With Dan Patten riding the World University Championships and Ian Franklin opting to compete in the Reg Cogman Road Race, Martin Bryant, Daniel Kogan and James Whatling headed south of the river to compete in the 3 day, 4 stage, SERRL stage race over the Bank Holiday weekend.
Saturday’s stage was held at the Betteshanger circuit near Dover on a warm but windy day and, with 33 laps of the circuit totalling 120 km of racing, it was going to be a war of attrition. Although not a massive field, with 47 riders on the start line and a strong local team presence with Citihub, Norwood Paragon and Dulwich Paragon, the race was always going to be an interesting one.
The pace was high from the minute the race rolled off, as Daniel and Sport Beans/Wilier rider, Billy-Joe Whenman, hit the front trying to break the field. The first hill signalled the first real attack as Dan Staite (Python RT) clipped off the front and, always looking for an early break, Daniel Kogan followed. Soon the two riders had pulled out a sizeable gap and with James and Martin policing the bunch, the move looked as though it had a good chance, although with 32 laps of racing still to go, it was going to be tough work for Daniel and Dan Staite.
Soon another two riders in the form of Darren Barclay, (Arctic-Premier RT) and Robert Willcocks (Ajchva Limoux) jumped across to the break and the four riders worked well together until the pace proved too high for Willcocks and Barclay and they were both dropped. This left just Dan Staite and Daniel Kogan to plug away and, with their lead rising to over a minute on a chasing group of five, it looked like the two would indeed stay away. With just under ten miles to go Daniel began feeling the pace and decided to let Staite do the majority of the turns. Coming into the final lap with well over a minute's lead on the chase, Dan Staite attacked on the climb and soon put considerable distance into Kogan who try as he might couldn’t back on terms. Coming into the finish Staite took a very deserved win with Kogan coming across the line 45 seconds later for 2nd and the chase group led in by Mike Hawkins of Norwood Paragon came in a minute after that.
Stage one result:
1.) Dan Staite: Python RT
2.) Daniel Kogan: PCA-Ciclos Uno-Isaac RT
3.) Mike Hawkins: Norwood Paragon
4.) Billy-Joe Whenman: Sport Beans/Wilier
5.) Robert Willcocks: Ajchva Limoux
Stage 2
Stage two, at Chilham, was a 10 mile time trial and torrential rain on the way down to the start near Ashford was not a welcome sight. Yet with the first rider off at 11am the rain soon parted and thankfully the sun shone over the rolling out and back course, which included a difficult short kick to test the tired legs at the end. With James Whatling proving a very strong time triallist the team were quietly confident of another podium, but first up was Martin Bryant who clocked a very respectable 24.53 on his road bike with no time trial equipment. With 21 min and 22 min times filtering in James knew he needed to do a good ride and, despite feeling heavy legged after a good workout on the first stage, he rode well and chalked up a 21:49 to put him in 3rd place, just 2 seconds off second and 26 seconds off the winner. The penultimate rider to start, Daniel was also without the advantage of any time trial equipment but he rode his socks off to post a 23:10, leaving him safely holding second place on GC.
Stage two result:
1.) Matt Miles: Sydenham Wheelers
2.) Nigel Haigh: Sportscover
3.) James Whatling: PCA-Ciclos Uno-Isaac RT
4.) Robert Willcocks: Ajchva Limoux
5.) Dan Staite: Python RT
Stage 3
Stage three was a short sharp 80km, finishing at the top of the fierce 2km Whiteleaf Hill, and was always going to test the legs of those that had dug deep in the time trial. The stage was peppered with attacks, trying to test the resolve of Dan Staite in the leader’s yellow jersey. With the PCA-Ciclos Uno-Isaac Racing Team riding strongly on the front to pull back any escapees that would endanger Daniel Kogan’s second place overall, the race entered the final lap with just a pair of riders away from the bunch. With tired legs everywhere, a flurry of attacks went on the penultimate climb of the day and the alarm bells rang for Daniel Kogan as first Billy-Joe Whenman (Sport Beans/Wilier) and then Nigel Haigh (Sportscover) pulled away. Not wanting anyone to overtake his team mate on GC, and knowing that a hill finish suited Kogan, James Whatling took to the front and time trialled 5km to the foot of Whiteleaf Hill, stringing out the bunch and pulling all of the escapees back into the peloton in a powerful display of team riding. Daniel Kogan hit the foot of the climb in the lead but was shadowed by a very strong Billy-Joe Whenman and the leader Dan Staite. Whenman timed his attack to perfection and although Kogan and Staite were gaining on him in the final metres, Billy-Joe took the win from Steve Saunders (Kingston Wheelers) and Dan Staite. Daniel Kogan took 5th and, more importantly, increased the time gap on those wanting to overtake him on GC.
Stage three result:
1.) Billy-Joe Whenman: Sport Beans/Wilier
2.) Steve Saunders: Kingston Wheelers
3.) Dan Staite: Python RT
4.) Gareth McCullough: Medway Velo
5.) Daniel Kogan: PCA-Ciclos Uno-Isaac RT
Stage 4
The fourth and final stage was held on Bank Holiday Monday on the Tenterden circuit in Kent and, along with most of the country, the weather was wet and windy making the final 130km a true test of the riders’ strength. With relatively small time gaps on GC, the race was always going to be a tactical one but the PCA-Ciclos Uno-Isaac Racing Team held firm, with James Whatling and Martin Bryant riding for long periods at the front, shutting down any dangerous attacks for Daniel Kogan. After many attempts to wrestle himself clear, Billy-Joe Whenman did get away eventually with Gareth McCullough (Medway Velo) and established a good gap, but the time was always managed by Whatling and Bryant who worked tirelessly to prevent the leaders from gaining too much on their man Kogan. On the last lap, with the pace increasing in the bunch, it looked as though the escapees might be caught but, with 5km to go, a fallen tree on the circuit put paid to the hopes of the break as they unwittingly overtook the lead car and were disqualified. It was bad luck for Billy-Joe Whenman who had ridden hard all weekend and deserved to win the stage. The bunch had a chat as they waited for the tree to be moved and then rolled off again, ready for a bunch sprint, which was taken by Meurig James (Citihub) from Kevin Knox (Dulwich Paragon). Daniel Kogan rolled in with the bunch to secure second place overall after a strong and gritty performance from start to finish. This was a fine display from the first year senior and to place second to an in form Dan Staite has to count as one of Daniel’s finest results and signalled his growing stature as a rider to watch. Dan Staite was imperious throughout the race and took home a thoroughly deserved victory.
Stage four result:
1.) Meurig James: Citihub
2.) Kevin Knox: Dulwich Paragon
3.) Malcolm Whitehead: Kingsnorth Int. Wheelers
4.) Simon Warren: Norwood Paragon
5.) Chaz Hollosi: Gemini BC
Overall General Classification:
1.) Dan Staite: Python RT
2.) Daniel Kogan: PCA-Ciclos Uno-Isaac RT
3.) Matt Miles: Sydenham Wheelers
4.) Robert Willcocks: Ajchva Limoux
5.) Mike Hawkins: Norwood Paragon
Despite not being able to field the full team, this was a very successful weekend for the PCA-Ciclos Uno-Isaac Racing Team with 2nd place on stage one, 3rd place on stage two, 5th place on stage three, Daniel Kogan's 2nd place overall, James Whatling's 13th place overall and the team prize....not a bad haul for a three man team!
There was also some sterling team riding from both James and Martin and the PCA-Ciclos Uno-Isaac Racing Team were without doubt the strongest team in the race. With next weekend's Eastern Division Championships on the horizon, and a full team entered and raring to go, things are looking very promising!
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