Shaping the race at the Giles Ree Memorial.

It was a rare cloudless sky that greeted the team on Sunday 15th June, the day of the Giles Ree Memorial. Held at Warninglid in West Sussex, the Giles Ree Memorial is something of a classic, and the heat of the day was more than matched by the quality of racing over a hard and hilly course.

A full field took to the start and with strong teams fielded by the likes of London Dynamo, Sigma Sport and the Wildside RT, the race was destined to be a fast, attacking one and it certainly didn't disappoint. As the field climbed out of Staplefield for the first time, a London Dynamo rider attacked and James Whatling, feeling strong and keen to break away, went with him, quickly gaining a 30 second gap. The breakaway pair worked hard over the rolling course and managed to stay away until the last of the larger circuits, when a group containing Dan Kogan, Paul Delahunty (London Dynamo) and Darren Barclay (Arctic-Premier RT) bridged across to them.

The group worked well together for about a lap but, when Darren Barclay punctured, some of the impetus left the break, despite the best efforts of James and Dan to stay clear of the chasing pack. As the race entered the first of five smaller finishing circuits, the race came back together, a shame for James who had been working tirelessly at the front for the majority of the race and deserved to stay away today. The fast pace of the race, despite the climbs, continued unabated in the final few laps, with riders attacking constantly to try and break clear before the end, but it was to no avail as the bunch thundered down the final hill with the finish, and a bunch sprint in sight.

Paul Delahunty (London Dynamo) capped a strong performance by taking the win from Steve Calland (Norwood Paragon) and Jules Birks (Kingston Wheelers). Ian Franklin, who had ridden sensibly all day, took 16th and the rest of the team rolled in with the bunch. Once again the Ciclos Uno-Plowman Craven-Isaac Racing Team had shown they were not afraid to show their colours at the front and shape the race. The lack of a result was disappointing after all of the hard work but James Whatling did walk away with the Most Agressive Rider award, a testament to his attacking riding throughout.

Results:

1.) Paul Delahunty: London Dynamo
2.) Steve Calland: Norwood Paragon
3.) Jules Birks: Kingston Wheelers
4.) Gary Dodd: Sigma Sport
5.) Simon Lawn: Sigma Sport

16.) Ian Franklin: Ciclos Uno-Plowman Craven-Isaac RT