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Stockbridge Down Road Race

Story posted September 29, 2010 |from Mike Webber (www.andoverwheelers.com)

Perfect conditions, if not a little chilly, greeted the riders in the Stockbridge Down Road Race last Sunday. A new event on the calendar, the race used a tough 13 mile circuit between Stockbridge and Winchester in Hampshire and included the mile long climb of Wilton Hill to the finish/prime line on every lap of the four lap race.

The race was neutralised from the headquarters to the top of Wilton Hill and the start proper but as soon as the flag dropped and racing had started, riders were being shelled out of the back and the main peloton was quickly reduced from 53 down to about 30 riders. This group would shape the rest of the race. First time up the climb saw the peloton stretched to its limit and it was James Cartridge (Inverse RT) who just edged out Phil Peters (Cannondale Racing) for the first prime.

The bunch re-grouped but then Ben Pearce (Andover Wheelers) took his chance on the rolling A30 road back towards Stockbridge and quickly gained 30 seconds on the bunch who appeared not that interested in chasing. Junior rider Max Webber (VC St Raphael), made a valiant attempt to get across to Pearce but couldn't quite make the connection before the bottom of the main climb.

By the top, Pearce had a lead of 50 seconds, taking the second prime in the process whilst Webber had been swallowed back up by the main bunch. The effort over the top of the climb saw a group of seven riders ride away from the rest and catch Pearce to make a leading group of eight. As the lead group began the climb up to the finish for the penultimate time, they had a lead of well over a minute on the remains of the peloton and it was Phil Peters who took the final prime.

Ben Pearce was paying for his earlier efforts and dropped back to the main bunch. Into the last lap, and the lead group of seven was made up of Peters, Cartridge, Jonathan Marcini (Oxford University CC), Darren Parker and Nigel Williams (Python RT), Nick Watson (Dream CC) and Richard Horton (Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers) leaving the rest to fight out the minor places.

On the final climb, it was Parker and Horton who broke clear of the fragmenting break, with Peters trying in vain to get across to the leading duo. Coming up to the line, both Parker and Horton were neck and neck but it was Horton who just edged out Parker by about half a bike length. Peters maintained his effort and was rewarded with third place. The bunch was led in by Rob Jackson (8th) who was also part of the winning Inverse RT team (James Cartridge 7th and Neil Heffernan 15th). Richard Horton capped an excellent race by also taking the leading Junior prize.

Result

1. Richard Horton - Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers
2. Darren Parker - Python RT
3. Phil Peters - Cannondale RT
4. Nick Watson - Dream CC
5. Jonathan Marcini - Oxford University CC
6. Nigel Williams - Python RT
7. James Cartridge - Inverse RT
8. Rob Jackson - Inverse RT
9. Philip Gough - Red Kite Cycles
10. James Jones - Beeline Bicycles
 
1st Junior - Richard Horton
1st 3rd Cat - Darren Parker
1st 4th Cat - David Harper - Andover Wheelers