The Redbridge Road Race

At the Redbridge Road Race, the Ciclos Uno-Plowman Craven-Isaac squad field two of their riders, that being Ian Franklin and Martin Bryant. The race consisted of a 10 mile circuit which had to be completed 7 times before the finish and had an overall climbing height of 560m, over the 7 laps.

The race got underway from the word go with attacks flying left, right and centre. Ian was fast on the heels of the attackers in the chance that one of these early moves might stick, but no such luck came Ian’s way as the bunch weren’t keen on letting anything go. The first three laps carried on in a similar fashion to the first with an average speed of 27mph! Whilst Ian and Martin were hanging back to recover from the earlier attacks a move went up the road and by the time anything could be done it was gone. Ian and Martin worked with some of the other riders still left in the bunch to try and bring it back but when only 6 riders were trying to pull back the break with 50 riders tagging on their wheels the chase was short lived and the break stayed away, 9 men strong.

In the closing laps of the race 2 of the escapees came back to bunch making it 7 up the road, and therefore a sprint for 8th place. On the last lap Ian knew his only chances of a result were going to be in the bunch gallop after trying so hard earlier on in the race. With this knowledge Martin Bryant took to the front and kept things together for the finish. The bunch were led in by Marco Copolla (Gemini CC) at a very fast pace, Ian sitting in about 20th wheel was a bit too far back so had to go early to make up the places in the Gallop. Ian finished 5th in the bunch sprint to take 12th place and Martin, having done his important role, rolled in with the bunch.

Results:
1.) Digby Symons: Cambridge CC
2.) James Ward: Cambridge CC
3.) Joe Skipper: Lotto Olympia Team Interbike
4.) Shaun Aldous: Lotto Olympia Team Interbike
5.) Mark Jervis: Python RT

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