WXCRL Summer Road Race

Sunday 19th July 2009;
Thanks to Graham Robins (http://www.grahamrobins.net/)

Victory for Llewellyn Kinch

Today’s race was centred on the village of Holt to the north of Wimborne in Dorset. A dry race after a wet night but very windy especially on the exposed main road section on the back of the course. A six lap race with an uphill finish on a twisty undulating circuit.

After a rather slow first lap (25 mins) the race proper started on the second lap when eventual winner Llewellyn Kinch (GWR) attacked the pack and got a small gap. The bunch were alive to the attack and soon sent a rider across to close it down. On lap three all the riders were together with several riders being shelled out the back because of the high tempo being set at the front, and with the wind not relenting some riders were finding the course a slog.

The leaders seemed to raise the speed on the next lap trying to cause a break which almost worked. Two riders jumped away and were working together very well. They managed to get a gap of about 10 secs with one to go. As the race approached the finish, the race was coming back together but Llewellyn pulled away on the climb to the finish, pulling clear of Phillip Gough (Red Kite/Torqbar) by 15 secs who was clear of 3rd place Simon Burgess (Severn RC) by a couple of seconds even having time to straighten his team jersey for the photographer and celebrating his second place.

1st  Llewellyn Kinch GWR Team 2:33:24
2nd  Philip Gough Red Kite Cycles/Torq Bar @ 12 sec
3rd  Simon Burgess Severn RC St
4th  Simon Fox Team Milton Keynes St
5th  Barry Clewett Bournemouth Arrow CC St
6th  Jason Eastwood VC St Raphael st