis (One Pro Cycling) at 6-04
17. Andrew Syme (Primera-Sports.Com) at 6-32
18. Ashley Proctor (Team Envelopemaster/Bikeboxalan)
19. Oliver Maxwell (SportGrub KUOTA)
20. Andrew Williams (Cwmcarn Paragon Cycle Club) all same time
21st 19 Anthony MOYE Easton Ritte
22nd 60 Jack BEEZER Spirit Bikes Racing Team
23rd 67 Russell FALDER Team Envelopemaster/Bikeboxalan
24th 26 Dion BLACK Kenilworth Wheelers CC
25th 81 Graham COLLINS Tanks Direct
26th 41 Robert MOORE Pedal Heaven RT
27th 54 Tom BOWERING Ride 24/7
28th 78 David BILLINGS VC St Raphaël / Waite Contracts / Hewitt Cycles
29th 55 Joe ATKINS Ride Coventry
30th 77 Liam WALSH VC St Raphaël / Waite Contracts / Hewitt Cycles
31st 13 Robert WARD Danny Shane-Storck Racing
32nd 34 James ELDRIDGE NFTO
33rd 76 Kris KASPER British Cycling Private Member - South West
34th 1 Tom STRINGER Army Cycling Union
35th 24 George CLARK High Wycombe Cycling Club
36th 12 Harry VEALE Cycleworks.co.uk
37th 45 Jordan FRAMPTON Primera-Sports.com
38th 44 Callum CROFT Primera-Sports.com
39th 4 Oscar HUTCHINGS Bikeshed- Exeter Uni
40th 27 Ross EVANS Live2Ride Sunwise
41st 53 Mark PERRY Ride 24/7
42nd 21 George FOWLER Easton Ritte
43rd 84 Steve THOMAS Dream Cycling Race Team
44th 20 John SPANAPOLOUS Easton Ritte
45th 75 Daniel McQUILLAN Tri UK
46th 22 Thomas LEACH Felt
47th 9 Ryan BRAIN Cwmcarn Paragon Cycle Club
48th 7 Callum LISTER Cotswold Verdjiden
49th 6 Niel DUNNAGE Cotswold Verdjiden
50th 48 Thomas GRIGSON Radeon Cycle Coaching
51st 56 Nicholas BUCK British Cycling Private Member - South
52nd 57 Frederick CORETH British Cycling Private Member - South



KoM, Eddie Dunbar
1st Local Rider, Will Bjergfelt