Report: SERRL Tour of Kent 3 Day Stage Race

Event: 28-30th May 2011
Promoted by: SERRL
Event HQ: Fowlmead Country Park
Report and Images: Dave Hayward
Event Details

Stage 1: 10 Mile Prologue TT "Real flat, real windy", was the main comment from the winner Nicholas Hutchings (GS Guppetto) with a time of 21:19 giving him the overall lead after stage 1.

Stage 2: Circuit around the top circuit of Fowlmead. 85 minutes and 5 laps. An action packed race with time bonus sprints. Quick thinking Martin Smith gained enough bonus time to put him in the leader's jersey, while Wojciech Szlachta, (PastamonteGrappa Zheroquadra) rode away to nearly lap the main field to win the second stage.

Stage 3: Road Race. With the leader's yellow jersey changing shoulders to Martin Smith, Primal Europe, the day wasn't going to be an easy one. The pace was high, a group of riders had slipped the bunch which meant the Primal Europe team had to chase. Problems beset Martin as he found it difficult to stay in the bunch on the hills forcing his team mates to drop back and get him back in contention. Fate was going to play its part as Martin suffered a puncture and a poor wheel change. Hie race was effectively over. Up front it was a different story as the break was being caught with a lap to go. David Mclean, PastamonteGrappa Zheroquadra, made his charge with Alex Higham, WyndyMilla, who had just been in the first breakaway. On a full charge David Mclean time trialed the last lap and eventually took the win ahead of Alex Higham.

Stage 4: Road Race. The final day dawned and saw another change in race leadership, with the leader's yellow jersey now on the shoulders of David Mclean. So far the PastamonteGrappa Zheroquadra boys they were having a better race than expected with two stage wins and the leader's jersey. Could they make a hat-trick of stages and keep the yellow jersey?

Monday morning came and the organisers announced a last minute change to a flatter course. 12 laps of the Kenardington circuit saw a small group drift off the front of of the main field; they gained a two minute lead until the bunch got their legs going and pulled them back. Their capture would be within site of the finish. Out of the melee of sprinters Alex Ray, PastamonteGrappa Zheroquadra, charged for the line, taking the win by a clear bike length.

RESULTS

Stage 1 Time Trial - Fowlmead Circuit, May 28

1 Nicholas Hutchings. GS Grupetto
2 David McLean. Pasta Montegrappa
3 Martin Smith. Primal Europe
4 Ben Simmons. Port Talbot Wheelers
5 Jon Sturman. Active Cycles
6 Wojeiech Szlachta. Pasta Montegrappa
7 Matt Milles. In Gear RT
8 Michael Barnes. Colour Tech RT
9 Greame Rose. Team JD Cycles
10 Malcolm Davies. Aprire RT
11 Ian Taylor. Herba Life Wheelbase
12 Julian Bray. Dulwich Paragon
13 James Lewis. Port Talbot Wheelers
14 Luke Ryan. Team Toachim
15 Adam Cotterell. WyndyMilla.
16 John Wager. Felt-Colbornes RT
17 Phil Webb. Sprockets UK
18 Nick Busst. Velo 29
19 Mark Holt. Pasta Montegrappa
20 Andrew Dolan. Team Toachim

Stage 2 Circuit Race - Fowlmead Circuit, May 28

1 Wojiech Szlachta. Pasta Montegrappa
2 James Lewis. Port Talbot Wheelers
3 David McLean. Pasta Montegrappa
4 Ben Simmons. Port Talbot Wheelers
5 John Wager. Felt-Colbornes RT
6 Martin Smith. Primal Europe
7 Adam Cotterell. WyndyMilla
8 Nicholas Hutchings. GS Grupetto
9 Luke Ryan. Team Toachim
10 Matthew Pilkington. Progress Cycle Coach:
11 Mark Holt. Pasta Montegrappa
12 Toby Parnell. Cambridge Uni CC
13 Anthony O'Boyle. Torq Performance
14 Taylor Johnstone. Team De Ver
15 Malcolm Davies. Aprire RT
16 Alex Higham. WyndyMilla
17 Steven Smith. Medway Velo Club
18 Daniele Santoni. Pasta Montegrappa
19 Charlie Fawke. Progressive Cycle Coach:
20 Alex Ray. Pasta Montegrappa.

Stage 3 Road Race, May 29

1 David McLean. Pasta Montegrappa
2 Alex Higham. WyndyMilla
3 Rowan Dever. Pasta Montegrappa
4 Wojciech Szlachta. Pasta Montegrappa
5 Nicholas Hutchings. GS Grupetto
6 Luke wallis. La Fuga Sigma Sport.
7 Alex Ray. Pasta Montegrappa
8 Matthew Pilkington.
9 Matthew Miles. In Gear RT
10 Phil Lenney. Active Cycles.
11 Malcolm Davies. Aprire RT
12 Taylor Johnstone. Team De Ver
13 Graeme Rose. Team JD Cycles.
14 Andrew Dolan. Team Toachim.
15 Toby Parnell. Cambridge CC
16 Wayne Coombs. Primal Europe.
17 Adam Cotterell. WyndyMilla
18 John Wager. Felt Colbornes RT
19 Shaun Duffield. Active Cycles
20 Steven Smith. Medway Velo Club

Stage 4 Road Race, May 30

1 Alex Ray. Pasta Montegrappa
2 Adam Cotterell. WyndyMilla
3 John Wager. Felt-Colbornes RT
4 James Lewis. Port Talbot Wheelers
5 Matthew Theobalds. GS Grupetto
6 Wayne Coombs. Primal Europe
7 Alex Highham. WyndyMilla
8 Jason Nind. Wigmore CC
9 Nick Hutchings. GS Gripetto
10 Steven Smith. Medway Velo Club
11 Matthew Pilkington. Progressive Cycle Coa:
12 Andrew Dolan. Team Toachim
13 Wojciech Szlachta. Pasta Montegrappa
14 Toby Parnell. Cambridge Uni CC
15 David McLean. Pasta Montegrappa
16 Anthony O'Boyle. Torq Performance
17 Frazer Wildman. Datateam Allstars
18 Michael Barnes. Colour Tech
19 Luke Ryan. Team Toachim
20 Ben Simmons. Port Talbot Wheelers

Final General Classification

1 David McLean. Pasta Montegrappa
2 Alex Higham. WyndyMilla
3 Wojciech Szlachta. Pasta Montegrappa
4 Nicolas Hutchings. GS Grupetto
5 Malcolm Davies. Aprire RT
6 Rowan Dever. Pasta Montegrappa
7 Matthew Miles. In Gear RT
8 Graeme Rose. Team JD Cycles
9 Matthew Pilkington. Progressive Cycle Coa:
10 Taylor Johnstone. Team De Ver
11 Luke Wallis. La Fuga Sigma Sport
12 Andrew Dolan. Team Toachim
13 Ben Simmons. Pot Talbot Wheelers
14 Phil Lenney. Active Cycles
15 Adam Cotterell. WyndyMilla
16 Mark Holt. Pasta Montegrappa
17 John Wager. Felt-Colbornes RT
18 Toby Parnell. Cambridge Uni CC
19 Michael Barnes. Colour Tech RT
20 Nick Busst. Velo 29

British Cycling would like to thank the organising team, officials and everyone else who helped promote this event. Our sport could not exist without the hundreds of people, many of them unpaid volunteers, who put in many hours of hard work running events, activities and clubs.