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2006 Race Reports Archive - April
17.04.06 - Bill Temme [Results: LCS] A fast and furious finale for the Bill Temme at Eastway this weekend saw plenty of action from four Glendene riders in the form of Shaun Hurrell, Will Hedden, Mark Porter and Anthony Miller. By the end of the first lap Anthony lead the bunch but this didn't last long as riders began to ping off the front the second time over Oxo, a theme which continued for the entirity of the race with the 92 strong bunch reluctant to let any riders get away for more than a few seconds before reeling them back in. With such a large field there seemed to be no let up in the number of riders coming through to have a dig off the front keeping the pace high making it very hard for anyone to get away. Shaun was always present near the front and latched on to a couple of the break attempts though none were sucessful. Will, Anthony and Mark came through when necessary but spent a lot of the middle part of the race protecting their legs as much as possible though trying to maintain a good position having already depleated some of their reserves in other events this weekend. As the race came into the closing stages, two riders had managed to escape though all four Glendene riders now had established a strong presence at the head of the bunch with Mark forcing the pace for a number of those remaining laps, the four riders were now beginning to think about how to finish safely with over 50 riders left to sprint for position. There was some discussion between them that they should either be sprinting well off the front by the time they get to the flat section, or opting out altogether to avoid the invetable accidents. Both Will and Anthony opted for the former and were in a good position to put the hammer down half way along the flat section. Anthony didn't look back and pulled out an uncloseable lead to convincingly take the bunch sprint for 3rd place. Will was also looking good for a placing but was unfortunate to pedal into the tarmac landing him with a few cuts and bruises instead. Shaun Hurrel came in 19th and Mark kindly stopped to pick Will up off the floor. [AM] 1 Brian Curtis Corridori RT 1:19:08.0 2 Mark Beattie Maldon Dist 1:19:17.8 3 Anthony Miller Glendene CC 1:19:29.2 19 Shaun Hurrell Glendene CC 1:19:36.0 16/17.04.06 - Rockingham 2 Day Will Hedden picked up his first stage race result by coming 5th overall at Rockingham Forest Wheeler's traditional Easter 2 day near Corby. Sticking to their plan, Will and Tony Couchman rode a conservative first 80km road stage which is often a bunch sprint. This time though 8 riders got away, but only gained half a minute, and Will led in the bunch for 9th with Tony in the bunch. The afternoon's 4km TT was a headwind affair, with Will placing 36th losing 55 seconds to the stage and eventual overall winner Matt Barrett (Lutterworth Cycle Centre) and Tony finishing a further 30 seconds down. Sunday's 88km hilly stage began with both Glendene riders still in with a chance of a high finish if they made the right moves, as this stage usually features plenty of time gaps and dnf's. Many moves came and went and at half distance things looked bleak as Tony couldn't hold on and Will made an unplanned stop on a grass verge. Luckily he was able to regain contact and not get caught at the back of a splintering bunch. The bunch continued to shrink, and with just over a lap to go Will made it into a 7 man group that then became 6 to contest the finish. A fast final lap saw this group pull a minute out of the bunch and with a time bonus for finishing 3rd on the stage, Will moved up to 5th on GC to round of a good weekend. [WH] 17.04.06 - The Girvan (Premier Calendar) Day 3 The team started Day 3 on another bellyful of (host) Margaret's finest porridge and fryup. Her cooking was probably more suitable for a rugby team, but you can't turn down great hospitality. The fearless four only had to lug the extra weight over 70 miles of some of the hilliest parts the region had to offer. The Recycling team heated things up early with a move at 5 or so miles, where they massed at the front and drove over a short sharp hairpin climb that was wet and probably steeper than 25% on the inside of the bend. Matt was just close enough to furiously leap some places and be the last to latch on as it accelerated over the top. The move was typical of Recycling's weekend tactics, where they seemed to make life difficult for themselves, perhaps overconfident of their strength. Three Agisko riders, some GB MTB members, a couple of SIS riders, and Matt just sat on, to the frustration of the UK's premiere team. They had to ride themselves into the ground in vicious cross winds and relentless ascending. Meanwhile, Mark Lovatt had used his motivational powers to get a chase within a sniff of the leaders, and at the bottom of one of the big climbs, six riders managed to bridge the gap - Mark McKay being one of them. Ben was on his tail but lost touch at the crucial moment. For the first time in the race, two Glendene riders were in the lead bunch, though it was big, and completely controlled by the larger Agisko and Recycling teams. Approaching Girvan for a single pass before a final 15 mile lap, Matt momentarily lost his mind and went up the road. The 'idea' was that he'd beat into a mile or two of headwind, then turn up the prime hill with a tail wind. The hope was noone would care, and Recycling were dead from 55 miles of keeping the pace. In reality, he had over 2 miles of headwind, and at the point he was caught part way up the hill, the attacks were at their peak. He was unable to hold the first dozen, but latched onto Mark's group behind. With Matt on the back, Mark helped ensure that the lead group didn't disappear up the road, and approaching the finish were not much more than 30 seconds behind. Matt lead in the bunch, and took another place overall in the GC, finishing 8th overall. Mark rose to 19th in GC. Ben finished in the group behind, and Ed soon after. Once again the team had finished strongly, holding their 3rd place in the teams competition. Ben also retained his 2nd place in the points competition. Overall, the team was chuffed. The Glendene team started the race as a new and unknown quantity, and ended the race as a new and real threat to the established teams. Every rider had their day or two of glory, and each was essential in claiming the 3rd place from 27 in the teams competition. Thanks from the riders, once again, to Tony W - you da man! [MT] 16.04.06 - Metropolitan Police RR (Reg B) Ben Thompson is proving good consistency with a solid 3rd place in the ERRL this weekend. In the early stages of the race, the three Glendene riders Mark Porter, Ben Thompson and Anthony Miller carefully marked the numerous Cambridge CC riders, not least of all last weeks winner Robert Cox whilst a number of early breaks went up the road without any Cambridge or Glendene riders in them. This didn't last more than a lap as numerous attacks came from other riders and the bunch started to liven up seeing Mark and Anthony together with other riders including some from the Cambridge working together to reel them in. However Ben had only one thing on his mind and that was to stay in touch with Robert Cox no matter what. This paid off as half way through the race when the multitude of attacks had been neutralized, Rob and Ben escaped unmarked from the bunch and gained a good lead. Anthony put in a big effort to try and jump across for a peice of the action but was unable to quite make it and returned to an inanimate bunch. Half a lap or so later and a chase group of seven formed off the front and worked well to ride up to the leading pair and extend the lead over the bunch to around 1 minute. The race was relatively fast as the bunch seemed wanting to stay within a closeable distance from the leaders and so the very hardworking lead group eventually dropped a number of riders back to the group leaving four riders to contest the win, one of those four was Ben. Meanwhile Mark, Anthony and a number of Cambridge riders were staying in touch with the high pace at the front of the bunch to respond to any escape attempts hoping for minor placings but in the sprint at the end they had to settle with places somewhere in the middle of the bunch. Ben Thompson came in 3rd place behind last weeks winner Robert Cox and this weeks winner Matt Thurston. [AM] 1 Matt Thurston Api-Metrow 2 Robert Cox Cambridge CC 3 Ben Thompson Glendene CC 16.04.06 - The Girvan (Premier Calendar) Day 2 Might be a short report today because this writer's middle typing finger is oozing green puss and bandaged up. First thing to say is that Tony Woodcock has been the manager supremo. While other teams have several cars and individuals running about, he's been singlehandedly dealing with everything, from driving to mixing drinks, cleaning bikes and even the odd amateur leg-rub, tirelessly and without a hint of fuss. Supremo mate! Day 2 was a 97mile (recorded as 163km) slog over some very picturesque but also very lumpy Scottish countryside via some roads which were often more pothole than tarmac. An early break was expected. Matt crossed to a pair up the road including early-break specialist Duncan Urqhuart with Martin Smith on his tail. Dale Appleby from Recycling followed up and promptly sat on the back. The group made some quick ground on the pack, but Appleby dropping back was a sign that the fun was over. Recycling grouped at the front of the pack and shut the break down. A strange honour to be threatening, maybe? Anyway, fate played into our hands because Ben took second in the first Hot Spot of the day at 15 miles, strengthening his position in the points competition. Soon after he punctured and had to deal with a slow change from the neutral service. The car should have paced him back, but disappeared up the road. Conspiracy theorists would have noticed that the car was manned by SIS, who happened to have their man in first place in the points competition. Go figure! Ben rode on valiantly for 70 miles to the finish with just another for company. Recycling continued to shut down attempts to get away for the next 50 miles - the game plan made clear by constant radio instructions to their grunts. The hills were ridden at a relaxed pace, which everyone appreciated, helped by the fact that Appleby and Dawson were up the road and not seen as a threat. But after the descent, like Day 1, breaks went ballistic for mile upon mile and just wouldn't stick. When it finally did stick, with 30 miles to go, Matt was in there. It was decisive with 8 from the top 11 in GC and it wasn't coming back. The weather got filthy with wind and squarly rain, but it was just a matter of keeping a cool head and fresh legs, despite being picked on by four Recyclings, 3 Agiskos and 2 SIS members, half of each team choosing to sitting on. With 10 miles to go at the bottom of a descent, Ed punctured a rear wheel and the team position looked well and truly gone. But with a quick change and a monstrous ride back through the following cars, he regained contact with the bunch. It could have been the ride of the day. Matt positioned well for the sprint home on the wheel of eventual winner Neil Coleman from Agisko, but got his legs ripped off and couldn't hold, following through for another 6th place. Ed and Mark finished in the bunch, ensuring another strong team performance, and Glendene took over 3rd place in the team competition. An even better day than the first. [MT] 15.04.06 - The Girvan (Premier Calendar) Day 1 Riders were given a great reception for the start in Girvan town centre, but a mile up the road the first prime hill was waiting, in case anyone had forgotten what they were there for. Riders attacked solidly for 45 miles unable to get the 'magic early break' that has determined the outcome of the previous two Calendar races. Every Glendene team member made an effort to mix things up at the front, but nothing serious eventuated. The ride over Tairlaw summit was long and not particularly steep, but ridden at the best part of 20mph, provided the first decisive punches to blow riders off the back. The descent was equally hectic as riders scrambled to regroup and by the bottom the race was split in half, the first half containing Mark, Ben and Matt, and Ed caught in the second. Soon after, the race completely blew apart on the approach to the second hill prime, with Glendene riders caught on the wrong side of it. Matt was having a breather at the back and chased round the 30 riders uphill only to straggle behind the first group in no-mans land for several miles before relinquishing the chase and falling back to the chase. Mark, Ben and Matt were some of the few driving forces in the first chasing group ensuring that only 1 minute was lost. They clawed back to 14 seconds at one point, exasperatingly close, but not everyone in the group was prepared to play along, despite Mark Lovatt's best 'encouragement'. Matt took the opportunity to grab some seconds on the approach to Girvan, jumping off the front with 2 miles to go and holding 7 seconds at the end. Drizzling rain made the second criterium stage look treacherous, though amazingly there was only one minor crash. 16 laps around Victory Park for roughly 20 miles. Ben Hallam shone. He won the first Hot Spot sprint alone. Matt lead out for the second, winding up on the front with the green jersey on his tail and Ben in third. Ben stream-trained through, out-legging Wilkinson in style for win number two. Matt got 6th across the line, unable to contend with an impressive wind-up from a string of recycling boys who brought House across the line for the win. At the end of the day, Ben was in 2nd on points, Matt in 19th overall, and the team 4th overall. Not a bad day. [MT] 09.04.06 - Maldon RR (3/4/J) Ben Thompson continued his rise up the ERRL table with a superb 2nd place in the short but fast Maldon 34J RR held in chilly conditions on the Steeple circuit. Ben was never far from the front, spending more time on it than off it, and he formed part of a chase group on the third lap that set off in pusuit of the 2 early leaders. Numerous attempts by Tony Couchman and Will Hedden to get across to this group and get in others proved fruitless as around 8 riders would stay away from the bunch. The finale was contested as a small group sprint with Ben just being pipped for the win by Rob Cox (Cambridge CC). Tony and Will both finished in the bunch. Another great ride by Ben and a win is surely round the corner! [WH] 1 Robert Cox Cambridge CC 2 Ben Thompson Glendene CC 3 Mark Beattie Maldon & Dist 02.04.06 - Essex Rds Spring RR (3/4/W) [Results: LCS, BCF] [Photos: LCS] Glendene's lead in the ERRL was strengthened today thanks to a great ride for 3rd place by (hairy legged ) Ben Thompson in the Essex Roads Spring RR. A large break of ten riders formed on lap 2 of 4 of the 70km race with Ben riding strongly to make the cut after numerous flurries involving all of today's Glendene riders. Having missed this initial break, first Mark Porter and then Will Hedden were involved in lap-long pursuits of the break to no avail, before a solo effort by Anthony Miller on the final lap was only neutralised at the bottom of the finish hill. 2 riders from the break clipped off to contest the win (with the race won by Maldon's Mark Beattie), with Ben coming home strongly to clinch 3rd and further confirming his early season form. Will came 13th and Anthony (22nd) and Mark (29th) finished in the bunch. 02.04.06 - Thames Velo Spring Road Race (National B Elite, 1/2). [Results: LCS, BCF] [Pics: LCS] Kristian, Ben, Sean, Chris, Ed and Matt were all starters in the 2006 Thames Velo. It was bound to be a tough day in the saddle with (often torrential) showers passing over before the race and a gusty wind. Thankfully the day dried up as the race progressed and it was relatively warm, but this was a small mercy - the wind summoned more menace throughout. The pace was high from the beginning and approaching the main hill a group of 5 including Roy Chamberlain and Colin Roshier separated from the front, and noticing their strength, Matt followed late to bridge alone. By the time they were together, some distance had been put on the peloton, and this rapidly increased as no dedicated effort was made to get them back at this early stage. Up the road the going was very steady and the break appeared promising until approaching the finish hill on the first lap when Matt punctured. He rode with all his weight over the front wheel for the next 2 kilometres in a desperate bid to find a spare before the group appeared, without luck. Ben Hallam came to the front to drive the group as they passed a gutted Matt flailing his wheel hopelessly above his head. The service car arrived some time afterwards, delayed by a large crash just previously. It should have been day over, with the group out of sight, but the service car did an amazing job of pacing him back over an epic and painful 10 miles. In the meantime, a group of chasers had separated including Ben. It was unfortunate that he and Matt couldn't have worked together at the front. The day could have turned out differently, but it wasn't to be. As the race split up, there was a flurry of activity in the second chasing group, including a strong move by Ed with a couple of other riders that dangled off the front for some time until progressive attacks swallowed them up. Matt made another move soon after - his second long lone chase of the race to bridge a group of five riders who worked well together for some time. Groups were breaking off and reforming everywhere in the stiffening wind, and the elements took their toll on Ben at the front who blew up with a lap to go. A group of about 12 including Matt passed him at high speed! This group split, the first five making up the final places 9th-13th. The second seven, containing Matt, was caught by what remained of the peloton with a kilometer to go. The final hill was daunting with a heavy head wind. Matt jumped, first with Dave Coulson, then with Richard Cartland at the bottom of the hill, and then finally by himself to get 50 yards on the group which he held as if for grim death til the end to claim 14th. Kristian arrived with this bunch, the only remaining Glendene rider in a tough day of racing that should prove valuable to the legs. Home | Contact | © Glendene CC |
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