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The second race in the series of three promoted by the Mid Devon Cycling Club saw handicaps adjusted slightly between the groups to move riders to groups more suited to their ability and time gaps changed according to group size. Last weeks winner Brennan Townshend was moved back this week two groups as he had proved too strong for the other junior riders.

One notable change this week was that the elite riders were without Paris Roubaix winner, Sweden's Magnus Backstedt  and Elite rider Yanto Barker. However the groups time to the second category riders was cut by 30 seconds to cater for the lack of strength. The Juniors set a good pace from the start but were missing Brennan Townshend and it wasn't long before the fourth category riders were breathing down their necks.
 
At the back of the race though, the second tier of second category riders were working well and making  extremely good ground. The Mid Devon riders knew that they had to drive the race today and keep their two riders in contention for the overall series, Brennan Townshend and Peter Vincent, away from the Elite riders in the Scratch group to stand any chance of winning the series.
 
The second lap saw the two groups of second category riders quickly coming together. On lap three though there was a touching of rider's wheels and a crash along the rockbeare straights saw several riders from the peloton go down with Mark Dolan from the Mid Devon narrowly avoiding the collision and having to chase to get back on to the group.

Lap three onwards saw the Mid Devon riders all working hard at the front to drag all the early starters back and on the last lap, when all the groups had been caught, the team orders from the Mid Devon's Andy Parker were to keep the pace fast so that the Scratch group never caught the main field and for Brennan Townshend to shelter out of the wind.
 
The pace was kept extremely fast with weaker riders unable to hold the pace being dropped out of the back of the bunch. There were no attacks coming from the front from other teams due to the speed of the peloton. At the back of the race, the elite riders were narrowing the gap but never looked like closing it. Four of the group of nine in the scratch group gave up the chase, seemingly beaten by the time gap and the speed of the groups in front, missing the help of Magnus Backstedt and his UK Youth team this week.
 
Team captain Andy Parker lead by example, sacrificing himself on the front of the main peloton for best placed Townshend along with MDCCs Jake Durant, Peter Vincent, Andrew Hitchens, Ian Deacon, Alan Drury and Mark Dolan keeping the pace high. This season's revelation so far though, Peter Vincent waited until the run in to the climb and made his move.

Despite working on the front all day for team mate Townshend, he attacked and went clear with Steve Thomas (Bristol RC) and quickly got a gap. Vincent then dropped Thomas again to clinch a victory of which he was truly worthy. Close behind Jake Durant had taken off in pursuit and overhauled Thomas for second place. Jack Plummer from Somerset RC was 4th, last weeks winner Brennan Townshend 5th, and George Pym Exeter Wheelers sixth.
 
Another successful days racing for the promoting club Mid Devon CC's riders who now have two riders well placed for the overall series trophy.

RESULTS

Ladies
1.    Alli Holland, Primal Europe (scr) 28 miles in 1 hr 17m 11secs
2.    Maddie Horton, Team Certini (scr) @ 1 sec
3.   Angela Pike, Shred Racing (scr) @ 6 secs
4.    Jessica Steer, Somerset RC (2 mins) @ 8 secs
5.    Lucy Commander, Exeter Wheelers (4 mins) @ 11 secs
6.    Weibke Rietz, 1st Chard Wheelers (2 mins) @ 12 secs
 
Men
1.    Peter Vincent, Mid-Devon CC (1 min 30 sec) 37 miles in 1hr 23mins 59 secs
2.    Jake Durant, Mid-Devon CC (1 min 30 sec) @ 13 secs)
3.    Jack Plumer, Somerset RC (4 min 30sec)
4.    Steve Thomas, Bristol Road Club, (5mins 30sec)
5.    Brennan Townshend, Mid-Devon CC (2 mins 30secs)
6.    George Pym, Exeter Wheelers CC, (5mins 300 secs)
7.    Ashley Watts, Mid-Devon CC, (5 mins 30secs)
8.    Jules Birks, VC Londres, (1 min 30 secs) all same time
9.    Daniel McKimm, Bristol Cycle Development Squad, (5mins 30secs)
10.    Jonathan Ellis, Team Certini, 4mins 30 secs) @ 23 secs.
Prime 1 & 2    James Birch - Shred Racing
Prime 3 - Peter Vincent