A promising start to the season.

It's finally here, the 2008 Season has begun and the PCA-Ciclos Uno-Isaac Racing Team started their campaign at the Dulwich Primarvera (Wally Gimber) on Sunday 2nd March.

The team for the race were Martin Bryant, Ian Franklin, Dan Kogan and Daniel Patten, with the injured James Whatling acting as soigneur for the day. Thankful that the day dawned dry and bright, a change from the driving rain of the 2007 edition of the race, everyone was excited to be racing again and although there were some pre-race nerves, the team showed their strength by taking the first line as the riders bunched up for the race briefing.

The dry roads and the favourable wind direction meant that the racing was fast from the start, with the field lined out over the flatter sections of the course. As early as the first lap, attacks were going in and Rob Enslin (AW Cycles) kickstarted proceedings by breaking away on his own as the field neared the end of the first lap. With the field in pursuit, lead by the full Plowman Craven team, the pressure was on and a chase group consisting of Simon Gaywood (Plowman Craven RT), Simon Richardson (Plowman Craven RT), Roy Chamberlain (Team Corley Cycles), Chris Mcnamara (Wildside RT) and Richard Sykes Popham (K.F.S) formed and pulled away from the main bunch. Working together well, the group soon caught the lone leader and increased the gap back to the chasing peloton.

Back in the bunch, the PCA-Ciclos Uno-Isaac Racing Team were putting themselves about, making a few moves and working to pull back the breakaway. Daniel Kogan always looked strong at the front on the climbs and Daniel Patten was especially active, sitting at the front of the bunch, pulling hard and doing his best to ignore the teams trying to disrupt the chase. Ian and Martin were also looking strong and not too fazed by the high standard of racing, despite this being their first road race of 2008.

As the race neared the finale, disaster struck for Martin Bryant. With the pace high and the pressure on, a rider in the bunch hit a hole and went down, leaving Martin with nowhere to go except over him. Martin hit the road hard, making quite a mess of his elbows and hurting his back. His race was over but, like the trouper he is, he'll be back at the Jock Wadley, albeit a little bruised and a bit stiff.

The lead group were never caught, and Simon Gaywood timed his sprint to perfection to take the win from Richard Sykes-Popham and Roy Chamberlain. The bunch hit the final climb and splintered, with Daniel Patten sprinting strongly through the field for 16th place and Ian Franklin and Dan Kogan finishing in the top 30. Barring Martin's crash it would have been almost a perfect start to the season for the team, with some very promising performances and lots to look forward to at next week's Jock Wadley Memorial Race.

Results:
1.) Simon Gaywood: Plowman Craven RT
2.) Richard Sykes-Popham: KFS Special Vehicles
3.) Roy Chamberlain: Team Corley Cycles
4.) Rob Enslin: AW Cycles
5.) Simon Richardson: Plowman Craven RT

16.) Daniel Patten: PCA-Ciclos Uno-Isaac RT