Hillingdon Winter Series - Race 9

A massive turnout for the 3rds today - almost 50 riders! Positioning was obviously going to be critical in the last 2 laps...unless a break could stick?
A large contingent of Inverse riders drove the pace high from the off - I think they were trying to split the bunch but their tactics were never going to get results. I stayed in the middle of the field for most of the first half then moved up to the top 10. Jimbo and I had discussed making a break but I was sandwiched on the wrong side of the bunch when he made the jump on the back straight. He created a gap of 150m before I sprinted to join him before taking my pull half way up the home straight. Hard work though - the wind was unfriendly. By the back straight we had been joined by another 3 riders then about 3 others but the effort put in wasn't big enough to break the string with the peloton and we were reeled in after another lap. I kept my position in the top 10 on the regroup and soon the 5 laps to go board came up.
Kingston Wheelers played the game well throughout trying to disrupt the peloton whenever they had a man in the break. One of their riders, Jim, went off with two to go but ran out of steam. On the final lap I was in an OK position but found my sprint thwarted by riders going backwards. Impossible to make it through the gaps and ended up with 8th place. So, sitting third in the Winter league with 7 more BC points to play with before my spell in the 3rds comes to an end.

Photos from Lucy@Imperial Race Team

Place Club Series points
1stw 91 Ed Rose Progression Fitness 3 200
2nd w114 Ben Moores Norwood Paragon 3 150
3rd w111 jacek reder private member 3 130
4th w112 Gordon Kenneway London Dynamo 3 120

5th w 6 Mark Northover CC Giro 3 110
6thw 42 William Platt Kingston Wheelers CC 3 100
7th w150 Andrew Elderfield VC Revolution 3
8thw 41 Alan Strang Dulwich Paragon 3 90
9th w102 Phil Adams CC Ashwell 3 80
10th w109 Jon Lewis Charlotteville CC 3 70
11th w 87 Josh Maynard Welwyn Wheelers 3J 60

12th w 18 Andrew Harvey Kingston Wheelers 3 50
13th w 50 Stuart Stow Twickenham CC 3 40
14th w 16 Charlie Pearch Rapha Condor 3 30
15th w 88 Clinton Thomas lonon dynamo 4 20
16th w 55 Andy Edwards Kingston Wheelers CC 3 10
17th w 29 Ralph Keeler Cambridge CC 3
18th w 33 David Murrell London Phoenix 3
19th w 85 Simon North Hemel Hempstead CC/TORQ 3
20th w 5 Tom Neale Spalding CC 3J
21st w 43 Phillip Burgess Norwood Paragon CC 3

22nd w107 Stephen Hird London Pheonix 3
23rd w106 Christopher Wright Private Member 3
24th w 76 Peter Jones Hillingdon Cycling Club 3
25th w 93 Jai Watson Dulwich Paragon CC 3
26th w113 James Clark Inverse Racing/Bikefood 3
27th w110 Phil Roker Ful-on Tri 3

28th w 35 Andy Lack Kingston Wheelers 3
29th w 36 Tav InverseRacing/BikeFood 3
30th w 75 David Webborn London Dynamo CC 3
31st w 39 Dave Ryan Imperial Racing Team 3
32nd w 63 wayne thomas READING CC 3V
33rd w 60 Peter Dixon Willesden CC 3
34th w 92 Matt Treadwell Twickenham CC 3
35th w 47 Robert Wright Addiscombe CC3
36th w104 Corrine Hall Team Corridori 2Jw
37th w 62 Nick Franzini London Dynamo 3
38th w 81 Maryka Sennema Kingston Wheelers 2w
39th w101 Jason Evans Inverse Racing / Bikefood 3
40th w 64 Leona Kadir Kingston Whrs / SigmaSport 2w
41stw108 Rachel Przybylski Charlotteville CC 2w
42ndw103 james cartridge Inverse Racing 3
43rd ?
44th w 80 Jim Ley Kingston Wheelers 3
45thw 44 Nathan Smith London Phoenix 3
46th w105 Jeremy Hewitt Kingston Wheelers CC 3