Matt Downie (Eden Veranda Racing) won the mis-titled Bournemouth Cycleworks 55 mile Summer Road Race, riding to a solo victory above Lulworth Cove in Dorset. Heavy rain, strong winds and thick mist greeted the riders on, what seems to be now, a typical July morning but for the temperature it could have been March!
Climbing Newtown Hill into the mirk, the scene was set for an attacking race but the bunch seemed content to mark pre -race favourites Paul Double (VC Venta), George Smith (Radeon-Bike Science RT) & last years winner, Kim Little (Merida Factory Racing). Double & Smith went, as planned, when the flag dropped but could not get away and the pattern was set.
Peter Dalton (Mono CC)had a dig on the rolling road to Coombe Keynes but was back in the bunch before the village with Little at the head of the race, Little tried hard to defend his title but would retire from the race with a puncture after 45 miles.
Double and Primera-TeamJobs duo, Alex Hart & Ed Hatfield attacked strongly around the back of Lulworth Castle pulling out a small gap, the presence of Double however ensured they never got far. Nineteen year old Downie was wise to what was going on and made his move as the 3 were caught and quickly built a lead of 30 seconds the fourth time up Newtown. The gap hovered around 30-50 seconds as Downie put his head down and rode, the chase behind was never committed and never close.
Away on his own, Downie could negotiate the fast descent and tight lefthander into East Lulworth with ease, others were not so fortunate Patryk Rucki (Skin Line RT) & Adam Holleyman (Wight Mountain RT)came down on the slick corner, Holleyman was soon up but Rucki's race was over.
With three 5.6 mile laps remaining John Samways (Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers)pulled away from the bunch and was joined by Luke Barfoot (Tri UK) working together they reduced Downies advantage to 23 seconds but that was as close as they would get as the Eden Veranda man dug deep.
Harry Chamberlain (Southampton University CC) & Thomas bowering (PMR@Toachim House) bridged across to Samways and Barfoot but Downie would not be denied as he celebrated his first win on the road. Barfoot edged out Bowering for second, a photo needed to separate the two 21 year olds, with Samways hanging on for fourth place. Matt Downie had finished in 5th place at last weekends Sotonia road race after a puncture took him out of the race winning move. His gutsy chase back was unsuccessful but did give an indication of his good form.
Full Result
1 MATTHEW DOWNIE (EDEN VERANDA RACING)
2 LUKE BARFOOT (TRI UK)
3 THOMAS BOWERING (PMR@TOACHIM HOUSE)
4 JOHN SAMWAYS (BOURNEMOUTH JUBILEE WHLRS)
5 HARRY CHAMBERLAIN (SOUTHAMPTON UNIVERSITY CC)
6 PHIL COLE (MUD SWEAT n GEARS CC)
7 PAUL DOUBLE (VC VENTA)
8 EDWARD GILES (RP VISION RT)
9 FRAZIER CARR (RP VISION RT)
10 ALEX HART (PRIMERA-TEAMJOBS)
11 RYAN WESTON (POOLE WHLRS)
12 PETER HODSON-THOMAS (WESTBURY WHEELERS)
13 ED SLOT (SOTONIA CC)
14 GEORGE SMITH (RADEON-BIKE SCIENCE RT)
15 TIM ALLEN (RP VISION RT)
16 ED HATFIELD (PRIMERA-TEAMJOBS)
17 SHAUN HICKINBOTTOM (SUCCESSCYCLING CO UK)
18 JAMES HORTON (CANNONDALE)
19 LUKE CORNISH (CWMCARN PARAGON)
20 MARTIN SMITH (DREAM CYCLING RT)
21 KIM LITTLE (MERIDA FACTORY RACING)
22 HARRY CHARLES (GILLINGHAM AND DISTRICT WHLRS)
23 JAMES PECKHAM (SOTONIA CC)
24 JULIAN LOCKWOOD (PRIVATE MEMBER) at 1 LAP
25 JACK SALVIDGE (EXETER WHLRS)
26 JASON GAULT (PRIMERA-TEAMJOBS)
27 ANDREW TINKLER (PORTSDOWN HILL CC)
28 JAMES FULCHER (PORTSDOWN HILL CC)
29 VINCE HARDING (PRIVATE MEMBER)
30 NICHOLAS KIMISH (I-TEAM CC) at 2 LAPS
Rider Reaction
Matt Downie
"
I knew a lot of people would be marking Paul (Double)and Kim (Little), after Paul got in a breakaway with two Primera guys, it got bought back pretty quickly and I counter attacked that, I was looking back I thought keep a decent tempo so if I did get caught I could sit in and recover, when I knew I had a decent chance of winning I put my head down. Very, Very happy to win this, I have won some circuits but this is my first win on the road."
Luke Barfoot
"
A good day out today, fair play to Matt, a strong ride, I thought we would catch him, we could see him, we got the gap down but he managed to stay away. Luckily two others got across, on the final corner we all looked at each other, Thomas attacked but I think his chain slipped a bit and I managed to get by him, I am happy with that, it was a local race, I really wanted to win it to be fair. Paul, George and Kim were marked, when I attacked they just sat up"
Thomas Bowering
"
I attacked off the top of the climb, I bridged across to Harry Chamberlain and we made contact with the two up the road. I think there were a lot of lads marked, it kind of made the race negative, they were reluctant to make any effort if they are not going to get away, I saw an opportunity and went for it. It is definitely a hard climb I am not really the build for it"
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