Hog Hill Winter Series 6 – 17th January 2009
Well done to each of the 100 riders that raced today.
Updated series standings are available here for download.
More pictures can be found in the gallery.
The race was run in an anticlockwise direction. The Regional C+, B and Womens races used the hairpin bends, and the National B used the usual top circuit.
National B
Flavio Zappi – Winner of the National B race.
The numbers and quality of riders in this race continues to increase, this week ex-professional Flavio Zappi (Oxford Uni CC) and reigning National Masters Road Race Champion Martin Smith (Army Cycling Union) made their series debut. Smith’s pedal came off his bike just before the start and he quickly borrowed a bike from the host club and adapted well to the different gearing and wheels. Zappi’s professional career highlights include wearing the green jersey in the Giro D’Italia, leading the Giro Del Trentino, and finishing twelfth in Milan-San Remo. The Oxford University CC riders are benefiting from his experience, and he has plans to use the Winter Series to prepare them for racing Premier Calendar events.
As usual, the racing was fast and competitive. Zappi, Dexter Gardais (Torq-Colnago), and Matt Seaton (Rapha Condor) made a successful break, and although in the early stages their lead was not great and it looked like the race might come back together, they forged ahead until they established a convincing lead. The trio would stay away until the finish, and finished first, second, and third respectively.
Behind them, the bunch was animated by frequent attacks that saw the group split, although no one made enough of a sustained effort to cause real damage, and on the final climb, the group was back together. Al Murison, junior rider for Glendene CC took the sprint for fourth place.
1 Flavio Zappi Oxon Univ CC
2 Dexter Gardais Torq-Colnago
3 Matt Seaton Rapha Condor
4 Al Murison Glendene
5 Martin Smith Army Cycling Union
6 Andy Davies Fit-For
7 Ed Graefe East London Velo/EE
8 Samuel Parker Oxford University CC
9 Simon Bateson East London Velo/EE
10 Will Hayter London Dynamo
11 Philip Murrell Finsbury Park CC
12 Peter Wager VC Meudon
13 Murdo Jamieson Kingston CC
14 Mark Perry Dulwich Paragon
15 Jo Skipper Interbike
16 Henry Martin Oxford University CC
17 Richard Hoult London Dynamo
18 Kevin Ibbetson Fitsen Tempo
19 Richard de Silva Stevenage CC
Regional C+
Unlike the previous week, the racing was fast from the start, catching out several riders who went out the back early on. Wayne Crombie (unattached) and Gary Lingard (London Phoenix) rode hard up the hill, and this was sufficient to create a gap, which they maintained on the lower circuit. The two riders started to work together, and maintained the gap, as the rapidly disintegrating bunch chased hard. Dan Falconar (Dulwich Paragon CC) jumped away, and set off in pursuit of the lead pair. Crombie was the strongest of the two, and Lingard dropped back, to be joined by Falconar.
With 4 laps to go, the lead trio came together and started to hunt down the backmarkers as they built a convincing lead. Behind them, the chasing pack continued to shed riders and lost enthusiasm for their fruitless chase.
On the final lap, the first rider to appear over the brow of the hill was Crombie, and he finished well clear of Falconer and Lingard, who took second and third respectively. Metropolitan Police CC duo James Conway and Glen Carr lead the bunch in.
1 Wayne Crombie Unattached
2 Dan Falconar Dulwich Paragon CC
3 Gary Lingard London Phoenix
4 James Conway MPCC
5 Glen Carr MPCC
6 Mike Deeney CC Luton
7 Jason Kettle LVY CC
8 Clem Burrill CC Hackney J
9 Alex Balfour London Phoenix
10 James Batten Dulwich Paragon CC
11 Ashley Snee Vulcan CBC
12 Greg Moss London Road Club
13 David Dryburg CC Hackney J
14 Luis Rendon East London Velo/EE
15 David Nile Dulwich Paragon CC
16 Adam French East London Velo/EE J
17 Chris Dick Unattached
18 Mark O’Donnell Dulwich Paragon CC
19 William Willis Dulwich Paragon CC
20 Ken Iino London Phoenix
21 Ben Watson Oxford University CC
22 Andrew Baker Unattached
23 Eion Keating Dulwich Paragon CC
24 Gary Funnell VC Norwich
25 Andy Nash London Phoenix
26 Robert Reynolds Unattached
27 John Skinner London Phoenix
28 Jonathan Tobin London Phoenix
29 Darren De Berger Unattached
30 Sam Parker Finsbury Park CC
DNF 68, 18, 78
Regional B
This race also saw a fast start, and after one lap, several riders were already out the back. James Cocker (East London Vélo/EE) made the first serious attack, setting a fearsome pace up the hill as he lead his teammate David Barnes clear of the pack. Cocker and Barnes continued to maintain a fast pace as Nigel Stephens (Rapha Condor) attempted unsuccessfully to bridge across. With a good gap established, Cocker dropped back to the bunch, his work done. Barnes looked determined to reassert his dominance after being caught the previous week, and he powered implacably ahead, crushing the bunch’s morale as he built up a huge lead until the result was in no doubt.
Behind him, Henry Martin (Oxford Uni CC) made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to break away with 3 laps to go. On the bell lap, Nick Sparks (unattached) attacked across the line, and maintained his advantage to take second place.
1 David Barnes East London Velo/EE
2 Nick Sparks Private Member
3 Tim Butt MAD
4 Henry Martin Oxford Univ CC
5 George Pearl Southend Wheelers J
6 Robert Jeffroy London Dynamo
7 Jonathan Appleby North Road CC
8 Christian Spencer-Davies Private Member
9 Darren Cainey East London Velo/EE
10 Nigel Stephens Rapha Condor
11 Scott Bentley Dulwich Paragon CC
12 Nick Calverey Finchley RT
13 Javier Garcia East London Velo/EE
14 Robert Windsor East London Velo/EE
15 Dermot Kealey Mosquito Bikes
16 Neil Marrin Finsbury Park CC
17 Christopher Baldwin Eagle RC
18 Paul Bird East London Velo/EE
19 Freddie Clarke Evans Cycles
20 Oliver Rossi Glendene CC
21 Phil Jarvis Colchester Rovers
22 Steve Green Ciclos Uno/PCA
23 Mark Baines Unattched
Women Only
Once again, a lead group of women was soon established, consisting of series leader Ruth Middleton, now riding for (East London Vélo/EE), Elizabeth Chittenden (Eagle RC), and Abigail Armstrong (London Phoenix). However, Middleton was not content with this, and attacked the group and broke clear. She rode ahead alone, increasing her lead with seemingly little effort, and crossed the line almost a minute up on the next placed rider. Last week’s winner, Sigma Sports rider Jennifer Hewitt, retired.
1 Ruth Middleton East London Velo/EE
2 Elizabeth Chittenden Eagle RC
3 Abigail Armstrong London Phoenix
4 Liz Rice London Phoenix
5 Kate Scotter VC Norwich
6 Stacey Cooley East London Velo/EE
7 Debbie Knott Hemel Hempstead RC
