GreatBudworth 01_05_11

Team Southport Race at Great Budworth 1st May

Sadly with John Findley racing for another club Team Southport was now down to 4 riders. Martin Phillips, Steve Duffel, Simon Deeley and Spencer Coltman made their way to the leafy Cheshire lanes of Higher Wincham.

Now this course is notorious for big potholes and we all remembered Martin who last year nearly bit his tongue off when his front wheel disappeared down a big hole. So with this in mind we left our best wheels at home. 56 riders left the start line on a course that was fairly flat with one little kick up half way round but with a head wind on the other side it was going to be hard to stay away in a break. After a couple of steady laps all hell broke loose as the attacks started and a small group of 7 riders managed to get away up the road forcing riders out the back door one of which was our Martin! Anyway with the peleton working on the front to bring back the break away everyone decided to let the break go and the pace calmed down. With 3 laps to go a couple of other riders decided to try their luck by attacking off the front and bridged the gap to the front group and after another burst of speed to bring them back we gave up and let them go. On the last lap everyone was getting ready for the final sprint for the minor places. It was a fast flat run in with riders strongly defending their positions, then with everyone in their biggest gear we all hammered it to the finish line.

9 riders managed to stay away in the end finishing 1m 16 sec over the peleton. 3 Southport riders finished the race Steve 29th, Simon 23rd, Spencer 17th.

Thanks to Spencer Coltman for the report. Posted 05/05/2011

Website Designed by Taylored Web Solutions