St Ives CC Press Report

12th July 2010

 

St Ives Cycling Club's top road team raced the multi-stage RAS De Cymru through the mountains of Wales, an event which is the team's toughest race of the season and the countries hardest race open to club level competitors.

 

After 6 gruelling days of competition, the team of Jamie Caldwell, Lee Desborough, Malcolm Smith and Mark Thomson finished a creditable 8th place in the overall team classification, with Jamie Caldwell the club's highest place finisher in 17th position.

 

Proceedings begin with a Prologue Time Trial, a very short high intensity effort on a tail wind assisted rolling course.  The field of 100 riders start at one minute intervals for their assault on the 5 mile stage to determine the race classification for the following day.  All of the St Ives team rode strongly, first home was experienced Time Triallist, Desborough, in 15th position, followed by Caldwell (25th position), Smith (30th position) and Thomson (34th position), resulting in St Ives 4th in the team classification and a great start to boost the club's ambitions.

 

Day 2 was a 50 mile Road Race through the Brecon Beacons, with the biggest obstacle being the climb of Llanfilhangel Tayllian.  Unusually for a hilly course, the bunch of 100 riders stayed together as attempts to break away from the main field were nullified by opposing teams.  As riders began to think about the impending sprint finish, Thomson saw an opportunity for a long solo effort.  Catching all others off guard, he went early with 3km to go and established a 75 metre lead.  The inevitable speed of the chasing bunch absorbed Thomson with just 1km remaining and the race went down to the sprint.  Smith battled to secure 10th position and Thomson recovering from his solo effort finished 13th.  Caldwell was not so fortunate, getting tangled in a crash in the closing metres, he rolled in with the main bunch.

 

Stage 3 was the Team Time Trial, a specialist event where all the team have to ride together against the clock over the testing 13 mile course.  Team morale was still high at this point and the chance of a podium was there for the taking.  Starting hard and fast, Desborough switched back into Time Trialling mode, leading the team at 40 mph top speeds.  Eventually the cracks started to show, a challenging climb saw gaps opening in the neatly ordered single file line as Smith and Thomson began to slip.  A few shouts and momentary easing got the group together again for the last push on the flatter run in to the finish.  The podium the team had hoped for had slipped through their fingers by just 20 seconds, eventually stopping the clock at 29 minutes for 13 miles got them 5th position.

 

Stage 4 was a Road Race comprising three laps of just under 20 miles each, with an 18% gradient to get over each time.  Thomson managed to get into an early break which stretched out a 3 1/2 minute advantage over the main bunch.  The relentless pace was proving tough for Thomson and another breakaway companion, the elastic stretched to breaking point as he slipped from the leaders, eventually being caught by the main bunch with 6 miles remaining.  A tough day on the road saw the team's championship hopes slip a little as it dropped to 7th position overall in the general classification.

 

Stage 5 the following day was more of the same, only the gradients were getting steeper and the fatigue was taking its toll.  After battling to chase down rival attempts at getting clear of the bunch, eventually Caldwell made it stick with 6 other escapees, edging out a 2 minute lead over the chasing bunch. A well earned 7th place for Caldwell reinforced the team's position and set him up to be the club's highest place finisher in the overall classification, although all the team knew the last day was the toughest and ultimately would be decisive.

 

The final day bought a bitter twist as the Welsh mountains unleashed torrential rain and 50mph winds.  Attacks came thick and fast and like a well oiled machine the St Ives team tried to counter each move.  Thomson's courageous riding style once again saw him in the break away group, with a 90 second margin at the foot of the final climb.  Behind him the bunch was splintering, the wind, rain and hills splitting any semblance of organisation from the main bunch.

  

Desborough worked selflessly to deliver Caldwell to the bottom of the final climb in an attempt to help preserve his individual position on the leader board.  Thomson held onto his position in the break , narrowly avoiding being caught by his team mate as they crossed the line.  Over the top of the mountain the time gaps were forever increasing as the remnants of the field limped in.

 

After 6 consecutive days of racing St Ives finished in their best result at the event, a very commendable 8th place from 21 top level teams.  Jamie Caldwell was highest in the individual standings in 17th position, followed by Thomson 29th, Desborough 43rd and a hard fighting Malcolm Smith in 57th out of 100 starters.