Road Race 2016

The race on lap 1 turning towards the Belchamps

The Cycling Club Hackney Road Race 2016 - part of the ERRL, comprised of four laps of the 13.1 mile Bulmer circuit in good conditions. Not content with laying on sunshine we also had a flypast by a Spitfire at the start of the race - other vehicle strangeness was to follow.

Clem, Nathan and Peter in an early break.

Report from inside the peloton -

Attempted breakaways tried to form immediately once the flag had dropped but proved difficult to create. It was not until Clem Berrill (CC Hackney) attacked over one of the Bulmer bumps that the group let its guard down. Clem quickly built up a lead of 15 seconds and was then joined by Nathan Howard (Finchley racing team) and Peter Kirwan (Cambridge CC), and although their lead went out to 25 seconds the bunch was not going to let this move go and the peleton was lined out on the approach to Kitchen Hill. It was a fast start to the race with the first lap completed at 42 kph with the three up breakaway setting the Strava course record.

On the second lap Ben Locke (Maldon & District CC) attacked at Mashey wood and rode solo off the front of the group for an impressive 7 km but no rider would join him. It was all back together for the cheese prime at the end of the second lap - sponsored by Hub Velo -  which was taken by Joshua Andrews (Fast Test Racing Team) followed by Andrew Harrison (Finchley Racing Team).

Chris has a dig on lap three.

Near the end of the penultimate lap Christopher Hezelgrave (CC Hackney) attacked on the final Bulmer bump and built up a short lead but could not make the break stick. Not sure if this had something to do with two large wedding vehicles jumping into the race convoy. On the final lap Liam Gentry (VC Baracchi) attacked with Andrew Holmes (VC Revolution) but once again the bunch would not let the move go. Jack Hardwicke - who was nominated by his fellow riders as the most aggressive rider of the day- sponsored by London Field Cycles - then put in a strong solo attack that held the group off for a long time, but he was eventually caught. As the race neared its conclusion many riders tried to get off the front of the bunch but this proved difficult as everything was being chased down. Although Henry Farrell (Endeavour RT) was strong enough to get away on the Bulmer bumps he could not hold off the fast moving group.

Joshua Andrews take s the win from Andrew Harrison and Dougal Toms.

The final well timed attack came from Joshua Aiken (Fast Test Racing Team) and Dougal Toms (Iceni Velo) and it looked for a while like they could hold off the group but it was all back together by the final corner. Joshua may have been caught but this no doubt helped his fellow Fast Test Racing teammate Joshua Andrews who was fifth wheel going into the final corner. Joshua who commented how difficult the finishing straight was to judge, “I didn’t want to go too early… it’s so hard to judge… it goes up and then everyone relaxes but really it’s a false flat all the way”, judged his sprint to perfection going for the line with 150 m to go, taking the victory with several bike lengths. Andrew Harrison took second making it the same top two as the prime lap and Junior rider Dougal Toms took the final place on the podium.

Christopher Hezelgrave - CC Hackney.

left to right - 2nd Andrew Harrison, 1st place and 1st U23 - Joshua Andrews, 3rd place and 1st junior Dougal Toms, with their prizes and vouchers courtesy of Giant Docklands.

The wedding in the convoy.

After three laps of the mens race the women taking part in the Essex Ladies Giro rolled onto the circuit for five laps in stage 1 of their race. This would mean a long day out for the CCH volunteers but luckily the threatened rain didn't start falling until the womens' race was run.

The ladies Giro roll past the start /finish.

Stage one was won by Grace Garner - she went on to take the overall. 

The day went really well and wouldn't have happened without all the help from CCH volunteers and NEG, Accredited Marshals and Eastern BC.

Thanks to Keir Apperley, Gino Howe, Gary Boyd, Ian Doe, Darren Steward, Derek Lusher, Paul Taylor, Harry Moore, Sean Feeney, Ian Toone, Stephen McKie, Tom Smith, Prosper Watts, Andy Buckwell, Andy O'Regan,  Dave Carr, Camille Savory, Ben Fields, Andy Bardill, Liz de Monchaux, Calvin Cheung, Charlie Scott,  James Burgess, Chris Hezelgreave, Matt Hardcastle, Colm McManus, Tom Glendining and 6AM Cycling, Louis Glendining, Tom Green, David White, Ahmet Bulutoglu, Lavina Springett, John Green, Wotjech Dmchowska, Nick Saiz, Mike Mooney, Neil Coyte, Nick White and ELV,  Terry Butcher, Stephen Wood, Leonard Gordon, Howard Grace, Victor Prior, Don Keen, Peter Barnes, James Newton, David Nock,  Matt Eastwood, Stephen Newman, Simon Hesketh, Paul Brown, Phil Cross, Phil Richardson, Keith Evington, Jessica Feeney-Davies, Logan de Monchaux-irons, Euan McNicol, Kai Watts, William Green, Robbie de Monchaux-Irons. Thanks also to AFC Sudbury for letting us use their stadium for our HQ and to the local residents on the circuit for letting us race around their roads.
- If I've missed anyone out let me know.

Photo gallery here -

CCHackney road race National A categories 2,3,4 - results -

1	17	Joshua	Andrews	Fast Test Racing Team
2	19	Andrew	Harrison	Finchley Racing Team
3	24	Dougal	Toms	Iceni Velo
4	1	Gabriel	Fowden	Cambridge CC
5	3	Peter	Kirwan	Cambridge CC
6	63	Henry	Farrell	Endeavour RT
7	46	Freddy	Pett	Strada-Sport
8	44	Morris	Bacon	Strada-Sport
9	61	Rod	Archibald	Adalta Race Team
10	32	Simon	Johnson	London Phoenix CC
11	52	Andrew	Holmes	VC Revolution
12	35	Frank	Rawlins	North Road CC
13	66	Stefaan	Van Poucke	Braintree Velo Cycle Racing Club
14	33	Ben	Locke	Maldon & District CC
15	59	Michael	Parry	Welwyn Wheelers CC
16	13	Thomas	Beasley	East London Velo
17	53	Mark	Richards	Velo Club Baracchi
18	64	Jack	Hardwicke	Strada-Sport
19	57	Liam	Gentry	Velo Club Baracchi
20	26	Adam	Colbert	Ipswich Bicycle Club
21	16	Joshua	Aiken	Fast Test Racing Team
22	36	Jobe	Usher	North Road CC
23	9	Clem	Berrill	Cycling Club Hackney
24	11	Christopher	Hezelgrave	Cycling Club Hackney
25	55	Kevin	Jeffries	Velo Schils - Interbike RT
26	23	Darren	Rutterford	Iceni Velo
27	41	Lubomir	Belak	St Ives CC
28	5	Benedict	Thompson	CC London
29	29	Carsten	Meilandt	Lea Valley CC
30	10	James	Burgess	Cycling Club Hackney
31	47	Thomas	Power	Strada-Sport
32	30	Paul	Roberts	Lea Valley CC
33	15	Christopher	Thomas	East London Velo
34	14	Vincent	Christan	East London Velo
35	22	Spencer	Laborde	Iceni Velo
36	51	Charlie	Wright	VC Norwich
37	45	Harley	Matthews	Strada-Sport
38	38	Benjamin	Brown	Rapha Cycling Club
39	40	Ben	Willy	Southend Wheelers
40	27	Philip	Hetzel	Ipswich Bicycle Club
41	20	Nathan	Howard	Finchley Racing Team
42	42	Charlie	Bratt	St Ives CC
43	69	David	Jakeman	St Ives CC
44	25	Isaac	Bowers-Barnard	Ipswich Bicycle Club
45	56	Nicholas	Esser	Velo Club Baracchi
46	21	Simon	Hazelby	Iceni Velo
47	43	Kieran	Jarvis	St Ives CC
48	2	Joseph	Halloran	Cambridge CC
dnf	6	Jeremy	Perks	Chelmer CC
dnf	8	Will	Hedden	Crest Cycling Club
dnf	58	Ben	Smith	Welwyn Wheelers CC
f	4	Bjorn	Krylander	Cambridge CC
f	34	Paul	Miller	Velo Schils - Interbike RT
f	48	Andy	Defrates	VC Norwich
f	68	Andrew	Bean	Strada-Sport
dnf	37	Tom	Stokes	Peterborough Cycling Club

James getting his breath back at the end of a tough race.