by Sylv » Mon Apr 02, 2007 10:20 am
Report & pics on BC website - no ful results yet
Saturday's round of the Surrey League, hosted by Addiscombe CC turned out to be a real thriller of a race. Eight well marshalled rural circuits made up this 80 km course that included a 17% hill, tight 90degree corners and substantial fast straights, and finished with a mass dash for the line, by the tightly packed bunch that had ridden most of the event as one. In the end, it was Philip Gough of Portwood Cycles who was first across the line, timing his sprint to perfection from two a hundred metres.
Bright, dry conditions and the blustery wind that has become almost a must for such events prevailed as the riders rolled out of the neutralised zone and started racing properly, just outside Leigh. Turning left up towards the back of Newdigate, the route took riders through some twisting flats followed by a sharp turn through National Trust woods, over a narrow bridge and then up to the top of Newdigate, before turning back on itself, at the end of the elongated loop of a lap.
Perhaps it was the regular twists and undulations that kept the riders together, or perhaps it was a well matched field sharing the work, but there were no significant breaks at any time during the race. On several occasions, two or three got away but only managed to build a lead of twenty or so seconds before being caught. That pattern was set right from lap one, and continued as the bunch made their first turn of the last circuit, with three riders just fifteen seconds up on the rest.
By the time they rounded the final bend into the home straight, it was anybody's guess who was going to strike out for the line. When the move came, again the bunch moved as one, but it was Gough who proved that despite the competition, it was he who had the strongest legs
Results:
1. Philip Gough - Portwood Cycles
2. Lee Smith - Akisko-Viner. com
3. Daniel Patten - Pacific Flanders Racing
Juniors: Thomas Butt DH Cycle Sport (only junior rider in the race)