Location: Castle Combe circuit, Wiltshire
Event: 29 March 2013
On a bitterly cold afternoon Marcin Bialoblocki (Team UK Youth) sprinted away with three laps to go to win the Easter classic at the Wiltshire motor racing circuit just south of Chippenham.
Along with Magnus Backstedt (MG-Maxifuel Pro Cycling) the two riders eased away of the front of the bunch after five laps and they steadily built up a lead until three laps of the 24 left when Marcin put in a big attack on the exit of Quarry corner and on the finish line he had already gained 30 seconds.
The first five laps saw many riders trying to develop a lead, but once Marcin came to the front he made it stick. With these two away it was left to the bunch to decide what to do next. Four riders gained a handful of seconds but they were already nearly a minute down on the two up the road.
A group of seven now formed on the front and after 10 laps these were to form the basis of a chase. The group consisted of Will Stevenson (Rapha Condor JLT), Ed Clemens (Spirit Bikes), Alex Baskaya (Dream CC), James Stewart (Kuota-GSG Spinergy), Grant Baynton (Ride 24/7 Willier), Alan Ridler (Pedal Heaven), James Locker (V Sprint), Yanto Barker (Team UK Youth), Will Bjergfelt (MG - Maxifuel Pro Cycling) and Josh Fox (MG- Maxifuel Pro Cycling).
At half distance Marcin and Magnus were leading by over a minute, and the seven chasers were clear of the bunch which was now a further 90 seconds back.
This stayed the same until four laps to go when the chasing group were 1-06 down with the bunch at two minutes plus.
The earlier Third Cat race was won by Crispin Doyle (Hargroves Cycles) after a lone breakaway with two laps to go. Crispin had an earlier attack on lap five of the 17 but was reeled back by the bunch, but this turned out to be his ‘cunning plan’.
Result:
1st Marcin Bialoblocki Team UK Youth 24laps
2nd Magnus Backstedt MG - Maxifuel Pro Cycling @45secs
3rd Ed Clemens Spirit Bikes @2mins 6secs
4th Yanto Barker Team UK Youth
5th Josh Fox MG- Maxifuel Pro Cycling
6th Will Stevenson Rapha Condor JLT
7th Will Bjergfelt MG- Maxifuel Pro Cycling
8th Alan Ridler Pedal Heaven
9th Grant Baynton Ride 24/7 Willier
10th James Locker (V Sprint)
Third Cat:
1st Crispin Doyle Hargroves Cycles
2nd Dan Guest Army Cycling Union
3rd Joe Holt County Cycles
4th Kieron Smith VC Montpellier
5th John Wood NFTO Race Team
Fourth Cat:
1st Rory Gilling Performance Cycles
2nd Justin Dance Chard Wheelers
3rd Thomas Sturdy Abergavenny RC
4th Bill Asmand PM
5th Steve Pryn Bristol RC
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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.
