Famous the world over.

Not David Millar.......Ciclos Uno and Craig Stevens!

Check out Craig at the Smithfield Nocturne on Pezcyclingnews.com:

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=5028&status=True

You lose some....

A win in the support race, a big crowd to cheer you on and some of the best circuit racers in the Country....what more could help to spur you on to a great ride? Some dry weather, on what could possibly be the most slippery surface to race on short of ice or glass would have been nice!! It was not to be, as just 15 minutes before the Elite Race of the Rapha/Condor Smithfield Nocturne, the heavens opened and it all changed for the worse.

James Jackson and James Whatling, warming up in the underground car park, knew little of the rain until they were greeted by a wave of water flowing towards them. Undeterred, but more than a little apprehensive, they lined up for the start of the race (with very little pressure in the tyres to aid grip!) with messrs McCallum, Hayles, Downing, Blythe and Dowsett.

The terrible conditions seemingly meant nothing to the more experienced riders as the pace was relentless from the gun. Warrick Spence (Cyclefit/Serotta) made matters worse when he attacked after a few laps, forcing everyone to keep the pace up to stay with him as he cornered at speeds in the wet most riders would be pleased with in the dry. James Jackson aquitted himself well, using all his speed to move up the line of riders and establish himself in a high quality group with Adam Blythe (SIS-Trek) and Andy Lyons (Heron Cyclesport) as the race splintered. James Whatling wasn't faring so well and, despite giving all he had to stay with the field, lost contact after about 15 minutes and called it a night. With Warrick Spence still pulling away and lapping riders for fun, it was a shame that James Jackson should be one of those but, boosted with the experience of such top level racing, James can take a lot of positives away from the race.

Warrick Spence's epic solo effort was eventually pulled back by some hard work by the PCA/Evans Cycles RT but it took them 28 minutes to claw back 28 seconds and the by product of such pressure was that at half distance there were only 13 riders still in the race. The pace of the race never let up and, as the riders thundered around the final corner of the race, James McCullum (PCA/Evans Cycles RT) made the most of a slight mistake by Dean Downing (Rapha/Condor) to sprint home for the win.

Results:
1.) James McCullum: PCA/Evans Cycles RT
2.) Dean Downing: Rapha/Condor
3.) Jon Mozley: Merlin RT
4.) Warrick Spence: Cyclefit/Serotta
5.) Ross Muir: Rapha/Condor

You win some!

Craig Stevens made it a near perfect start to the racing for Ciclos Uno at the Rapha/Condor Smithfield Nocturne, when he rode the perfect race to win the Regional A race. The only dampener (apart from the weather!) came when Alex Aldham-Breary succumbed to the notoriously slippery surface on the last lap and crashed out of the race that could quite easily have ended a Ciclos Uno 1-2. Thankfully Alex escaped injury in the fall and will doubtless be up there in the finale again soon.

Alex and Craig made their intentions clear from the gun on the tricky, technical circuit around the famous meat market, attacking together and driving hard to line out the field. Almost immediately the pressure began to show with riders finding the pace too much for them and, as the gaps began to emerge, a fairly select group began to develop at the head of the race with both Craig and Alex instrumental at the front. Craig had made his willingness to race pretty clear from the start and, with about a third of the race gone, launched himself off the front of the group and pulled clear for a lap or two before the bunch, led by London Dynamo and Addiscombe CC, pulled him back into the fold. The attacks continued, with Daniel Santoni the best of the moves, pulling clear to ride solo for about half a dozen laps before being swallowed up by the hard working bunch.

With the race moving into the final stages, a nasty crash changed the shape of the race and it was neutralised for 10 minutes while Sam Finniston (In Gear Development Squad) was treated and taken to hospital. Thankfully, Sam's injuries are not as bad as first thought and is recovering well. The race restarted with just 2 minutes and 5 laps to go and the pace shot up again with the remaining riders all looking for the win. With everyone still together at the bell it looked like it would be a bunch sprint but the last lap crash that claimed Alex's race also put paid to many other's chances and Craig soloed away to take a thoroughly deserved win.

Results:
1.) Craig Stevens: PCA/Ciclos Uno
2.) George Brent: Addiscombe CC
3.) Adam Gent: In Gear Cycling Development Squad
4.) Gavin Ryan: London Dynamo
5.) Guy Powderill: London Dynamo

A bad day at the office.

James Jackson and James Whatling had a bad end to their day's racing when they both crashed out in the finale of the SERRL 14 race at Hildenborough, near Tonbridge, on Sunday 17th June.

It all started so well when James Jackson pulled himself up to the break of the day with Tom Burke (Citihub) and Ed Vail (Sigma Sport) and they worked well on the rolling course for a few laps.

It was a hard driving break, however, and the power of his breakaway companions proved too much for James and he fell back to the pack with 4 laps to go. With both James' not feeling at their best, a decision was made to conserve their energies for the finale, and with both of them well placed for the finish on the final lap, things were looking promising. That promise dissolved in an instant with about 2km to go when Ian O'Hara (Citihub) lost the front end on a wet patch and hit the ground, his bike bringing down James Whatling. James Jackson also came down in the susequent crash and although both walked away unharmed, their race was over.

Tom Burke held on to win the race alone and Barry Stewart (Kent Cycles RC) led home the bunch for second.

Results:
1.) Tom Burke: Citihub
2.) Barry Stewart: Kent Cycles RC
3.) Gareth McCullough: Medway Velo
4.) Ed Graefe: Team Economic Energy
5.) Steve Home: Twickenham CC

James Jackson wins the ESL series.

Following on from his fine win on Tuesday in the TLI races, James Jackson took second on the final night of the ESL series to help him secure the overall win.

It was rather a wet evening which probably contributed to the small field, but 24 riders turned up to contest the race on Ford's Dunton test track on Thursday 14th June.

For most of the first half of the race the bunch remained intact, with the few attackers never gaining much ground due to the high speed of the pack on the back straight. With about 45 minutes of the race gone, Alex Dowsett (100%ME) counter attacked, just as Adam Norris (PCA/Evans Cycles RT) was pulled back, and drove himself away from the chasers. Knowing Alex's strength and time trialling prowess, James Jackson tried hard to latch on but could not quite make the back wheel. That was the last the bunch saw of Alex as he disappeared into the gloom and even managed to put 1/3 lap into the bunch by the finish to take the win. The bunch remained together to sprint it out for second with James taking second from Adam Norris and Craig Stevens (PCA/Ciclos Uno) coming in third.

Results:
1.) Alex Dowsett: 100% ME
2.) James Jackson: PCA/Ciclos Uno
3.) Adam Norris: PCA/Evans Cycles RT
4.) Craig Stevens: PCA/Ciclos Uno
5.) Nicholas Hasler: Essex Roads CC

Jackson victorious again!

James Jackson is making winning a bit of a habit this season and the latest of his victories came on Tuesday 12th June in the TLI series race at North Weald.

A keen as ever to win, James went with every attack on the airfield. Despite being brought back by the bunch on a number of occasions, and having to have a lap out with a puncture, he put in another big attack with 5 laps to go and stayed away for 2 laps. The field at North Weald are more than aware of James and his strengths so they worked hard to pull him back again. When it all came back together the attacks came in, with Dominic Schils (Interbike RT) and Joe Perrett (Glendene/Bike Trax) driving away from the bunch but never getting enough of a gap to deter the chasers. With 500 metres to go, and the attackers still in sight, James launched the sprint and powered himself up to, and past, Perrett and Schils to take the win.

Results:
1.) James Jackson: PCA/Ciclos Uno

Podium for Whatling at the Beccles RR.

James Whatling secured his third podium spot of the season with a hard working performance in the Beccles Road Race on Sunday 10th June.

A busy weekend of racing across the region meant that the race had quite a compact field, but this was a group of riders in no way short of talent or willingness to race. Attacks started on the first of four 16 mile lap's of a fast, rolling course and James was instantly in the thick of the action, following the moves and making sure he was in the break of the day. The first break of the day, however, was soon hauled in by a strong peloton, but when that move was snuffed out, Tom Hemnant, (London Dynamo) counter attacked and got a good gap on the bunch. James broke away in pursuit and was soon joined by Shaun Aldous (Interbike RT) and the pair worked well to move up to Hemnant and began the task of keeping the chasing pack at bay. That job was made easier when a strong Douglas Bradshaw (Cambridge CC) and the in form Kevin Chambers (API-Metrow) bridged across, but despite all four working well together, their lead remained a slender one.

This lead was made more slender still when, on the final lap, Bradshaw pulled away on his own to leave the breakaway a man down. This was soon remedied when Richard Simmonds (London Dynamo) got across to the group and the impetus returned, with everyone driving hard to keep away and to catch the tiring Bradshaw. He was swept up by the group with about 3 km to the finish and despite a few attacks leading into the finish, the five stayed together to contest the sprint, with Shaun Aldous taking the narrowest of wins from Douglas Bradshaw and James coming in third.

Results:
1.) Shaun Aldous: Interbike RT
2.) Douglas Bradshaw: Cambridge CC
3.) James Whatling: PCA/Ciclos Uno
4.) Kevin Chambers: API-Metrow
5.) Richard Simmonds: London Dynamo