Stockbridge Down Preview, Bike Channel Canyons Race to Lose!

This Sundays Stockbridge Down Road Race should be a procession for BIKE Channel Canyon, the 80 mile race is theirs to lose. The six man UCI Continental team will be organised, well drilled and with Dexter Gardias, Rob Partridge & Max Steadman all in the top 15 at the recent Chorley GP, simply too strong for the opposition. The only break allowed to go without a BIKE Channel rider in it will be the first one and as we all know, the first break never succeeds. The two or three riders who escape early doors will enjoy a brief moment of freedom before the inevitable happens, they know it but it wont stop them trying. No move will work unless Bike Channel are in it, they will shut down or bridge across to everything. Will Harper (One ProCycling) could challenge the Bike Channel boys but will be outnumbered and isolated, Harper will be in there in the final but will he have anything left? Benjamin Marks (Morvelo Basso), Harry Veale (Cycleworks.co.uk) and the aggressive riding of Andy Feather (Saint Piran) & Hayden Burton (Sixt Six Riising) will make the race hard but can they take control? Nuun Sigma Sport London RT have the numbers but have they got the legs? Barnabus Purbrook is strong but lacks experience. Others to watch include, Michael Cripps (Army CRT), Rob Ormond (Morvelo Basso), Matthew Downie (Primera-Teamjobs), Liam Walsh (VC ST Raphael) and promising junior, Tom Temple (Bath CC)........ and what of the rest? here is our advice.
1 Dont burn too may matches in the first 50 miles.
2 Dont persist with any move that does not include BIKE Channel Canyon.
3 Dont chase anyone down, that's BIKE Channel Canyons job.
4 Ignore all of the above, trust your instinct, its bike racing anything can happen!

"Local Riders, Local Races" prediction
1st Rob Partridge*
2nd Who cares!

*Partridge is named as a reserve for the Bike Channel Cnyon squad at the Rutland-Melton International CICLE classic, on the same day.

Will Bjergfelt Wins on Stockbridge Down, 2012

The Andover Wheelers present "The Stockbridge Down Road Race 2017"
HQ: Test Valley Community School, Stockbridge, Hants. SO20 6HA
Starts: 10.30am Sunday April 23rd.

Course Details
Neutralised from HQ to the start/finish line (approx 2 miles). Proceed on the
B3049 towards Winchester for approx 3 miles. Turn left (M) onto unclassified
road (Rack & Manger PH) and proceed for approx 2miles through Crawley
Village to junction with A272. Turn left (M) and proceed on A272 for approx 1.5
miles to junction with A30. Turn left (M) and proceed on A30 towards
Stockbridge for approx 5 miles. Take 1st exit at roundabout (M) to continue on
A30 to next roundabout where take 1st exit (M) back onto B3049. Continue for
approx 1 mile to cross start/finish line to complete 1 lap (13 miles) – Race
distance 6 Laps (125km/80 miles).

1 Matthew Buckley 2nd Andover Whls
2 Joseph Linehan 2nd Alé DMT Cipollini UK
3 Michael Cripps 1st Army Cycling Race Team (ACRT)
4 Luke Danckert 2nd Army Cycling Race Team (ACRT)
5 Dexter Fox 3rd Army Cycling Race Team (ACRT)
6 Paul Jones 2nd Army Cycling Race Team (ACRT)
7 Mark Robertson 1st Army Cycling Race Team (ACRT)
8 Jack Webb 2nd Army Cycling Race Team (ACRT)
9 Tom Temple 3rd Junior Bath Cycling Club
10 Joseph Fry 1st BIKE Channel Canyon
11 Dexter Gardias Elite BIKE Channel Canyon
12 Robert Partridge 1st BIKE Channel Canyon
13 Alexandar Richardson Elite BIKE Channel Canyon
14 Max Stedman Elite BIKE Channel Canyon
15 Mitchell Webber 1st BIKE Channel Canyon
16 Mike Wragg 2nd CC Luton
17 Andrew Carter 2nd Cycleworks.co.uk
18 Harry Veale 1st Cycleworks.co.uk
19 Matthew Osborn 3rd Estera powered by Adventure Cycles
20 Nicholas Hale 3rd Farnborough & Camberley CC
21 Riyadh Khamis 2nd Full Gas Racing Team
22 Jack Hoskins 3rd Guernsey Velo Club
23 Jack Stanton-Warren 1st Halesowen A & CC
24 Tom Stocker 3rd Hargroves-Ridley-Montezuma's
25 Steve Rees-Clark 2nd Hoops Velo
26 Joseph Clark 2nd I-Team Cyclists' Club
27 Hayden Burton Sixty Six Riising
28 Miles Burton Sixty Six Riising
29 Ian Taylor 3rd Leicester Forest CC
30 Sam Calder 2nd Morvelo Basso RT
31 Thomas Kirk 3rd Morvelo Basso RT
32 Benjamin Marks Elite Morvelo Basso RT
33 Robert Ormond 1st Morvelo Basso RT
34 Will Ranoe 2nd Morvelo Basso RT
35 Phillip Cole 2nd Mud Sweat n Gears CC
36 Gary Chambers 3rd Nopinz
37 George Gori 1st Nuun-Sigma Sport-London RT
38 Justin Hoy Elite Nuun-Sigma Sport-London RT
39 Richard Mardle 2nd Nuun-Sigma Sport-London RT
40 Barnabas Purbrook Elite Nuun-Sigma Sport-London RT
41 Mike Smith Elite Nuun-Sigma Sport-London RT
42 William Harper 1st One Pro Cycling
43 James Hayden 3rd Paceline RT
44 Jamie Caldwell 1st Portsmouth North End CC
45 Matthew Downie 2nd Primera-TeamJobs
46 Edward Hatfield 2nd Junior Primera-TeamJobs
47 Thomas Key 2nd Primera-TeamJobs
48 Adrian Murray 3rd Purbeck Peloton
49 David Billings 2nd Radeon-Bike Science RT
50 Emyr Davies 3rd Rapha Cycling Club
51 Andrew Feather Elite Saint Piran
52 Patryk Rucki 2nd Skinline Race Club
53 Brook Elgie 2nd Sotonia CC
54 James Peckham 2nd Sotonia CC
55 Ben Scott-Munden 2nd Sotonia CC
56 Red Walters 2nd Junior Sotonia CC
57 Patrick Brown 2nd Spokes BPC Racing
58 Joe Hickerton 2nd Spokes BPC Racing
59 Lewis Martin 2nd Spokes BPC Racing
60 Adam Thompson 2nd Spokes BPC Racing
61
62 Cameron Foster 1st Team Milton Keynes
63 Alexander Cross 2nd Junior Team Vision Innovative Leisure
64 Tom Burnley 3rd Thames Velo
65 Ollie Smith 3rd The Cycle Room
66 Luke Barfoot 2nd Tri UK
67 Nicholas Tyrie 3rd University of Bath Cycling Club
68
69 Dean Corney 2nd VC Meudon
70 Jack Freeman 2nd VC Meudon
71 Ollie Williams 2nd Junior VC Meudon
72 Craig Wilson 1st VC Meudon
73 Michael Ford 2nd VC St Raphael
74 Liam Walsh 1st VC St Raphael
75 Thom Hayward 2nd Velo Club Venta
76 Matthew Allsopp 2nd WightlinkWight Mountain CRT.
77 Ian Hayden 3rd WightlinkWight Mountain CRT.
78 Adam Holleyman 2nd WightlinkWight Mountain CRT.
79 Russell Thomson 3rd WightlinkWight Mountain CRT.
80 Stuart Waite 3rd WightlinkWight Mountain CRT.

Local Riders, Local Races will be at Stockbridge Down, look out for a full report and reaction.