Just Like Buses

What I am referring to with this title is Team RPC's Maiden Win, you wait and wait and then all of sudden two come along at once! This was just the case on Sunday (22/4) when two RPC riders scored 2 individual wins in 2 races in 2 different countries, well England and Wales at least!

First up was the race which I (Dan Bill) competed in along with the vastly experienced Adrian Bird, The 3rd round of the ever popular west midlands RR League, The Gerry Hughes Memorial RR. This 65 mile pan flat, sprinters dream of a road race is also Adrian's home event as its hosted by his original club, Worcester St Johns CC. This race is known for its flat out speeds and also for longest, hardest and most exposed finish in British cycling. This 1km long, dead straight, slightly up hill piece of road has seen some crazy sprint finished over the years with riders darting round the far side of on coming cars and the bunch spreads across the road. Its a dodgy one but its always exciting.

After finished 2nd to Michael Thellwell in 2011 after the pair broke away from the field with just over a lap to go, Adrian has been determined to do his club proud and win the event. This year however would prove harder than ever given the huge amount of talent and the step up in performance that the WMRRL has experienced this year. A windy day saw 80 riders take to the start and at the drop of the flag a small group went on the offensive and managed to pull out a good 1 minute 30 seconds or so after being added by an incident which saw one of the motorbike out riders crash and cause huge confusion in the bunch.

The speed of the race was very up and down with a few moves going but getting dragged back I managed to get in to a good 10 rider move at one point which I thought might stay away but we ended up getting dragged back on the Start/Finish straight. With 2 laps to go the whole bunch split as a big move went of the front containing around 15-20 riders, I was on the wrong side of it but Adrian wasn't which was the main thing. My job now became a game of messing up the chase and following any other moves and hope that Adrian could bring home the bacon.

Back with Adrian, the group had quickly whittled away at the lead of the original leaders but soon it was clear that their chase group was to big and the work rate began to disintegrate. Adrian decided to go it alone and attacked to bridge up to the leading group who were now only up the road. After taking a few other with him the gap was soon closed and with 5 miles to go and doubt about his sprinting ability, Ade decided to go it alone and attacked again taking no one else with him. He managed to hold a 10-15 second gap over the chaser as he battled the head wind on the final straight to take the win at his home event in the best possible way; Solo with arms in the air. Fantastic.

A few minutes later, my group turned on to the straight and after much tostling and jostling, I somehow managed to win the bunch sprint out of my group! A huge congratulations to Adrian for a fine win which marks his first of many I'm sure of that.

Adrian Win on Video


Mean While In Wales......

Brothers Tony and Mike Kiss travelled to south wales to compete in the Leg Stretches RR, a race which holds good memories for Tony having won the 3/4 race last year. This year Tony contested the Elite Road Race but good memories terned to bad ones as a puncture struck and ended his race prematurely. This will only fire tony up even more for when the team competes in the Totnes-Vire 2 Day Stage Race next weekend, keep posted for a full report and Helmet Cam Footage!!!!

Mike had the task of keeping the 3/4 win in the family as this is the race he would be racing given that he is still a 3rd cat at the minute due to having a few years out. If he could get in the points for this race then he would turn that licence in to a 2nd cat one so there was some pressure on the start line.

Mike showed his true class and also some flashes of his old profession self as he attacked every other rider in the race and rode away on his own with 10 miles of headwind left until the finish. After an amazing effort, Mike was rewarded with his first win of the year and already the 2nd for for RPC. What a phenomenal ride.

So overall, not a bad weekend, we will just have to wait and see what next weekend brings. Watch this space.

Mike Solo Win on Video at around 3 minutes 20 secs