VC Revolution Road Race - Abberton

Sunday 19th April

VCR's Rob Kemp organised the first edition of the Ken Wright Memorial Road Race, an Eastern Road Race League counting event, on a circuit based around Abberton Reservoir, just south of Colchester on Sunday 19th April.

Sixty riders from across the eastern region set off from Peldon in bright but windy conditions. The 60 mile Regional A race, which covered five and a half laps of an 11 mile circuit, was fast from the start with a chilly north-easterly wind pushing the bunch along at impressive speeds from Layer-de-la-Haye to Great Wigborough, but making life tough on the headwind section back towards Abberton.

Notable escapees in this 2/3/4/J event included Eastern Road Race League strongman Digby Symons (Cambridge CC), who was ahead of the main bunch for nearly two laps mid-way through the race and collected two primes for his efforts, and the pairing of Basil Moss (Cambridge CC) and Jonathan Tomlinson (East London Velo) who broke away together towards the end.

Tomlinson’s strength was evident as he dropped Moss and powered away to an impressive solo victory. He finished 30 seconds ahead of the main bunch, which was led in by noted sprinters Trevor Burke (Finchley Road Team) and VC Revolution’s very own Richard Norris. Luckily (for the Chief Judge), British Cycling’s Photo Finish Camera Team was on hand to place the riders in the tail-wind assisted finish.

At the post-race presentation, where riders received generous cash and cycling based prizes donated by Birkett Long Solicitors and Thomas Cycles, and some great trophies presented by Pam Wright in memory of her late husband, race winner Tomlinson declared, “I’m absolutely thrilled as this is my first ever open road race victory. Having spent the first 10 weeks of the year on my turbo-trainer due to a comminuted fracture of my scaphoid, it was a relief to find my race legs were healthy. I'm becoming a dad in August so I'm riding with a deadline, which adds an urgency to my training and racing, so if all goes well this race should be a sign of things to come.” Tomlinson really was a fitting winner of this race held in memory of Ken Wright, a much missed local club cyclist.

After his fantastic sprint for 3rd place overall, VCR’s Richard Norris recalled that he tried to remain at the front of the peleton, just behind the main working group. "This kept me out of trouble and allowed me to keep an eye on potential breaks and cover them if necessary".

With 2 laps to go the eventual winner made his move on the drag to Abberton, but there was little reaction from the peleton. On the final lap Richard moved to the front of the peleton on the climb to Abberton, "I wanted to make sure I was at the front for the narrow and difficult road from Abberton to Layer and, as luck had it, this was a good place to be as there were two large crashes on this section," (which Dick Wood, VCR’s other entrant, unfortunately got caught up in).

Richard confirmed that the bunch was winding up for the sprint a fair distance from the finish. "Out of the left turn at Layer we picked up the tail wind and the pace was high, I was in the 53x13. There was a slight drop off pace just at the top of the hill before the reservoir and Mike Smith (a strong local rider) attacked, but soon the peleton was in full flight into the final mile. During training I had practised the finish for the road race and knew where I could start my sprint and hold it all the way to the line. Some were holding back but when I hit my marker I was approx 6/7th in line, I went for it, taking a line down the right hand side of the road. The main peleton was on the left and middle, I was passing the group, at this stage I was at around 90% and then for the last 100m went full gas, I pulled level with the front of the group but hadn't quite done enough and ended up being second in the bunch sprint and 3rd overall.

Rob Kemp, who put on a fantastic event in what was his first ever road race promotion declared, “I really would like to thank all the race officials, accredited marshals, drivers, VC Revolution members and friends, the Local Parish Councils, John Sawdon of Peldon Hall Farm for the parking, and everyone who helped in making this promotion possible”.

Pictures Courtesy of Martin Orpen

Brett Travers

Result:
1. Jonathon Tomlinson - East London Velo
2. Trevor Burke - Finchley RT
3. Richard Norris - VC Revolution
4. Jason Jeffers - East London Velo
5. Paul Fielding - St Ives CC
6. David Brown - Essex Roads CC
7. Gerard Tighe - Finsbury Park
8. Ian Samuel - Crest CC
9. Simon Keen - Crest CC
10. Costa Pierides - Finchley RT
11. Neil Chapman - Maldon CC
12. Dieter Rowe - VC Norwich
13. Colin Wilgress - Essex Roads CC
14. Trevor Ormes - Lotto Olympia Team Interbike
15. Stephen Saunders - API Metrow
16. Tristan Emptage – North Road CC
17. Eric Gowland – Cambridge CC
18. Andrew Cullinane – Finchley RT
19. Tom Castle – Ipswich BC
20. Simon Asher – VC Barrachi
21. Philip Hargreaves – VC Norwich
22. Darren Cainey – East London Velo
23. Ben Brown – Whitewebbs CC
24. Mark Howard – Shaftesbury CC
25. Jason Evans – Lea Valley CC
26. Mike Smith - Lotto Olympia Team Interbike
27. Simon Bateson – East London Velo
28. Gavin Moore – Stowmarket CC
29. Doug Allen – Lotto Olympia Team Interbike
30. Dave Boakes – Chelmer CC
31. Mark Porter – Glade CC
32. Kevin Elderfield – Finchley RT
33. Darren Hughes – Chelmer CC
34. Trevor Holmes – Diss & District CC
35. Richard Woods – VC Revolution
36. Trevor Whittock – Lea Valley
37. Graham Pearl – Southend Wheelers
38. Graham Galvin – East London Velo
39. Damien Foy – Eagle Road CC
40. Richard Dunnet – Diss & District CC
41. Nigel Hampton – Glendene CC
42. Martin Hunter – Metropolitan Police