Report/Result: Azets Spring Classic

Jamie Whitcher won the time trial stage and the overall in the Azets Spring Classic held in Dorset on 24th of March; Adam Howell won the Road Race stage

Report/Result: Azets Spring Classic

Report from rider Greg Speakman
“Pimperne, Dorset was the home of the Azets Spring Classic Stage Race on 24th March where a 7 mile road bike TT and a 53 mile road race would decide the winner of the Regional A competition. Put on by Tom Clements and the Wessex Road Club, it promised to be a fantastic full day of racing with opportunities for all types of rider.

Photo: Peloton Pix

The weather even played along with the sun making an appearance for most of the day and temperatures reaching a toasty 17C. It was my first ever stage race and in my first year as a cat 2, I knew it was going to be a tough day out with strong competition like Primera-TeamJobs, Stolen Goat, Reflex Racing and Avid Sport all fielded strong teams.

The 7 mile TT from the village of Stourpaine was a technical sporting course with lots of factors to consider: The first third comprised of several sharp, wet corners and acceleration parts going into the middle section of 3 miles straight into a headwind, before finally returning back on itself and finishing up a gradual hill into the village of Shroton. Starting towards the end of the field, I had plenty of time to consider my strategy/panic and overthink every minute detail of what was to come over the next 17 minutes or so.

But rolling up to the startline outside of the local village pub (it was tempting to fake a mechanical at this point and keep rolling into said pub), I managed to control my heart rate and get a good start into the stage. Rolling through the first few miles into the sweeping left and right handers and keeping my hand off the brakes to commit to a fast racing line, I navigated the first sections well. But as I tried to go full gas out of the village of Iwerne Stepleton into the headwind section, I’d realized I’d gone out too hard.

Trying to manage my effort and control it until the end became the priority for the remainder of the time trial. Stomping as hard as I could on the pedals into the wind before navigating the tight country lanes into the final hill, I hoped it was enough for a decent result. But I crossed the line for a mid-pack time. It’s always tough to dissect a time trial like this one and try to find where extra time could be gained, especially for a sporting course with so many different variables to consider. It was my first road bike TT over such a short distance, and after going deep into the red I definitely learned where my limits are.

ROAD RACE

Photo: Peloton Pix
The road race started mid-afternoon and heat became a factor, which for March was not expected. Taking place on the Blandford Circuit, this promised to be an attritional affair with a hairpin into a steep climb twice per lap over 10 laps. It was clear that the strongest riders were naturally going to rise to the top. And so it turned out to be with a 388 normalized power output over the first 15 minutes, it was a battle each lap to cling onto the back of the peloton.

I’ve usually considered myself a fairly strong diesel rider rather than an explosive sprinter, but this was making me reconsider as every lap it became tougher and tougher to make the cut. A few riders sprung away to form a breakaway and the pace finally eased 4 laps into the race. I even had a roll off the front to see if I could form my own break, even if to make sure I had good positioning through the vital hairpin into the next brutal ascent of the Fair Mile Climb; But I was soon pulled back down to reality as riders used me as a launch pad for their own attacks and a scramble erupted to once again make it to the front of each hill.

Seven laps in and only 20 or so riders remained out of the original 60; I could feel my limit quickly approaching and as we took the New Road Climb for the 8th time a gap formed between my wheel and the rider in front. I could no longer hold the pace and rolled around the final 2 laps solo to finish the day.

It was by far the toughest day I have ever had racing on a bike and it’ll certainly take a few days to properly get back into riding after this one. But the multi-stage format at a grassroots level allowed for far more interactions with fellow riders and in-depth technical discussions over tactics, race analysis and whether Van Der Poel should have shaved his mullet or not. It was a brilliant full day out on the bike only allowed by the dedication of the marshalls, organizers, NEG motorcyclists and medics who all made the day possible. A huge thank you to all of them and hopefully I’ll have another go next year.”

Stage 1 and overall winner Jamie Witcher

Second overall James Boyman

Adam Howell, stage 2 winner and third overall

RESULTS

Time Trial
1. Jamie Whitcher, BmthCycleworks VitecFire FordCE 00:15:34.7
2. James Boyman, Hoops Velo 00:15:34.8
3. Adam Howell, VC Meudon 00:15:56
4. Elliott Colyer, University of Exeter Cycling Club 00:15:56
5. Thomas Doig, TeamJobs 00:16:06
6. Brett Wheeler, Poole Wheelers CC 00:16:13
7. Sebastien Tyrie, TeamJobs 00:16:17
8. Jack Baldie, trainSharp Development Team 00:16:19
9. Ashley Newman, TeamJobs 00:16:22
10. Bryce Matthewson, Sigma Sports Race Team 00:16:22
11. Barnabas Purbrook, Sigma Sports Race Team 00:16:30
12. Renzo Casale, University of Bath Cycling Club 00:16:31
13. Callum Slade, Stolen Goat Race Club 00:16:33
14. Lee Curtis, TeamJobs 00:16:37
15. Nathan Harrison, Kingston Wheelers CC 00:16:39
16. Rory Munn, Ziggurat Racing 00:16:42
17. Samuel Nisbet, Reflex Racing 00:16:42
18. William Deely, Southampton University Road Club 00:16:43
19. Bobby Buenfeld, Velo Club Venta 00:16:47
20. Samuel Wadsley, Poole Wheelers CC 00:16:53
21. Hamish Hunter, Velo Club Venta 00:16:56
22. David Roper, Rule 28 x ATP Performance 00:16:56
23. Theo Hester, Avid Sport 00:16:59.0
24. Thomas Munn, Avid Sport 00:16:59.5
25. Henry Howells, Mid Devon CC 00:17:00
26. Ian Middleton, Foran CT 00:17:00
27. George Cottrell, TeamJobs 00:17:04
28. Timothy Jones, 00:17:05
29. James Pearcy, Mid Devon CC 00:17:07
30. Charlie McFadzean, Friction Racing 00:17:08
31. Ian Vagg, Project 51 00:17:09
32. Alexander Stanley, VC Meudon 00:17:11
33. George Whitlock, Mud Dock Racing 00:17:11
34. Barney Hall, Loughborough Students CC 00:17:13
35. Jacob Hardy, University of Bath Cycling Club 00:17:13
36. Adam Lightfoot, 00:17:15
37. Will Page, TeamJobs 00:17:21
38. Benjamin Haston, London Dynamo 00:17:22
39. Ian McCaul, Onyx Racing Team 00:17:31
40. Sean Adams, TeamJobs 00:17:34
41. Finlay Mowat, Avid Sport 00:17:36
42. Gregory Speakman, Thames Valley Police 00:17:36
43. Simon Potter, Alton Cycling Club 00:17:44
44. Jack Beveridge, Avid Sport 00:17:52
45. Russell Speight, Wolfox x Pedal Mafia RT 00:17:54
46. Harry Chamberlain, Bynea CC 00:17:57
47. Sebastian Anderson, Lee Valley Youth Cycling Club 00:18:00
48. Charlie Abel, Poole Wheelers CC 00:18:02
49. Julian Lockwood, TeamJobs 00:18:03
50. Josh Smith, Avid Sport 00:18:05
51. Sam Talent, Velo Club Venta 00:18:15
52. Grant Bateman, Amersham Road Cycling Club 00:18:21
53. Dylan Cherruault, Avid Sport 00:18:24
54. Frederick Mackey, Wessex Road Club 00:19:06
55. Mark Nuttall, GS Mossa 00:19:12.

ROAD RACE
1. Adam Howell, VC Meudon 02:00:00
2. Samuel Nisbet, Reflex Racing 02:00:01
3. Jamie Whitcher, BmthCycleworks VitecFire FordCE 02:00:02
4. James Boyman, Hoops Velo ST
5. Elliott Colyer, University of Exeter Cycling Club ST
6. Henry Howells, Mid Devon CC ST
7. Renzo Casale, University of Bath Cycling Club 02:01:25
8. Barnabas Purbrook, Sigma Sports Race Team 02:01:29
9. Brett Wheeler,Poole Wheelers CC 02:02:02
10. Sebastien Tyrie, TeamJobs ST
11. Ashley Newman, TeamJobs ST
12. Callum Slade, Stolen Goat Race Club ST
13. Theo Hester, Avid Sport ST
14. Thomas Munn, Avid Sport ST
15. James Pearcy, Mid Devon CC ST
16. Ian Vagg, Project 51 ST
17. Jacob Hardy, University of Bath Cycling Club ST

OVERALL
1. Jamie Whitcher, BmthCycleworks VitecFire FordCE 02:15:36.7
2. James Boyman, Hoops Velo 02:15:36.8
3. Adam Howell, VC Meudon 02:15:56
4. Elliott Colyer, University of Exeter Cycling Club 02:15:58
5. Samuel Nisbet, Reflex Racing 02:16:43
6. Henry Howells, Mid Devon CC 02:17:02
7. Renzo Casale, University of Bath Cycling Club 02:17:56
8. Barnabas Purbrook, Sigma Sports Race Team 02:17:59
9. Brett Wheeler, Poole Wheelers CC 02:18:15
10. Sebastien Tyrie, TeamJobs 02:18:19
11. Ashley Newman, TeamJobs 02:18:24
12. Callum Slade, Stolen Goat Race Club 02:18:35
13. Theo Hester, Avid Sport 02:19:01.0
14. Thomas Munn, Avid Sport 02:19:01.5
15. James Pearcy, Mid Devon CC 02:19:09
16. Ian Vagg, Project 51 02:19:11
17. Jacob Hardy, University of Bath Cycling Club