Report

The Otley Town Centre circuit races have been organised since 1985 with huge crowds travelling to the Yorkshire market town for an annual feast of bike racing. It's possible a large proportion of the crowd are attracted by the pubs and fish shops that line the circuit, but everyone watches and enjoys the races, especially when star riders turn up.

The 2009 races had plenty of stars in action for the cycling fans to cheer, with European professional riders Ben Swift, Jeremy Hunt, and Geraint Thomas riding the Elite race.  Local Otley rider and current World Champion Lizzie Armitstead, now riding for a professional Belgian racing team, made the trip home to ride the senior race as preparation for the National Road Championships on Saturday.
 
Last year the crowd endured heavy downpours, but this year the sun was shining as the evening's races got under way. Lizzie Armitstead lined up against the senior men for the support race and quickly got involved in the action. Proving she is a match for the men, Lizzie was at the front for most of the race, sensibly easing off during the bunch sprint. Super sprinter Giles Pidcock (Epic Cycles/Viner RT) got the verdict in the gallop, with a nasty crash just out of the final corner hampering riders for the minor placings.

Lizzie Armitstead brings some glamour to the streets of Otley in the Support race.

World track champion Lizzie Armitstead was in great shape in Otley and is one of the favourites for the Women's British Road Race title on Saturday in Abergavenny. Photo: Larry Hickmott

With the light quickly fading the Elite race began. The 2.25 km circuit takes the riders from the start on Bondgate up the short climb of Burras Lane towards Birdcage Walk. With a fast descent down East Chevin Road and Gay Lane and a sharp left turn into Bondgate and the finish. At the end of the first lap Jeremy Hunt (Cervelo) came through clear of the peloton and a lap later it was Ben Swift (Katusha) who swept into Bondgate about 15 lengths clear of the chasing bunch.

As he climbed Burras Lane, Swift was back in the group, but the speed was up and commentator Mike Smith announced Swift had just broken the lap record for this circuit on his lap out front! That record would be broken again on the final lap by the winner.
 

Ian Bibby goes alone to froce the rest to chase while teammate Ian Wilkinson sits in and waits to pounce. Photo Larry Hickmott.

With a few more attacks over the next couple of laps the pace was extremely fast and the riders were strung out as they raced down the finish straight of Bondgate. Team Halfords had brought a strong squad to Otley and were evident at the front of the race. Tom Barras (Madison) lives in nearby Headingley and was looking for a good result in front of his home crowd.

With over half an hour gone,  Jeremy Hunt (Cervelo) came round leading a small group away with Ben Swift racing across the gap on his own to join them. The break included Dave Clarke (Pendragon/Kalas), Ian Bibby, Rob Partridge (both Halfords Bikehut), Dale Appleby (CandiTV/Marshalls Pasta), James Milliard (Madison) as well as Swift (Katusha) and then after a few laps of freedom, three riders took up the chase in earnest – Ian Wilkinson (Halfords), Geraint Thomas (Barloworld) and Matt Cronshaw (Rapha Condor).

As the three chasers closed in on the break, Wilkinson conscious of Cronshaw’s sprinting ability, jumped his two companions and got to the break on his own with Thomas and Cronshaw getting across a little later. They were the last riders to get to the break and  the lead group worked well together, managing to keep the gap between 20 and 30 seconds. Individual riders were trying to bridge from the main field with Tom Barras (Madison) almost getting across, thwarted when the speed increased.

Rob Partridge from Halfords Bike is the first from the team to make a move in the finale.

With three laps to go, Geriant Thomas was on the front of the break, with the strong Halfords team being led by Rob Partridge. At 2 to go Partridge was on the front as they came through the finish area, his speed was so high that he'd opened a gap of about 4 seconds that Ben Swift was trying to close down. At the bell it was the turn of Ian Bibby (Halfords) to hit the front, with team mate Ian Wilkinson having a relatively easy ride sat in the wheels.

Jeremy Hunt (Cervelo) had moved up the line and was about third wheel, Ben Swift was at the back of the group and could have been struggling or just getting ready for the sprint. The answer would come in about 3 minutes time.
 
With the photographers lined up at the finish line complaining about poor light, the riders were sprinting down East Chevin Road at over 40 mph. Jeremy Hunt was the first rider to negotiate the tricky corner into the finishing straight, testing the grip on his tyres to the limit. Wilkinson and Swift followed but the rule at Otley is 1st into the final corner is the winner and Hunt proved there are no exceptions to that particular rule. He crossed the line with time for a very short victory celebration. Wilkinson took 2nd with Ben Swift 3rd.
 
Another successful promotion by the Otley Cycles Races organising committee led by Graeme Collin.  British Cycling spoke to the top three riders before the podium celebrations, asking how the race had gone?

Swift, Hunt and Wilkinson celebrate on the British Cycling podium truck in front of a large crowd lapping up the town centre event.
 
Jeremy Hunt - "I was feeling good when I arrived here tonight. I came to win this race, I'm in preparation for the Nationals on Sunday and I'm in great shape. I had to work hard to get into the final sprint position, the winner was always going to be the guy into the last corner first. I managed to do that and it worked out. Swifty is fast, so I was looking out for him, Ian Wilkinson is the local guy on top form so he was a real threat, but I was lucky and I managed to get the win."
 
Ian Wilkinson - "Halfords were in a real good position with me, Bibby and Partridge in the break. In the final shake up Bibby launched an awesome attack with a lap to go, Rob was closing stuff down and they both made it easy for me. Coming down the hill to the final corner I was watching for Ben Swift, he's on fire at the moment with some great results in the Giro. Jeremy Hunt skipped sideways around that last corner at un-believable speed, he's got much bigger (censored) than me. I have a good sprint but had no answer to that. I was supposed to be taking it easy tonight with our team racing in the Tour series as it's important that we have a good race tomorrow, but I just got involved in this tonight and you have to give it a go don't you."
 
Ben Swift - "Good fun, we had a good strong select group at the finish and it was a real tough race. I don't think the pace eased off at all, it was full on all the way through. The last couple of laps guys were jumping around but Jez Hunt had it nailed into the last corner and no one was going to get near him. Wilkinson was super strong and technically very good. I was looking out for him in the last couple of laps, he was very quick in the corners, and very fast at the finish. I'm happy with 3rd today, still recovering from having four wisdom teeth removed last Friday. That put a dent in my training, but after tonight I'm happy with my form and looking forward to the National Road Race on Sunday."
 
Provisional result
1. Jeremy Hunt (Cervelo)
2. Ian Wilkinson (Halfords)
3. Ben Swift (Katusha)
4. Dale Appleby (CandiTV/Marshall Pasta)
5. Geriant Thomas (Barloworld)
6. Matt Cronshaw (Rapha Condor)
7. Dave Clarke (Pendragon/Kalas)
8. Rob Partridge (Halfords)
9. Ian Bibby (Halfords)
10. Ben Greenwood (Rapha Condor)
11. James Millard (Madison)

 Local rider Tom Barras (Madison) had plenty of vocal support at Otley.

Ben Swift came straight from hospital to the race and finished third.

First race back after surgery on a broken bone in his hand and Olympic champion and record holder Geraint Thomas looked in good shape.

Three riders were injured in the crash, this SIS rider, Jimmy Rutherford, receives medical treatment from the race first aid team.

World track champion Lizzie Armitstead, in her home town, was always near the front of the men's race showing what a great talent she is.

There was a big field for the main event and an even bigger one, 100 riders or so, for the Supporting event. Photo: Larry Hickmott