Clemens in Severn Heaven; Severn Bridge Road Race, Report, Results, Reaction

Ed Clemens (Spirit Tifosi RT) won the the Severn Bridge road race, pulling clear from teammate Charlie Passfield, Matt Langworthy (Mid Devon RC), & George Smith (VC Equipe-Flix) before the final climb of King Weston hill, to win alone. Riding his first race of the UK season the 23 year old had spent half the winter racing in Australia and showed he was in good shape. These four had been part of a seven man group that had pulled clear the first time up the steep gradient, consolidating their lead across the flat, exposed industrial Avonmouth roads.

Thomas Scott-Collins (Spirit Tifosi RT), Oscar Hutchings and Lee Frost (VC Equipe Flix), had also made the move and the gap to the peloton was holding at 40 secs after 25 of 68 miles. A full field of 80 faced rain, hail and sunshine but most agreed the strong south westerly wind scudding in off the Severn Estuary had the most influence on the race, only the bigger riders citing the climb. The wind deterred any concerted chase but also started to take its toll on the break away as Scott-Collins, Hutchings and finally Frost lost contact.

The catch was always likely given the race distance but a crash in the bunch that sent Will Bjerfelt and Elliot Porter (Neon-Velo CT), among others, tumbling onto the verge took the impetus out of the pursuit.

Clemens & Passfield opened a small gap the sixth time up the hill with two to go but the impressive Langworthy, a winner last week at the Primavera race closed the gap over the top and at the bell it was the Devonian making the pace.

Behind, the race was splitting with late entry Rob Partridge (Bike Channel Canyon) Doug Coleman (Spirit Tifosi RT), Harry Veale (Cycleworks) and Team Wiggins pair Etienne Georgi & Ashley Dennis doing the damage. Clemens made his move on a slight rise before the main climb, Langworthy followed but could not make contact, Passfield did not have to and Smith was already settling for fourth place.

Rider Reaction

Ed Clemans "... Very windy from the start, the first time over the top we just pressed on and got a gap, the lads worked well. A few bridged across, there wasno let up in the wind, you had to be on it all day. I felt good, kept eating, kept drinking, the climb was hard, definately but coming across the top was hard also, without the wind i dont think the gaps would have opened so much. Going off the momentum of the lads 1-2-3-4-5 last week (Doltcini Classic, Oliver Barbieri led a clean sweep) we know we are strong"

Matt Langworthy
"Really happy with that, a win last week, i came here, its a higher standard. I got in the early break across the top, the headwind was hard we were creeping along. Ed attacked, i followed but the other two couldn't i got across but i did not have anything left, i just crawled to the line. I am getting more hours training in, 12 to 15 a week but i have to balance it with Uni, i am studying Geology"

Charlie Passfield

"For me the wind was hard, the way i am built, it was hard. Very pleased, i came here just to help Ed win and he won, that was the plan, Ed was our leader. Once we got three in the break it was hard to tell if we could stay away, we were flat out, i was pushing it on the climb for the points. When Ed went i could not get on Matts wheel but i knew we had a big gap and i knew i could beat George on the climb. I came fourth last week and was hoping to go one better and i did, so happy"


George Smith
"Not too bad, bit disappointed but i had nothing left, i could not follow Matt when he went after Ed so i just sat on really, bit disapointed but its still early season and its a long race and it went from the off as well, so it was a long old day out there. We got three of our riders into the break, we worked pretty well but it started getting tasty into the crosswinds. The wind was definitely harder than the hill, i was swinging quite a bit"

*The Severn Bridge race dates from the 1960's and this year returned to the Avonmouth roads the original organiser, the late Jack Turner used.

RESULT
1 Edward Clemens Spirit Racing Team
2 Matt Langworthy Mid Devon CC
3 Charlie Passfield Spirit Racing Team
4 George Smith VC Equipe – Flix
5 Robert Partridge BIKE Channel Canyon
6 Etienne Georgi Team Wiggins
7 Douglas Coleman Spirit Racing Team
8 Dylan Thomas VC Meudon
9 Ashley Dennis Team Wiggins
10 Ken Buckley Spokes BPC Racing
11 Jake Alderman Saint Piran
12 Michael Smith Spirit Racing Team
13 George Fowler Catford CC Equipe/Banks
14 Hayden Burton Bath Cycling Club
15 Andrew Turner VC Equipe – Flix
16 Rhys Britton Bush Healthcare CRT
17 Harry Veale Cycleworks.co.uk
18 Alex Dalton Catford CC Equipe/Banks
19 Daniel Coombe Team Backstedt/Hotchillee
20 Jake Stewart Swinnerton Cycles
21 Thomas Bowering PMR@Toachim House
22 Luke Nolan Latchem Sunwise Race Team
23 Ashley Cox Nopinz
23 Luke Barfoot Tri UK
24 Calum Croft Latchem Sunwise Race Team
25 Andy Shackel Team Wiggle
26 Fred Wright VC Londres
27 Graham Collins Team Tor 2000 KALAS
28 Robert Borek DRK Racing
29 Ryan Brain Cwmcarn Paragon Cycle Club
30 Andrew Critchlow WyndyMilla
31 Olly Hacker University of Birmingham CC
32 Steve Thomas Ride 24/7
33 Edward Hatfield Primera-TeamJobs
34 Mark Perry Ride 24/7
35 Lee Frost VC Equipe – Flix
36 Ross Phelps Bristol RC
37 Sebastian Lewis Hosté TAAP Storck
38 William Fleming Velo Club Venta
39 Grant Bayton Ride 24/7
40 Sean Frost Tri UK
41 Ben Strain Radeon-Bike Science RT
42 Laurence Kirby Catford CC Equipe/Banks
43 Callum Ferguson Catford CC Equipe/Banks
44 Dexter Gardias BIKE Channel Canyon
45 Matthew Franklin Bristol RC

Other categories
1st Team: Spirit RT
KOM Winner: Charlie Passfield, Spirit RT
KOM 2nd place: Lee Frost, VC Equipe – Flix
1st Local Rider:George Smith, VC Equipe – Flix
1st Junior: Rhys Britton (16th), Bush Healthcare CRT
1st 2nd Cat: Matt Langworthy, Mid Devon CC