Wilier`s Bialoblocki Leads Rankings

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Story posted May 11, 2010; Team Press Release

Momentum Builds for Wilier
Wilier/BigMaggys.com/Prendas Ciclismo rider Marcin Bialoblocki moved to the top of British Cycling National Rankings after taking a superb 7th at the latest round of the Premier Calendar series, the prestigious Lincoln Grand Prix on Sunday. With a 200 rider field, including three riders from the Sky ProTour Team, the 55th edition of this classic 86 mile  race saw high speeds from the outset as they commenced 11 laps of a circuit which included the 1 in 6 cobbled climb of Michaelgate.

Both Marcin and Will Bjergfelt were always towards the head of the race and with the race fragmenting in the closing laps, Bialoblocki came home 7th just over one minute behind winner Chris Newton (Rapha Condor-Sharp), while Bjergfelt took 24th a further minute behind. This result lifts Bialoblocki to 5th in the Premier Calendar standings.

Meanwhile in Kent, Grant Bayton, Ben Luckwell, Jon Pain and Ian Rees tackled the Bec CC Road Race over 78 miles.  On the second lap of the race, 15 riders moved clear with Bayton, Luckwell and Pain among the group and as this group continued to build a lead over the remainder of the peloton, they entered the  final 30 miles.

It was at this point that Bayton attacked and a group of five chased him down to make a group of six leaders. Within that group was Bayton's teammate Luckwell who broke clear in the closing miles but the rest of the group, with Bayton looking on, brought him back and the race came down to a sprint where Bayton took a fine 2nd and Luckwell 3rd after being beaten by the fast finishing Andy Betts (Sigma Sport). 

This was Bayton's second near miss in less than three days having taken a close third in the first event of the Castle Combe Summer Series on Thursday night, however, with Bialoblocki taking a victory, and Rees 3rd at the first event in the Team Tor Circuit Series at Ilton Airfield circuit, the team continue to feature prominently in all the events they contest.

With six of the team placing in the top 15 at the recent Totnes-Vire 2-day, again narrowly missing out on victory due to a time penalty being given to Marcin for dropping a bottle and with Luckwell taking an excellent win at the Echelon Cycles Road Race in late April, the entire squad are stacking up the points which sees them now move to second in the overall team rankings.

At the start of the season,  team manager Luckwell, who himself is ranked 5th nationally, had some big aims  for the team and these included targeting high team and individual placings in the British Cycling National Rankings and a high finish in the Premier Calendar Series. The ten man squad are continuing to build their momentum and are well on their way to achieving these despite the presence of many higher profile and big budget teams.

Next weekend sees the squad race the Hillingdon Grand Prix, piror to the following weekends Regional road Race Championships, where the team will field strong line ups in both the South West and South Championship races. For more information on the team please visit their website at
www.wilierbigmaggysprendas.co.uk and the team can also be followed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/wilierbigmaggys