Isabel Darvill of the Marks Tey-based Velo-Schils team climbed to victory in the Essex Roads Cycling Club Women Road Race at East Hanningfield.
The 17 year-old overhauled Molly Patch (Fusion RT) up the final drag and fought off a late challenge from Danni Shrosbree (CC London), who had to be content with second place.
“I powered across the gap, looked ahead and just kept going “ said Darvill, who is a college student from Newark-upon-Trent.
Patch – British Universities 10 mile time trial champion – had made a solo breakaway attempt early in the 51 mile race on but had been brought back.
But for the most part the field stayed together – though slowly shedding riders – on a warm, sunny afternoon with an increasing wind which was behind riders on the finish climb – the effect of which was therefore somewhat lessened
“A lot of the riders were known for their TT strengths, so nobody wanted to let anyone out of sight for long” said Gemma Melton of Pedal Power Ipswich, who unluckily punctured on the last lap.
Despite the softening tyre Melton was at first able to hold her place in the bunch, but as the bike became unsteady she had to drop back and finally finished 14th.
David Harding of the promoting Chelmer CC won the men’s race, thus going one better than his twin brother Peter, who was second in the corresponding event last year.
Harding attacked over the short, sharp hills on the old A130 road and found himself tracked by Jody Paxman (Rapha CC).These two just held on to take the top places ahead of a charging bunch.
Other local riders in the top ten included Harry Wood (Maldon & District, 6th) and Steven Hubbard (CC Sudbury, 9th)
Toby Atkins of the Peterborough-based ActiveEdge team won the DAP Cycling Club’s first ever road race promotion, a sun-drenched 75 miler on the Ringsfield circuit.
Atkins, together with James Jenkins (Richardsons-Trek), Anthony Moye (Spirit Tifosi) and Jack Waller (Spirit Tifosi) attacked with 20 miles to go, and took the top places.
Wickham Market rider Lyster Romero described the course, in the country between Beccles and Halesworth, as: “Fairly flat with no real climbs to break the bunch up but one straight (Stone Street) was very exposed and windy”.
Romero himself was caught out by dehydration and cramp but still finished ahead of the bunch in 14th spot.
Essex exiles James Jobber and former Eastern cyclo-cross champion Andy Nichols were among several attempting to bridge to the leaders, and indeed got them in sight ....briefly.
Nichols finished sixth, Jobber seventh, with Pedal Power Ipswich rider Gabriel Fowden eighth. Jim Bradford (Cambridge CC) took a remarkable 12th place on foot, carrying his bike, after crashing on the last corner.
David Warwick (Orwell Velo) was once place ahead of Romero, while Matt Webster (Flamme Rouge) won the bunch sprint for 15th place from Gary Freeman (Fast Test)
The final stage of the Essex Junior Giro was held on the Great Thurlow circuit where April Tacey (Team 22) confirmed her overall win.
Few names were familiar in the East, though an exception was Hertfordshire rider Lauren Higham, reigning Eastern League Cyclo-Cross Champion, fifth overall.
Ben Stancombe (VeloVelocity) was winner of the CC Breckland 10 on the Hingham to Carbrooke and back course which he covered in 20:56.
Next in the event – which could not be held on its original early March date due to the weather – was Stuart Fairweather (VeloVelocity, 21:08) and Leon West (CC Sudbury, 21:24). These were the only men to beat triathlete Kimberley Halton-Farrow, fourth place overall in 21:56.
Newmarket MTB rider Jason Bouttell took fourth place in the National Series Elite race in Dalby Forest, Yorkshire on a course he described as “Steep, rocky, with lots of man-made trails”
In the women’s elite race Sophie Wright finished third behind winner – and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Annie Last.
RESULTS: ESSEX ROADS CC WOMEN’S ROAD RACE, East Hanningfield:
1 Isabel Darvill (Velo Schils), 2 Danni Shrosbree (CC London), 3 Molly Patch (Fusion RT) @ 00:02 secs, 4 Eeva Sarlin (Veloposse), 5 Francesca Cutts (CC London), 6 Rebecca Johnson (Fusion RT) @ 4 secs, 7 Rebecca Goodson (Fusion RT), 8 Helen McKay (Les Filles),9 Sarah King (Bianchi Dama), 10 Lauren Kirchel (Chelmer CC) @ 6 secs, 11 Kate Baker (Avid Sport), 12 Sarah Pope (Chelmer CC) @ 9 secs.
MEN: 1 David Harding (Chelmer CC), 2 Jody Paxman (Rapha CC), 3 Will Swarbrick (OnForm), 4 Simon Humphris (London Phoenix), 5 Steven Griffiths (PCH), 6 Harry Wood (Maldon & District), 7 James Street (CC London), 8 Liam Fenner, 9 Steven Hubbard (CC Sudbury), 10 Connor Rumbles (Strada Sport).
DAP ROAD RACE, Ringsfield: 1 Toby Atkins (ActiveEdge),2 James Jenkins (Richardsons-Trek), 3 Anthony Moye (Spirit Tifosi), 4 Jack Waller (Spirit Tifosi) + 0:29 seconds, 5 Toby Parnell (Pro Cycle Hire) +0:35, 6 Andy Nichols (Team B38 / Underpin), 7 James Jobber (Backyardbikeshop), 8 Gabriel Fowden (Pedal Power Ipswich), 9 Samuel Woodfield (ActiveEdge) 10 Joe Skipper (Unattached), 11 Andrew Taylor (VC Norwich), 12 Jim Bradford (Cambridge CC),13 David Warwick (Orwell Velo), 14 Lyster Romero (TBW Bottecchia Wigmore RT), 15 Matthew Webster (Flamme Rouge), 16 Gary Freeman (Fast Test),17 Michael Smith (Spirit Tifosi), 18 Harley Matthews (DAP CC), 19 Morris Bacon DAP CC), 20 Sean Dunlea (Bloodwise QSW).
CC BRECKLAND 10, Hingham: 1 Ben Stancombe (VeloVelocity) 20:56, 2 Stuart Fairweather (VeloVelocity) 21:08,
3 Leon West (CC Sudbury) 21:24,4 Kimberley Halton-Farrow (Drag2Zero), 1st lady) 21:56, 5 Matt Ratcliffe (Iceni Velo) 22:04, 6 Dan Blackburn (VC Norwich) 22:05, 7 Oliver Milk (Tri-Anglia) 22:05, 8 Richard Carrington (West Suffolk WhS) 22:21, 9 Damon Day (CC Sudbury) 22:22,10 Paul Jay (VeloVelocity) 22:24, 11 Robert Golding (Ely & District CC) 22:31.
WOMEN: 1 Kimberley Halton-Farrow (Drag2Zero) 21:56, 2 Sally Withey (Team Swift) 27:06, 3 Isabella Johnson (CC Sudbury) 27:55.
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