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Report: 29th Jock Wadley Memorial RR

Event: Sunday 13th March 2011 | Report: Malcolm Hargreaves, Colchester Rovers CC

This year's 84 mile race was run off at record speed according to veteran timekeeper Geoff Keeble who has 54 years experience with the stop watch. 80 riders left Alderman Blaxill School at 10am on Sunday and racing began at Layer Cross Roads when the bunch entered the circuit for the first of 12 laps. Lap two was timed at 15 minutes precisely which at 7 miles per lap produces 28 miles per hour! The sheer speed made breakaways difficult but dropping off the back quite easy and on the third lap five riders were gone. By lap five the bunch were still together but drawn out in a long line with the pace still within 16 minutes.

On lap 6 four riders managed to ease off the front and establish a break which quickly built to one minute. The riders were Christian House from the Rapha Condor Team, Eric Rowsell from 100% Me, Richard Handley of Team Raleigh and Andrew Griffiths of the Essex based Orbea Team. These riders managed to hold off the peloton for another four laps and many spectators believed the race winning move had been made.

It was not to be though because beginning the eleventh lap they were caught by the bunch and it was back to square one with one to go. Four different riders managed to force a 37 second gap on that final lap and in the fierce sprint for the line outside Layer Water Treatment Works it was Marcin Bialoblocki of the Motorpoint Team who was a fine winner ahead of last year's winner Jon Tiernan-Locke from the Rapha outfit. Third was Tom Moses a very promising youngster riding for "100% ME". Bialoblocki from Bridgwater is the 2010 Premier Calendar winner on points ie. The most consistent rider in all the top events.

A special mention for Dominic Schils of Stanway who used his local knowledge to sprint away from the pack on Layer hill and gain 5th place ahead of some nationally famous riders.

"The Wadley" continues to grow in stature each year with top level teams taking most of the eighty places. Magnus Backstedt rode as leader of his UK Youth Team following a top level career on the continent which included winning the infamous Paris to Roubaix single day classic across northern Frances' cobbles. He didn't manage to place in The Wadley but had come second on Saturday in another road race at Milton Keynes.

Thanks are due to "Cycle Colchester" for sponsoring the race and "Essex Olympic Legacy" for including the race with other special sporting events.

Top 20 | Full Results (PDF)

1 MARCIN BIALOBLOCKI MOTORPOINT 3-09-57
2 JON TIERNAN-LOCKE RAPHA CONDOR SHARP s.t.
3 TOM MOSES 100% ME s.t.
4 DAN CRAVEN RAPHA CONDOR SHARP s.t.
5 DOMINIC SCHILS WIELER TEAM VAN EYCK @37 secs
6 GRAHAM BRIGGS RAPHA CONDOR SHARP s.t.
7 DEAN DOWNING RAPHA CONDOR SHARP s.t.
8 MARCEL SIX TWENTY3c-ORBEA s.t.
9 ADAM NORRIS VANILLABIKES.COM s.t.
10 RAFA RODIRIGUZ TWENTY3c-ORBEA s.t.
11 DALE APPLEBY CYCLE PREMIER-METALTAK s.t.
12 MARK CHRISTIAN 100% ME s.t.
13 LIAM HOLOHAN TEAM RALEIGH s.t.
14 JASON WHITE CYCLE PREMIER-METALTAK s.t.
15 GRANT BAYTON WILIER/ GOSELF DRIVE .COM s.t.
16 SIMON YATES 100% ME s.t.
17 TOM LAST SIGMA SPORT - SPECIALIZED s.t. ~
18 JAMES LOWSLEY-WILLIAMS TEAM UK YOUTH s.t.
19 WILL BJERGFELT MOTORPOINT s.t.
20 JOSEPH KELLY 100% ME s.t.