Apr 11, 2011
These pieces usually start with a description of the weather so why change that? A bright, sunny day with temperatures pushing the low twenties greeted us for the Southern Classic that is Ham Hill. Short at just 60 miles, with a technical back end through country lanes, leading to a dead turn 500m before a real rarity in UK racing, a hell for leather flat sprint finish.
What I have missed out is the climb. This is a strange beast, tackled four times, it’s not too long, nor too steep, but as the only physical challenge on a fifteen mile circuit, its generally ridden very hard. That said, it’s never quite ridden hard enough to really break up the bunch due to the long, open descent that follows.
We had a pretty decent team turn out and as usual Judith the “real manager” was there directing us, making sure we were fed, watered and briefed before the start. As is his way, Jake Martin Pendragon attacked from the start taking team mate Rhys Lloyd with him for company. This move stuck for about 10 miles before being swallowed up by what was now, a fast moving bunch.
The second time up the climb was proper tough, a number of riders were dumped out the back as some probing attacks stretched the elastic at the front, but thinks generally stuck together. As we hit the descent my senses were suddenly bombarded with sounds and smell unique to hot carbon rims. Problem ahead… HORSES!!! For the second year in a row this race was blighted by horses. As we were all together, this shouldn’t have been a problem; we all sits up, pass slowly by, then carry on as before… not this time however. Half the bunch is dropped as the race fails to be neutralised and riders are given a choice; race past half a tonne of out of control, scared horse flesh, or slow down. Next time guys can we please all wait until everyone is safely past before nailing it again?
So after some chasing it all regroups, just before the most significant move of the day goes up the road… including Bialoblocki (Motorpoint), Smith M (Primal Europe), Pond (Wilier), Moore and Martin (Pendragon). This looks to be it and I thought that it was game over. However, Pendragon obviously felt they had the wrong riders in the move and they chase hard to bring it together before the final climb.
Some testing moves split the bunch on that final ascent, but I think everyone had been through too much all day to be giving up now and it all together for a big bunch kick. The final section through the country lane section was pretty rapid and fairly sketchy. Chris Opie (Pendragon) clearly had the wheel to be on and there were plenty of scholars to the Mark Renshaw school of sprint positioning exercising their ‘skills’ on the run in. I tried to get Martin Smith to the front but failed due to my own lack of leg speed and the difficulty of the lanes (chapeau to Pendragon who were leading it out). So as we turned the final corner my race was already over! However the bunch sprint was very much on.
As always, the sprint at Ham Hill starts from that final corner; with 500m still to go, it’s a hard one to get right. Justin Hoy (Felt) did just that, taking full advantage of the Pendragon train to edge out Opie once again and secure victory. James Williams in his first full outing of the year hung on for a creditable sixth place for Primal Europe.
Questions from the day…
- Why did Pendragon (most of which had literally just stepped of a the Cinton Tour of Mallorca), waste the incredible sprint resource of Pete Johnson to set up Chris, when Pete should have been the fresher, more motivated option, and actually well proven on the Ham Hill course?
- Why isn’t there an official, agreed protocol for dealing with horses on a course so that riders don’t feel they have to risk their lives, and we don’t alienate other road using groups?
- Why do people feel the need to jeopardise their own and other people’s lives with rufty toughty sprint tactics when there is actually so little on the line?
- Why can’t the Ham Hill go back to a five lap formula? It was never a sprint finish in those days, and dare I say, a better race for it.
Race would be so much safer if run over 5 laps, there was a clear split on the 4th ascent of the climb and one more time would have narrowed the field down considerably.
Think the hustle and bustle in the lane was a bit full on, but that’s racing, the final at Ham Hill always seems to go that way.
At least we all stayed up!!