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Chambers  Wins Springtime Pursuit #2

Story posted March 1, 2010; by Jack Baker | Mid Devon CC promotion

The riders in the South West were lucky with the weather yet again for the second Mid Devon Cycling Club Springtime Pursuit this year. Despite the heavy morning rain, the roads were dried by a fair crosswind in Whimple for the 2.30pm race start. With the juniors now split up among separate groups according to their ability, they had lost a huge advantage and it looked like the fight for the win would be a lot closer this time, especially with the Willier/Big Maggys.com team racing in the scratch group after coming down from a race in Wiltshire earlier that morning.

Photo: Ann Owens

The 4th category riders in Group 1 got off to a fairly good start, sharing the workload effectively. Group 2 were slightly slower off the mark in getting going with seemingly less enthusiasm for riders to share some time on the front. Needless to say that just after the end of the first lap, they had been caught by group 3 while group 1 had managed to stay a fair way ahead.

The rapid speed managed by the scratch team meant that group 5 was also caught as the riders passed the airfield on the circuit and after the merges, there were now only three groups left in the race and it wasn't even the end of the first lap. The fight for the first prime was won by Lubos Obornik, CS Dynamo. It also brought about a valiant move made by Scott Tomkinson, Camel Valley C & TC.

Shortly after the confusion from the acceleration at the prime, Tomkinson was off the front, solo and halfway through the second lap and the daring rider had gained a 20 second advantage on group 1. However the scratch group was not hanging around either. At this point they were only 60 seconds from groups 2/3 and 2 minutes 30 away from the leader.

Photo: Ann Owens

On the rise after the airport, there was another brave move made. Last week's winner Matt Hill had gone solo once again. With the scratch group hot on their heels, there was no attempt made by groups 2/3 to bridge the gap despite the strength in numbers they had. While Tomkinson crossed the line for a well deserved second prime, things began to come together behind him.

Hill reached group 1 and passed straight through to continue his mad dash. One group 1 junior, Peter Robinson of Somerset RC, took advantage of the passing of the strong rider and latching onto Hill's wheel and they bridged the gap to Tomkinson. As the action at the front ensued, so too did the action towards the back of the race. The scratch group had caught groups 2 and 3 and pushed on to catch group 1. Now there were just two groups left in the race.

The now large main bunch and the escapees, Hill, Tomkinson and Robinson in urgent flight.

Two of those riders were swallowed up by the main group however as Hill tried desperately to maintain his lead alone. Holding a frenetic pace, Hill managed to keep his freedom for another half a lap. His pace last week was enough to hold off the other juniors, but now with professional and very experienced riders in the group right behind him, it was a supreme effort even being able to hold out on his own for a lap considering his experience.

The peloton's pace climaxed in anticipation for the final prime and the large group began to break up. It was here, a group of three of the strongest riders pushed ahead of the main bunch. They consisted of Gary Chambers of South Fork Racing, and Marcin Bialoblocki and Ben Luckwell, both of Willier/Big Maggys.com.

Amazingly, despite his efforts earlier on, teammate Jake Durant (Mid Devon Cycling Club) managed to help Hill into this elite group, making a four man breakaway. The fight for the final prime was also won by Hill just after bridging the gap. So began the final drag to the finish where a fine burst of speed won Chambers the sprint for the finish.

He was closely followed by Bialoblocki and his teammate Luckwell. Their legs were far from fresh due to their race that morning and six seconds later, Hill came in a respectable 4th, who, after his efforts in the Pursuit, and the lung destroying pace up the final incline, did not have the energy left for the final sprint.

Twenty seconds after Hill, another group of four that had formed earlier was led through by Mark Perry Willier/Big Maggys giving him 5th place. The other members of this group: Andy Hitchens Mid Devon CC, Robert Willcocks of ProBike Kit.com and Sam Deakin Somerset RC, another promising junior attaining 6th, 7th and 8th place respectively.

Result
1 Gary Chambers South Fork Racing 51 kms in 1 hour 15 mins 12 secs
2 Marcin Bialoblocki Willier/Big Maggys same time
3 Ben Luckwell Willier/Big Maggys same time
4 Matt Hill Mid-Devon CC @ 6 secs

5 Mark Perry Willier/Big Maggys @ 26 secs
6 Andrew Hitchens Mid-Devon CC same time
7 Robert Willcocks Probike Kit.com same time
8 Sam Deakin Somerset RC same time

9 Jake Durant Mid-Devon CC @ 37 secs
10 Blake Pond South Fork Racing same time
11 Andrew Parker Mid-Devon CC same time
12 Ashley Watts Mid-Devon CC same time

13 Ian Rees Willier/Big Maggys @ 47 secs
14 Darren Moore Le Col same time
15 Steve Thomas Bristol RC same time
16 Phil Borrett Team Tor 2000 same time
17 Peter Wheddon BAD-Tri/Fred Baker same time
18 Nick Avery Mid-Devon CC same time
19.  James Smith Probike Kit.com same time

RELATED LINKS

Springtime Pursuit Number 1 Report