Graham Robins reports: Steven Roach was first to initiate the decisive move of the day and he finished it off after seven and a half laps of the un-relenting Owslebury course.
The 60 mile course was based on the village of Owslebury near to Winchester. The morning started under a cloud cover but the sun soon came out and the temperature began to climb making the race just that little more difficult.
Once the race had completed most of the first lap Toby Parnell (Cambridge CC) eased away from the bunch and soon he had a 20secs lead but the bunch weren’t having any of it and he was pegged back. There had been a crash on the opening lap bringing down three riders and this must have produced the disruption in the race in the early exchanges.
The next significant move of the race saw Simon Ker (Bath CC) attack the bunch and soon he was well clear and building himself a big lead of over a minute, but there were two chasers and they were soon to get across the gap to make this a three man leading group.
At the start of the fourth lap we had three leaders with a gap of 39secs, they were Simon Ker, Rowan Horner (VC St Raphael) and Steven Roach and these three leaders were working hard together and soon the time back to the bunch went up to one minute.
The three leaders held their time gap as they rode through the finish line at the bell but now they have been joined by Edward Sutton (Wightlink LCM Systems) who had ridden off the front of the bunch to catch the leaders. These four continued round the last lap until Simon had run his race and soon he was collected by the bunch.
Steven Roach had time to sit up and enjoy his win although Edward was right on his wheel, but just not close enough and Rowan was there to take third. The bunch had thought they had caught all the chasers and once the leaders had crossed the line the remainder of the bunch opened out a sprint thinking they were leading, but to no avail.
Provisional Result
1 Steven Roach BCPM2hrs 37mins 28secs
2 Edward Sutton Wightlink LCM Systems @ST
3 Rowan Horner VC St Raphael @2secs
4 Adam Capes Finchley RT @14secs
5 Ben Carty Felt Colbornes Hargroves RT @22secs
6 James Davey Mid Devon CC @ST
7 James Ellmore Mid Shropshire Wheelers @ST
8 Cameron Austin Look Mum No Hands @24secs
9 Nigel Williams Python Racing Team @ST
10 Toby Parnell Cambridge CC @26secs
Race video highlights here