3 in the top 15 at the Eastern Regional Championships!

On Sunday 1st June, a full strength Ciclos Uno-Plowman Craven-Isaac Racing Team lined up for the Eastern Regional Road Race Championships at Ashley, near Newmarket. Held on a tough course featuring two strength sapping climbs per lap, and with a full field of riders that all wanted to be crowned the best rider in the region, the Regional Championships are always hard fought and never fail to produce a worthy winner.

As ever, the Ciclos Uno-Plowman Craven-Isaac Racing Team were in the thick of the action from the start and, as the race reached the end of the first lap, Martin Bryant got into a strong looking early move. The move soon looked even more promising as James Whatling and Dennis Van Gaveren (Lotto-Interbike) bridged across, and the group got themselves organised and started to work well together.

After five laps the breakaway was swelled when another group including Daniel Kogan bridged across. Daniel had been dealt some bad luck when, having punctured within a mile of the race and with no neutral service, he had to get a wheel from Dan Patten's parents (thanks Francis and June, you are complete stars!) and then chased back solo for seven miles. Of course, when you've been chasing hard for that long, what do you do? If you're Dan Kogan on a mission, you get in the first available break and get yourself to the front group!!

The leading group seemed almost too big now to work well but with James, Dan, Ben Thompson (Glendene/Bike Trax) and Dennis Van Gaveren consistently keeping the pace high and attacking over the hills, the group soon whittled down and a collection of willing riders remained. With time checks hovering around a minute to another chase group and the end in sight, the break upped the pace, but it was to no avail as they were caught with only half a lap remaining by a group containing Andy Lyons and Adam Norris (Heron Cyclesport), Dan Staite (Python RT) and Dan Patten who had spent the race defending valiantly and making few friends in the chase group in order to help his team mates up ahead.

With Lyons and Norris joining a hard working Ben Pochee, and Dan Patten joining James Whatling and Daniel Kogan, there were now three team members apiece for Heron Cyclesport and the Ciclos Uno-Plowman Craven-Isaac Racing Team and, as the race neared the finale, the attacks came thick and fast. It was Adam Norris who made move of the day though, as he attacked over the penultimate climb and, with Ben Pochee and Andy Lyons working hard to cover any moves and block, rode strongly and stayed away to take the 2008 Eastern Regional Championships. The finishing climb took it's toll on many of the riders and Ben Thompson came out on top in the sprint for second place, with Dennis Van Gaveren taking third and a strong sprinting Dan Patten and James Whatling rounding out the top five. Dan Kogan overcame a puncture and an upset stomach to take 15th.

For the team to place two riders in the break of the day and then to finish with three in the top fifteen of the Regional Championships is a fantastic result for the team and, although the win eluded us, we will be back next year, stronger, wiser and ready for the challenge.

Results:

1.) Adam Norris: Heron Cyclesport
2.) Ben Thompson: Glendene/Bike Trax
3.) Dennis Van Gaveren: Lotto/Interbike
4.) Dan Patten: Ciclos Uno-Plowman Craven-Isaac Racing Team
5.) James Whatling: Ciclos Uno-Plowman Craven-Isaac Racing Team

15.) Daniel Kogan: Ciclos Uno-Plowman Craven-Isaac Racing Team

Photos: Simon Gooderham: http://good.zenfolio.com