SHAFTESBURY RR- UGLEY - 133km 1/2/3 - Sun 18th July (ERRL)
Tony Bradford and Phil Moon represented the North Road
Cycling Club on Sunday in the Shaftsbury CC Summer Road Race.
The race for First, Second and Third category riders was run off
over 6 laps of the Littlingbury course a total of 133 km or 82
miles. Tony accelerated out of the bunch straight from the gun
and rode a couple of miles on his own before a group of 5 caught up
and began to work together. They stayed away until the first time
up the climb when the pace of the bunch ate up their lead.
Several other attacks went in the subsequent 2 laps but
were chased down. As the clouds delivered their promised rain a
significant break appeared in the bunch and the inevitable group of
first and second cat. riders started to distance themselves from the
main group. In total 11 bore away as the rain increased and Phil
Moon decided to head for the showers.
The pack, slowly diminishing with punctures, fatigue
and the occasional tumble, continued to give chase but to no
avail. With two laps to go Tony made a big effort to get away
from the pack but with no help was pulled back in several miles later
and 'sat in' to recover. With points available to 20th
place the bunch got more and more twitchy in the final lap and Tony
took advantage of this with 5 miles to go. Striking out with a
couple of other riders he began the Littlington climb clear of
the bunch with a margin of 10 seconds. As the climb went on the
bunch closed on them and Tony took 17th place in the gallop for the
line.
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