2009 RIS Junior Tour of Wales

Day 3 | August 31 | Report and photos by Larry Hickmott

Stage 5

Stage podium, Joe Perrett (2nd), Joshua Edmondson (1st) and Jake Tanner (3rd)

The final stage of the Tour of Wales was as epic as they come with 60 miles of mountainous terrain in pouring rain, mist and wind to contend with and at the top of the Tumble, Joshua Edmondson won his second stage of the race ahead of Joe Perrett and Jake Tanner. Jonathen Cole from Ireland was on one of the early attackers and he was joined after three miles by a group of six that included the likes of Dominic Shields and Sandy King who were both in the top 10 of the GC. The seven riders pressed on and got an advanatage of around three minutes and by halfway the bunch were now in hot pursuit including a dangerous looking chase group with Jake Tanner, Joe Perrett and Joshua Edmondson.

With the chase group closing in on the leaders and the bunch not far away, it appeared at one point that the race was going to come together but once the likes of Tanner and Perrett caught the leaders, they helped them increase the lead on the bunch again on the return leg down the A40 towards Abergavenny until they reached the foot of the Tumble when the groups exploded as the race leaders did their best to come back from a two minute plus deficit to get within a minute or so of the leaders by the top which yellow jersey Tim Kennaugh managed to do to hold on and win this prestigous race overall.  

Joshua Edmondson (above): The Glendene rider explained that he attacked to get across to a chase group with Joe Perrett and Jake Tanner and once acoss, many of the riders in  it were working well and they quickly opened up a gap on the rest as they chase the break ahead. When we caught the leaders, everyone was a bit knackered." Joshua then explained that before the dreaded Tumble, Sandy King and Joe Perrett had done alot of work before it and then I tried to pace Joe up it but he was tired from all the work he had done."

Joshua then told us that the idea today was to try and put as much time into the yellow jersey Tim Kennaugh after they lost time on day 2 when everything went wrong for them. "We've been trying to get time back since and we got some more back today but not enough I don't think. I'm happy with how I rode today, my second stage victory and I'm only in my first year as a junior."

Tim Kennaugh "It was pretty tough at times today but I had a few allies in there so I was alright. George Atkins rode his legs off for me. The legs hurt a bit in the cross winds when a few riders went but because the Welsh weren't there, it was never an issue because they had to protect their GC positions (2nd and third). I let them ride and did my bit but I didn't break my neck for it. I thought if I ride hard up the climb I'll be alright"

On how he managed to keep in tounch with how he was faring with the break up the road, Tim explained "the chalkboard was pretty decent although there were times when I'd get a time check of 1.05 but then I'd panic because I wouldn't see it for 10 miles so I'd have to judge the speed of my own bunch. At the bottom I got a two minute time check and I gave Sam a turn and we talked and said I'd ride if he didn't attack me and so I rode."

Sam Harrison: "Mouldy punctured at the wrong time (Penderyn)  so he was really unlucky. At the bottom of the Tumble, I didn't think about winning, I just rode." Despite being a first year Junior, Sam has ridden the race before and he explained that he was quite lucky to know what was coming. "The weather was horrible down the dual carriageway for the first 20k when it was freezing cold and we were soaking wet. The race was a good workout though and we should be going well for Italy."        

Jake Tanner: 3rd on the stage. "I really enjoyed today and needed to do a good ride because its my last Junior race so I anted a big blast and I felt confident as the stages went on. I knew there was a break up the road so I attacked quite early to get to it and the two Glendene riders came with me and we got to the chase group. I was able to stay with them on the climbs and got halfway up the Tumble with them and they upped the pace and I wasn't strong enough to stay with them so I went at my own pace. I don't know a lot about the tactics because its my first year so dad (John Tanner) helps me ". Jake apparently gets out with the local chain gang with the likes of the Downing brothers and apparently can hurt a few legs already.  

Jersey winners in this year's Tour of Wales for Juniors -- Jon Mould (Points), Tim Kennaugh (Yellow) and Joe Perrett (King of the Mountains).

More Photos (results below)

The rain was already falling as the riders got their pre-race briefing.

Approaching the first KOM climb of the day and the first break of the day is well established led here by Oilver Rossi. Riders included Sandy King (Hargroves), Jonathen Cole (Ireland), Conor Dunne (Central Region), Robert Hassan (Scotland), Dominic Schils (Lotto Olympia) and a Glendene rider 

Dan McLay chases on his own just ahead of a small chase group (below) and the peloton.

Green Points jersey wearer Jon Mould (centre) chases the breaks up the road. Jon who had been in third overall, punctured a little later and although he regained the peloton, he had little left on the final climb up the Tumble and lost time to drop down the classification.

After the road from Penderyn, the early break was still well away but a chase was now gathering pace.

Glendene CC's Joe Perrett, as ever, leads the chase group that included teammate Joshua Edmondson, Jake Tanner (Sportscover), Tom Moses (Teamwallis-CHH), Dan McLay (East Mids Region),  Joshua Hunt (Team South West), Jake Hales (Central Region) followed by a few lone riders.

King of the Mountains for stage 5, Marcus Christie leads the chase in the peloton from yellow jersey holder Tim Kennaugh and another of the ever agressive Irish riders chasing just behind.

Sam Harrison chasing the yellow jersey

Robert Hassan from Scotland who finished a great 4th on the final stage.

Out of the fog comes the yellow jersey group with Perry Bowater about to sprint past Sam Harrison and yellow jersey winner Tim Kennaugh.

British Junior Road Race champion George Atkins who had a hard stage trying to bring the break back battles up the Tumble with Dan McLay of the East Midlands team.

Stage
1. Joshua Edmondson
2. Joe Perrett
3. Jake Tanner,
4. Robert Hassan
5. Perry Bowater
6. Sam Harrison
7. Tim Kennaugh
8. Simon Yates
9.Jake Hales
10. Joshua Hunt

Final Overall Provisional
1. Tim Kennaugh IOM  7:44:01
2. Sam Harrison WAL  7:44:31
3. Joshua Edmonson GLN  7:45:07
4. Joe Perrett GLN  7:45:32
5. Perry Bowater EPI  7:47:34
6. Marcus Christie IRL7:47:58
7. Jon Mould WAL  7:48:21
8. Charles Prendergast IRL 7:48:50
9. George Atkins WEB 7:49:09
10. Dominic Schils LOT 7:49:11
11. Peter Dibben HAR 7:49:41
12. Alexander King HAR 7:49:42
13. Jake Tanner SPO 7:50:10
14. Simon Yates MAX  7:50:14
15. Joshua Hunt TSW  7:50:26
16. Owain Doull AJX  7:51:11
17. Adam Yates MAX 7:51:11
18. Matthew Gee RAR 7:51:22
19. David Nicholls GLN 7:51:22
20. Matt Bailey HAL 7:51:27
21. Johnny Knox HER 7:51:28
22. Laurie Brooking HER 7:51:28
23. Dan McLay EMI 7:51:33
24. Tom Moses TWC 7:52:03
25. Tom Stockdale WMI 7:52:05
26. Jake Hales CEN 7:52:37
27. Jack Salt RAR 7:52:49
28. Oliver Rossi IGD 7:53:05
29. Lewis Balyckyi TWC 7:54:32
30. Jamie Rogers EMI 7:54:39
31. George Moore EPI 7:54:54
32. Tom Lackenby EMI 7:54:59
33. Alistair Slater EMI 7:55:54
34. Richard Horton BCP 7:56:01
35. Jamie Shirlaw LPC 7:57:26
36. Thomas Lowe RAR 7:58:09
37. Robert Hassan SCO 7:58:24
38. Alex Murison GLN 7:58:57
39. James Bowtell IGD 8:00:41
40. Stuart Henry IRL 8:00:41
41. Josh Papworth WMI 8:00:52
42. James Dunlop HER 8:00:59
43. Mark Baxter CEN 8:02:28
44. Oliver Pritchard CEN 8:02:36
45. Jonathan Cole IRL 8:02:43
46. Rhys Gravelle WAL  8:02:59
47.3 Ewen McDonald EPI 8:03:10
48. Rowan Marshall WAL  8:04:25
49. Alex Wallis SPO  8:05:51
50. Rob Graham LOT  8:06:46
51. Jake Durant TSW 8:07:04
52. Chris Hughes EAS 8:07:54
53. Drew Holmes IGD  8:08:19
54. Felix English IGD 8:09:46
55. Conor Dunne CEN  8:12:13
56. Matthew Jones CWM  8:16:03
57. Mike Gregg PBK 8:16:54
58. John Cooper EPI 8:18:04
59. Benjamin Last SPO 8:23:26
60. Dan Harris HAL 8:23:26
61. Jacob Tipper HAL 8:25:05
62. Finlay Young SCO 8:26:45
63. Joe Charley WMI 8:27:38
64. Owen Lake EAS 8:30:27
65. Adam Johnson IOM 8:45:16
66. Alex Cogswell HAL  8:46:38
67 67 Nathan Cox TSW  8:51:46
68 13 Adam French EAS  9:13:51
69 19 Ben Goddard WMI 9:14:03

King of the Mountains
1. Joe Perrett, Glendene CC
2. Sam Harrison, Wales
3. Joshua Edmondson, Glendene CC
4. Marcus Christie, Ireland
5. Jake Tanner, Sportscover

Points
1. Jon Mould, Wales
2. Joe Perrett, Glendene CC
3. Tim Kennaugh, Isle of Man
4. Joshua Edmondson, Glendene CC
5. Conor Dunne, Central
6. Sam Harrison, Wales

Teams
1. Glendene CC/Biketrax
2. Ireland
3. Wales
4. East Midlands Region
5. Raleigh Avanti
6. Epic Cycles/Viner RT
7. Herballife/Wheelbase.co.uk
8. Central Region
9. Ingear Development
10. Sportscover Spuik JE James