Surrey League 3-Day Stage Race – April/May 2022

2019 was the first time I raced the surrey league 3 day so you could say I’ve been training for 3 years to race it again! In reality though it was just 4 hard months , as this was my main racing target for the early 2022 season. Covid in late Jan and a bit of sickness in Feb didn’t stop me getting back to the power levels from last year and I was confident going in with good legs after a solid block of zwift training and Training Group rides plus a recon of the stage circuits last month.

The 3 day this was (supposed) to be over stages at Dunfold (fast rolling) Bletchingley (rolling/hilly) Lingfield (more hills) so overall with the 3 day was well suited to me.

As you may know unfortunately the 2^nd stage at Bletchingley was cancelled due to overrunning roadworks on the A25. This was a shame as not only did I miss the stage that probably suited me the best, and was most familiar with having ridden it in 2019 3-day, but also the chance to race in front of my club mates who where due to support the race on the day.

Stage 1 – Dunsfold

Dunsfold is a 6.7mile fast circuit so we raced 10 laps with the finish off course up the top of a sharp climb. The racing was super fast and aggressive from the flag with everyone fresh there was attacks firing off all over the place. Plenty of mechanicals as well and punctures each lap.

27mph ave over 65miles

I got away on the last lap in a group of 4 other riders that was Group 3 on the road  – I finished 14th on the road just ahead of the main bunch. I was happy with on Day 1.

Stats

Distance : 65miles

Ave Speed : 27.2mph

Normalised Power : 273w

Strava link to activity: https://www.strava.com/activities/7064284304

Stage 2 – Bletchingley

Unfortunately roadworks on the A25 meant the Bletchingley stage had to be been cancelled.

Stage 3 – Lingfield

Stage 3 at Lingfield stage 3 (2) was full gas from the start and very attritional over 4 1/2  15mile laps covering 62 miles in total with 3 main climbs and plenty of fast descents.

Lots of attacks and splits over the climbs in the first few laps but not much leeway was given by the bunch. As tiredness set in on the last lap a group of got away and looked to contest the win. On the last climb up though Dormansland village I was well positioned and I jumped early from the main group approaching the finish hill which was off the circuit on mutton hill. I was 2nd wheel into the turn but  as I started my sprint the legs said no halfway up the 200m climb to the line and I lost a few places to finish 10th on the day and finish 15th on the GC.

Stats

Distance : 62miles

Speed : 25.9mph

Normalised Power : 278watts

Strava link to activity: https://www.strava.com/activities/7075340961

Overall a great weekends racing even with the cancelled stage. Love this Race.

Time to rest and recover now for the Training Group Brighton ride this weekend and plan for mid-season goals at Cutmill and the Waller Lane hill climb.

Massive thanks to Glyn and Alan , all the volunteers comms and AMS (including our own Ron Salter) plus all the racers for a great weekend.

And most importantly thanks to my wife for holding the fort at home ❤️

Final GC Timings  & Photo

April 30 – May 2, 2019 – Surrey League May 3 Day – General Classification after Stage 3

Time

Pos Name Surname Club/Team Overall

1 Charlie Ager Stolen Goat Race Team 04:34:36 @ 0:00:00

2 Angus Stoneham Beaconsfield Cycling Club 04:34:57 @ 0:00:21

3 Phil Williams Private Member 04:35:04 @ 0:00:28

4 James Bonham Paceline RT 04:35:06 @ 0:00:30

5 Tristan Galloway Will Houghton 04:35:07 @ 0:00:31

6 Paul Barnard Precise Performance/One Resourcing RT 04:35:21 @ 0:00:45

7 James Nicholson TAAP Cervelo 04:35:22 @ 0:00:46

8 Mikey Weavers Project 51 04:35:44 @ 0:01:08

9 Isaac Wright Project 51 04:35:59 @ 0:01:23

10 Thomas Quaid Foran ccc 04:36:04 @ 0:01:28

11 mark gower Precise Performance/One Resourcing RT 04:36:04 @ 0:01:28

12 Tom Springbett Foran CCC 04:36:12 @ 0:01:36

13 Michael Cunliffe Paceline RT 04:36:15 @ 0:01:39

14 Iain Evans Army Cycling Union 04:36:36 @ 0:02:00

15 Ashley Nunn Addiscombe CC 04:36:44 @ 0:02:08

16 Timothy Jones Private Member 04:36:57 @ 0:02:21

17 Ian Vagg Project 51 04:36:58 @ 0:02:22

18 Patrick Brown Hunt Bike Wheels 04:36:59 @ 0:02:23

19 George Sales Project 51 04:37:03 @ 0:02:27

20 Jack Wyllie TAAP Cervelo 04:37:04 @ 0:02:28

21 Steve Kane Team TMC 04:37:04 @ 0:02:28

22 Joseph Gokmen London Dynamo 04:37:12 @ 0:02:36

23 Charlie Heffernan Hunt Bike Wheels 04:37:14 @ 0:02:38

24 Adam Cotterell Project 51 04:37:52 @ 0:03:16

25 Paul Burton Paceline RT 04:40:57 @ 0:06:21

26 Simon Skinner Paceline RT 04:45:55 @ 0:11:19

27 Joshua Golliker trainSharp 04:57:08 @ 0:22:32

28 Conor Walsh Dulwich Paragon CC 04:57:12 @ 0:22:36

29 Torin Henderson trainSharp Development Team 05:08:02 @ 0:33:26

30 Mark Day Hunt Bike Wheels 05:16:59 @ 0:42:23

31 Danylo Riwnyj Trainsharp Elite 05:24:36 @ 0:50:00

32 Robin Mould Foran CCC 05:25:04 @ 0:50:28

33 Michael Sleeman Horsham Cycling 05:25:20 @ 0:50:44

34 Giorgio Coppola Four4th 05:25:31 @ 0:50:55

35 Joseph Murray Foran CCC 05:25:37 @ 0:51:01

36 Lawrence Coyle Precise Performance/One Resourcing RT 05:25:57 @ 0:51:21

37 Ben Huttly Precise Performance/One Resourcing RT 05:29:26 @ 0:54:50

38 Benjamin Tappenden Precise Performance/One Resourcing RT 05:55:09 @ 1:20:33

39 Euan Davies Dulwich Paragon CC 06:04:21 @ 1:29:45