|
Manx Viking Wheelers email the wheelers at mvw@manx.net |
 |
|
|
site powered by .
|
JOHN HAMER ROAD RACE REPORT 12th JUNE 05
23 Riders from a variety of categories rolled away neutralised from Marown School to Ballacraine where they were split into 2 groups. The A Race consisting of 12 cyclists headed towards The Hope and St John’s on the way to Patrick at 09:15 with the B Race starting two minutes later. From Patrick the race went south taking in Glen Maye and Dalby before tackling the climb up onto South Barrule. It was on the sharp climb out of Glen Maye that the A race started to show signs of splitting up, with Peter Gage (MRC) and Graeme Hatcher (MVW) taking the initiative. The B group fared somewhat better, staying together until well after The Ballacallin Public House. Back at the sharp end Gage and Hatcher were dragging the race out, the only real response coming from junior riders Jonathan Bellis and Peter Kennaugh (both MRC). Once on the relative flat of the shoulder road the A race briefly started to come back together but on the fast decent down the Ballamohda both the leaders started pulling away again. Meanwhile back in the supporting race and onto the shoulder road it was somewhat of a surprise to see the juveniles Mark Christian (TSP) and Scott Flynn ( MVW) heading their race with Peter Kennaugh snr (MRC) the only other competitor anywhere near them. Heading out of Ballasalla and onto the Black Hill both Gage and Hatcher had opened up a 90 second lead on Bellis with Mike Doyle (MRC) Gianni Epifani (MVW) and a hard chasing Peter Kennaugh jnr only a further 30 seconds down. By the time the B race got to the same point the two young riders were still leading with Kennaugh almost a minute behind, the others in this race being almost a further minute back. At the bell Hatcher and Gage were still together with just a 7-mile lap of Stuggadhoo to complete. The rest of the A race filtered through before the B race came towards the finish line and it was still Christian and Flynn together, but the small uphill sprint finish seemed to suit Mark Christian better and it was he who led out for a fine finish of about a bikes length over Scott Flynn. Exactly 1-minute elapsed before Peter Kennaugh came over the line for 3rd place with the other 8 competitors coming in over an elapsed time of 8 minutes. With the B race hardly finished, the leading A Race riders came into view on the Stuggadhoo straight and this was a carbon copy of the supporting race with Hatcher and Gage contesting a sprint finish. In the final few metres it was Graeme Hatcher who forged ahead to win by a tyre width over Peter Gage. 3rd place went to Jonathan Bellis who finished by himself. Once again the remaining riders in this race finishing in an elapsed time of just over 8 minutes.
|
