Report/Results: Elveden Road Race No 5

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Local rider Hugo Robinson (Ipswich BC) got his just rewards when he won the bunch sprint in the main race on Saturday in the final event of this year’s inaugural Elveden Road-Race Series

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Robinson, a reknowned cyclo-cross rider, finished ahead of James Jobber (Neon Velo) and Alex Anderson (ASFRA Racing) in the Elites, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Category having taken 1hour 16minutes and 15seconds to cover the 44-mile race. In the previous round, having been part of an initial two-man break, they were joined by others and eventually had to settle for fifth.

In the 3rd and 4th Cats’ race however, Wllem de Boer (Cambridge CC) and Paul Groombridge (Iceni Velo) broke away early on in the race and kept a comfortable 30 seconds lead ahead of the remaining riders. So, after their 26-mile race, having already done the hard work early on in the race, it was down to them to contest the sprint for first with de Boer beating his breakaway companion.

Kevin Curtis (Stowmarket & District CC) just beat local rider Richard Carrington (Mildenhall CC) for third place, 35 seconds behind de Boer and Groombridge.

In the first event of the day that unlike previous rounds was held in warm sunshine, for 4th category riders, there were 74 lined up to contest the 26-mile race. This came down to a bunch sprint with Kevin Bell (Army CU) finishing ahead of Ben Howell (Strada Sport) and Spencer Laborde (Iceni Velo).

Clare Gillott from the London based Elite Cycling, won the Women’s race, who also competed over 26-miles. She beat junior Francesca Morgans-Slader (Lee Valley Youth CC) and a former National Youth Circuit Champion, Keira McVitty (Team Zenith).

Frank Longstaff (Colchester Rovers) won the Youth ‘A’ race over 26-miles, while Dougal Toms (Iceni Velo) won the Youth B event over 18 miles.

Yet again over 200 riders entered the day’s racing, which was held on the private roads of Lord Iveagh’s Elveden Estate, on the Norfolk / Suffolk border. Over the series of five events that have taken place between March and June, nearly 1,300 entrants have taken part, that’s an average of over 250.

Although the third round saw a record number of riders (325), boosted by GB team member, double Olympic and World Champion Laura Trott OBE and her sister Emma Trott who rides for the Dutch Women’s Pro’ team Boels-Dolmans.

Afterwards, organiser Ken Joliffe said, “It was super day’s racing. All the riders think this circuit is good and more or less a square with 3 sharp bends and with a 500m drag every lap it is quite tiring. On top of that, if the wind is in the wrong direction it will break the field up on the real exposed sections.”

“It’s been a fantastic first year (at Elveden) especially when you consider how few riders there are in this area. I can’t have wished for much more quite honestly. I’ve learned quite a bit from the five events and have ideas for changes that would make for more attractive events,” he continued.

“To the last man (and woman) everyone has praised the circuit, many saying it is the best they have ever raced on. It is difficult to move up on the narrower sections of road but at least there is no traffic to have to contend with and all of the road can be used. Everyone wants to race there again next year.

According to one of the riders Phil Hetzel “Racing has been first class, the bends make it really difficult and the drag up past the finish makes itself felt. “

“In general it has made for some fast exciting racing. The finish point being a bit narrow requires careful positioning well before the last corner to win, a fact that the inexperienced riders fail to appreciate.

“I have also been heartened by the reaction from many riders thanking us for putting the racing on, you always get a few but not in such numbers. I appreciate all the hard work done by the team of volunteers including Mildenhall CC, West Suffolk Wheelers & Triathlon Club and Bishops Stortford CC to ensure the smooth running of the events, added Mr Jolliffe.

On the future he explained that the setting is ideal, with the start finish area set among meadows with no traffic noise. For next year it would be nice to be able to try racing in the opposite direction but that would require a different start / finish point, something that will have to be agreed with their hosts The Elveden Estate when discussions take place.

Complete results listing and photographs from the event can be found at www.elvedenraces.com.

RESULTS

E, 1st, 2nd, 3rd Cats
1 Hugo Robinson Ipswich BC
2 James Jobber Neon Velo
3 Alex Anderson ASFRA Racing
4 Keiren Brady City Cycle Centre
5 Steve Hurrell API – Metrow
6 Lloyd Chapman Glendene CC
7 Mark Longstaff Colchester Rovers
8 Glyudwr Thomas VC Norwich
9 Peter Cocker Forme Bikes UK
10 Cammille Dubois UCIH

3rd, 4th Cats
1 Wllem de Boer Cambridge CC
2 Paul Groombridge Iceni Velo
3 Kevin Curtis Stowmarket & District CC
4 Richard Carrington Mildenhall CC
5 Adam Ellis Spalding CC
6 Paul Wright Stowmarket & District CC
7 Mark Botteley Bourne Whs CC
8 Matthew Heath East London Velo
9 Nigel Hobday Cambridge CC
10 James Hedley Smith Clay Cross Road Team

4th Cats
1 Kevin Bell Army CU
2 Ben Howell Strada Sport
3 Spencer Laborde Iceni Velo
4 Harley Matthews Strada Sport
5 Jamie Booth Royal Air Force CC
6 Chris Parker Ipswich BC
7 David Triggs Colchester Rovers CC
8 Bjorn Krylander Cambridge CC
9 Lewis Knights Ipswich BC
10 James Moore Strada Sport

Women
1 Clare Gillott Elite Cycling
2 Francesca Morgans-Slader Lee Valley Youth CC
3 Keira McVitty Team Zenith
4 Hayley Simmonds GB Cycles.co.uk
5 Sandra McKay GB Cycles.co.uk
6 Sian Botteley Bourne Whs CC
7 Michelle Forster London Phoenix
8 Erica Howe VC Norwich
9 Jenny Lake Shutt Velo Rapide (Squadra Donne)
10 Rebecca Maynard Welwyn Wheelers

Youth A (under 16)
1 Frank Longstaff Colchester Rovers
2 Mitchell Powel Team Terminator
3 William Mapus-Smith West Suffolk Wheelers C & Tri Club

Youth B (under 14)
1 Dougal Toms Iceni Velo
2 Zak Coleman Gt Yarmouth CC
3 Matthew Shepherd Lee Valley Youth CC

 

 

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