ECCA Support Race - 4th May 3/4

It was a lovely day for a race around the Easters and Rodings, the sun was shining and there was little or no wind

Myself, Paul Dewberry, Andy Minns, Andrew Elderfield and Dominic Glanz were all in attendance.

The race started quite quickly and a group of 6 riders tapped off the front quite quickly, they established a lead of about 15 seconds when a second group formed and I jumped across to this group hoping that the groups would come together to form one at the front and a group of 12 would be away, but alas it wasn't to happen and the second group was soon swallowed up by the main peleton.

As break hovered at around the 45 second mark, Paul and Andrew worked at the front to try and bring things back together. The race was fairly uneventful until the last lap when the groups finally reformed and counter attacks were being launched on the run in down the main road which was fast with a tail wind and nice tarmac. I pushed on in a small group but to no effect. Dominic Glanz tried by himself with about 3 miles to go but nobody went with him and he soon succumbed to the speed and power of the peleton.

The final few miles are over some decidedly dodgy lanes and I found it difficult to force my way through to the front of the peleton, a single rider had managed to break off the front and was holding a 200m gap, I failed to check the finish section before the race and this was a downfall as we swung left I was nowhere near close enough to the front of the bunch and to make matters worse, instead of speeding up the bunch slowed down and any potential progress forward was blocked, the sprint became a non event and I rolled across the line in 20th place.

Paul Dewberry finished in 15th, Richard Norris was 20th, Andy Minns 29th, Domonic Glanz was 32nd and Andrew Elderfield 38th.

All VCR riders rode well all day, being active in several parts of the race

A big well done goes to Domonic Glanz for finishing he first road race, I'm sure there will be many more to come.

Richard Norris

1 21 Antony Stapleton Chelmer CC 3
2 66 Brad Lamb Victoria-Ciclos Uno-PCA-Pro-Lite CC 3
3 12 Gareth Smith Braintree Velo CRC 4
4 24 Ian Samuel Crest CC - Ilford 3
5 52 Gordon Cobb Stowmarket & District CC 3
6 16 Peter Barton Chelmer CC 3
7 8 Andrew Hastings Bishops Stortford CC 4
9 25 David Young Crest CC - Ilford 3
9 62 Dean Russell Whitewebbs CC 3
10 29 Andrew Ballentyne Easterley RC 3
11 60 Steve Newman West Suffolk Wheelers 3
12 35 Andrew Brown Gateway Cycling 3
13 9 Clive Richardson Bishops Stortford CC 3
14 50 Adrian Ward Shaftesbury CC 4
15 55 Paul Dewberry VC Revolution 3
16 13 Mark Careless Cambridge CC 3
17 63 Ben Preston Eagle RC 3
18 43 Daren Knight London Fire Brigade CC 3
19 5 Robert Hunt API - Metrow 3
20 59 Richard Norris VC Revolution 4
21 45 Kevin Barker PCA Ciclos Uno 3
22 51 Peter Humphreys Southend Wheelers 3
23 40 Mark Steers Hainault RC 4
24 44 Gary Wood Maldon & District CC 3
25 70 James Conway Victoria CC 4
26 53 J Paul Bird Team Economic Energy 3
27 27 Trevor Holmes Diss & District CC 3
28 72 Avie Yiangou Whitewebbs CC 4
29 58 Andrew Minns VC Revolution 4
30 39 Paul Godfrey Hainault RC 4
31 42 Trevor Whittock Lea Valley CC 3
32 57 Dominic Glanz VC Revolution 4
33 47 Mark Howard Shaftesbury CC 4
34 46 Andrew Beaman PCA Ciclos Uno 3
35 15 Robert Jackson Cambridge CC 3
36 38 David Tucker Glendene CC / Bike Trax 3
37 64 Christopher Baldwin Eagle RC 3
38 56 Andrew Elderfield VC Revolution 3
39 41 Patrick Beasant Lea Valley CC 4
40 71 Adrian Grimwood West Suffolk Whs 3
41 17 David Boakes Chelmer CC 4
42 65 Graham Stogden Whitewebbs CC 4
43 69 Simon Hewins Eagle RC 3
44 10 Chris Broadway Braintree Velo CRC 3
45 19 Alex Eason Chelmer CC 4
46 18 Stuart Clark Chelmer CC 4
47 30 Chris Burley Easterley RC 3
48 36 David Francis Gateway Cycling 4
49 31 Trevor Phillips Essex Roads CC 4
50 20 Peter Hall Chelmer CC 4
51 33 Neal Marrin Finsbury Park CC 3
52 68 Adrian Pettitt Stowmarket & District CC 3
53 3 Geoff Frost API - Metrow 3
54 48 Daniel Scott Shaftesbury CC 4
55 28 Jack Barton East Anglian CC 4
56 67 Christopher Boakes Chelmer CC 4
57 49 David Stockwell Shaftesbury CC 4
58 2 James Samuel Crest CC - Ilford 4J
59 22 Edward Willis Chelmer CC 4