Steve Smith secures his first win of the year on a perfect day for racing on the hilly Cheshire Classic Road Race Circuit.
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A very strong field of riders took to the start for the John Boote Memorial Road Race and after the first lap, four riders managed to get clear and kept working well until things split up on the main climb.
It was here that eventual winner Steve Smith (Vita Race Team) and Matt Love (unattached) opened up a gap on the rest and carried on working well together until Steve Smith showed his strength by riding away from Love to go solo for three laps.
The gap between Smith and the chasers started to come down though as the peloton got a chase organised and after Smith was brought back, the attacks started again with seven riders managing to get away including Smith who had just been up the road on his own.
A few laps later, the break was joined by three more riders after Steven Fidler (Paul Bethel/Team Elite) lead the chase. Once the 10 were together, the group worked well to keep the pressure on and open up the gap which continued to grow lap after lap. The distance though soon started to take its toll on many of the riders in the break and over the final two laps, things started to become disorganised. Riders started clipping off the front trying to get away but they were all quickly reeled in.
The bell lap came and all ten riders were together and despite more attacks, nothing managed to stay away. It was going to take a sprint to decide the race and in the race to the line which started really early, pretty much as they hit the final corner. As the road ramped up, riders soon started to fade and Steve Smith once again showed his strength to come round Michael Ashurst (Champion System/Maxgear/Kyklos) to secure his first win of the year.
It was a great days racing and excellent organisation by Weaver Valley Cycling Club. Many Thanks to the Marshals and everyone who makes races like this possible.
Once again a great big thank you to all those that supported the race today.
Results below:
1 Stephen Smith Vita Cycle Team 2nd 2h.34.57
2 Michael Ashurst Champion System/Maxgear/Kyklos 2nd st
3 Michael Cripps Army Cycling Union 2nd st
4 Andrew Leigh Velocity Race Team 2nd st
5 Jeff Vernon Birkenhead North End CC 2nd st
6 Francis Pilkington Bill Nickson Cycles RT 2nd st
7 Steven Fidler Team-Elite/Paul Bethell Electrical 2nd st
8 Jack Bowyer Teamwallis CHH Racing Team 2nd st
9 Gareth McGuinness Energy Cycles 2nd st
10 Mark Lovatt Planet X 2nd @0.11
11 James Warren Bill Nickson Cycles RT 3rd @1m 16
12 Roy Sumner Port Sunlight Whls CC 2nd st
13 William Thomas Velocity Race Team 2nd @1m 36
14 Nick Shaughnessy Patron 2nd st
15 Matt Limacher Champion System/Maxgear/Kyklos 2nd st
16 Wayne Greenhalgh Champion System/Maxgear/Kyklos 2nd st
17 Henry Hunter Teamwallis CHH Racing Team 2nd st
18 Robert Palmer Stretford Whls CC 3rd st
19 Dan Whelan Maxgear RT 2nd st
20 Jason Livesey Dirtwheels Cycles 3rd st
21 Tony Workman Lancashire RC 2nd st
22 Matthew Love Private 2nd st
23 sean hughes Liverpool Century RC 2nd st
24 Kristian Zentek Weaver Valley CC 4th st
25 John Bamford Lancashire RC 3rd st
26 Christopher Quin Macclesfield Wheelers 2nd st
27 Jason Tonge Lancashire RC 3rd st
28 Chris Edwards Liverpool Mercury (Dolan) CC 2nd st
29 Darran Acton Lancashire RC 4th st
30 Kevan Underhill Weaver Valley CC 4th st
31 Matthew Jones New Brighton CC 2nd st
32 Alastair Young Gosforth RC 4th st
33 Robert Lockhart Cyclesport International RT 3rd st
34 Nicholas Giles Fibrax Wrexham Road Club 3rd st
35 Andrew Newby Weaver Valley CC 4th st
36 Jimmy Froggatt Wills Wheels Cycling Club 3rd st
37 Karl Freeman Team Wheelguru 2nd st
38 David Spencer Fibrax Wrexham Road Club 3rd st
39 Paul Ray Ribble Valley CRC 2nd st
40 Ryan Pike High On Bikes 2nd st
41 Luke Boulton Teamwallis CHH Racing Team 2nd st
42 Paul Kay Day Licence
43 Simon Deeley High On Bikes 3rd st
44 James Rushton Aire Valley Racing Team 3rd st
45 Anthony Allan Macclesfield Wheelers 3rd st
47 Michael Rawson Champion System/Maxgear/Kyklos 2nd st
47 David Williams Kuota – Spinergy – GSG 2nd st
48 Michael Fugaccia Liverpool Century RC 2nd st
49 John Rigby Champion System/Maxgear/Kyklos 2nd st
