East Riding Classic Race Sunday 22nd June 2003

Thunder and lightning greeted the riders when they turned up for this year's East Riding road race; a bleak prospect for the race marshals as well as the riders. Fortunately the rain ceased before the start when 50 odd riders gathered in Beverley market square where the mayor of Beverley, a cyclist himself and suitably attired, yellow jersey and all, led the riders through North Bar Without on the start of the 98 miles across some pretty hard Yorkshire Wold countryside. (see more pics)

Difficult to predict a winner, but Hew Pritchard who had just won the Welsh championships and Wayne Randle who also has been showing recent fine form were the firm favourites. Other well-known riders like Julian Ramsbottom and Chris Daddy's return from Spain were speculated but it wasn't long before the plans of certain riders were put into operation.

Shortly after the mayor had left the peloton and the neutralised section through to Walkington the pace hotted and before long riders were stretched along the gutter trying to maintain their positions from the early attacks. This attack contained the race favourites and was difficult to ignore so before long thirteen riders had broken free and this meant that no-one had chance for a breather for the rest of the race. The thirteen comprised Wayne Randle, Huw Pritchard, Julian Gromett, George Rose, Neil Smith, Chris Daddy, Mark Wordsworth, Neil Swithenbank, Richard Wilkinson, Kevin Brennan, Stuart MacGregor, Chris Belsham and Steven Kenny. The first sprint prime just after North Cliffe was won by Neil Swithenbank from Wordsworth, Randle and Rose. The second, just before the Beechwood roundabout, was won by Wayne Randle, from Wordsworth, Rose and Belsham. With the sprints over, Randle and Wordsworth shared the prize with equal points, with Swithenbank third.

From Market Weighton the ground started to go upwards, not particularly steep but sufficiently hard to really hurt as the peloton tried to close in on the leaders up through Londsborough to the first prime at the Nunburnholme crossroads. Over the top first was Wayne Randle, then Rose, Gromett, Smith, Pritchard, Daddy, Wordsworth, Swithenbank, Wilkinson, Brennan, MacGregor, Belsham, and Kenny. The pain was showing and close on their heels was Hewitt, Collins and Charlesworth. Ramsbottom headed the next group through with Sharman, Coulson, Robinson, Dibble, Broadbent, Mark, Moss, Roche and Gamble and Hutchinson. The next group just losing contact was Keena, Ford, Shackleton, Hinchliffe, Hayton, Cocker and Shepherd. The remainder came through indribs and drabs and the race was already formatted. From here the route dropped down to Warter village to a loop containing two hill primes, one along the Huggate road and the other on the road up Kilnwick Percy. I took my viewpint from the latter - race communications weren't really up to scratch and you can draw conclusions from the way this prime climb was contested.

Randle, followed by Rose, Pritchard and Swithenbank had 10 secs on Gromett, Charlesworth, Smith, Wordsworth, Collins, Hewitt, Brennan. and Kenny. At 19 secs was Chris Daddy suffering with cramp (the cold start had had its affect on one used to spanish sunshine although the weather was no changing for the better). At 35 sec was Hutchinson, Mark, Sharman, Coulson, Robinson, and Gamble. Then at 2.10 was Keena, Shakleton, Roche, Dibble, Turnbull, Ford and Moss. The rest were scattered and it looked as iff Ramsbottom had called it a day.

The second time up Kilnwick saw few changes and the pattern of five leaders was established was now well established. Randle took the prime again from Pritchard, Smith, Hewitt and Charlesworth. Half a minute later came Gromett, Wordsworth, Collins, Brennan, Rose and Swithenbank. At 1.27 came Kenny, Hutchinson, MacGregor, Robinson, Sharman, Wilkinson, Coulson, Mark, Dibble, Shackleton, Roche and Gamble. Daddy was now at 4.10, Glen Turnbull at 4.20 with Martin Ford at 5.00 with a large group nearly 8 minutes down - Hinchliffe, Moore, Andrews, Dean, Shepherd, Cocker, Wilson, Murphy, Gibson, Hayton, Baty, Kirk and Pearson.

The five leaders kept together until the savage climb (almost a standing start on the steep hill) of Nunburnholme were Gareth Hewitt's legs began to fail him and he dropped back. Worrying for the marshals at the top of the Arras climb was the cut-off point for crossing the A1079 ordered by the police. They stipulated 5 to 10 minutes was a difficult situation with riders pread all over the Wolds. Randle, as usual, powered first across here with the other three and Hewitt had lost 2.25. The small Gromett group were at 7 minutes. By the ten minutes less than fifteen riders had come through and a little gentle persuation allowed us to enable thirty riders to race through to the finish. Only seven riders had to be stopped - and they seemed to be relieved.

Somehow Pritchard and Charlesworth managed to get rid of Randle and Smith in the descent from Arras down into Sancton and by the time they hit the main road to South Newbald they had a big enough gap to stay clear. Randle rode away from Smith up Trundlegate but the gap opened up against the combined forces of the two leaders on the descent to Walkington and the finish on Molescroft Road in Beverley. It might be a hard race but it is a brilliant experience.

Incidentally - I just had a request from Dave Shackleton to thank all the race marshals, club members and spectators who came out to the race and for their support throughout the race. Of course I'll pass it on Dave; but you rode an excellent race and it's our pleasure to support you when you ride so well.

Result

King of the Mountains

Team

1st . Yorkshire Division (Charlesworth, Randle & Brennan)

2nd . Cottingham Coureurs ( Smith, Dibble and Moore)

3rd . British University RT (Rose, Roche, and Kirk)