Surrey League 3rd Cat Road Race - Dunsfold

[thomashansell]

With temperatures only just nudging over freezing and rain and snow forecast, this race was never going to be pleasant experience. A decent ACC contingent (Paul Hone, Jon Pontin, Marek Siwicki, Richard Balfour, Ian Bray and Tom Hansell) was present for the first Surrey League race of the year, neverthless.

Dunsfold is fundamentally a flat course, with just one climb at the beginning of each lap. Various moves came and went during the race, most notably from Paul and Jon, who each spent significant time in breaks that were never allowed more than 30 seconds' advantage over the main field. At the end of lap 6 it looked as if there might be some sort of selection, as a group of around 20 riders (including 4 ACC riders) got a gap on the rest of the field on the circuit's one climb (caused by someone dropping their chain and holding the rest of the field up), but it all came back together in time for the last lap which, incidentally, wasn't indicated as no one from Kingston Wheelers had remembered to bring a bell!

Paceline RT continued to do an "admirable" job of chasing any move that went away on the last lap, and, having taken care to stay in the top 10 or so, I was well positioned coming into the final descent and climb to the finish. The legs were there, and had it not been for the guy whose wheel I was on suddenly deciding he didn't fancy sprinting after all, I might have managed better than the 8th place I actually achieved.

A good race in tough conditions, that once again showed that ACC are by far the most aggressive and proactive team around. On more selective courses this attitude will not go unrewarded!

Top 10:

1 George Wells Handsling Racing
2 Joshua Hobbs Team ASL 360
3 Shane Pope Crawley Wheelers
4 Peter Clifton Twickenham CC
5 Jake Yarranton Pedal Heaven Excel Academy
6 Paul Drake Maison Du Velo
7 Chris Hewitt Sussex Revolution VC
8 Thomas Hansell Addiscombe CC
9 Ashley Russell London Dynamo
10 Justin Thomas Dorking CC

[Antloony]

Nice one Tom and ACC. Great write up as well.

[Jonathan]

The biggest gap I got was 30 seconds, pitty no one ever wanted to come with me in the break. Half a lap solo almost killed me, the snow was fun though.