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Report: Casteller Wins Portland Port

Event: Portland Port & Lloyd Coward Memorial Road Race, 19th June 2011
Promoted by: CC Weymouth
Event HQ: D'Ubervilles Hall, Colliers Lane, Wool, Dorset
Report and images: Graham Robins - www.grahamrobins.net

The race today was held close to the town of Wool in the heart of west Dorset close to the Jurassic coast. The morning was dry with an overcast sky but the riders would have to contend with a strong wind round most of the course. The race was 4.5 laps with a total mileage of 74kms, and for 3rd and 4th cats only.

IMAGES BY GRAHAM ROBINS

The bunch of over 60 rolled onto the course for the first of the laps. Once past the roundabout the racing started but due to the wind know one was to keen to take up the race.

The race rolled around the mainly flat course for just over 3 laps mainly by Darren Gardner and team mate Tony Solon both from Cadence RT before the first attack when three riders James Astbury (Hargroves Cycles), Geoff Ripley (Bath CC) and Alec Lyndsay (Bristol South CC) managed to get a few seconds over the bunch but riding into the wind they were soon caught.

All the action was to take place on the last lap. Just after the last tight left turn and with about 3km to go riders started looking for wheels to follow and gaps that weren't really there as they jostled for room. Then in the middle of the bunch there was the inevitable crash, with several riders being brought down. One rider to feel this was eventual winner Clinton Casteller (I-Team) who was following a team mate who got brought down so Clinton had to jump across to another team mate's wheel. With a little confusion in the bunch a couple got away but the bunch were soon on them.

With 300m to go Clinton was boxed in and so couldn't attack on the outside like he wanted so went inside, however there was one rider away with a few meters lead, but Clinton got across to him and pass, and still had room to raise his hands to celebrate a fine win.

Provisional Result

1st Clinton Casteller I-Team CC
2nd Paul Hopkins Medina Factory Racing and 1st Vet
3rd Scott Oatridge CC Basingstoke
4th Ross Clayton Army Cycling Union
5th Howard Radcliff I-Team CC
6th Matt Tibbut Wightlink RT
7th Geoff Ripley Bath CC
8th Peter Phillips Bath CC
9th Mike Smith Gillingham Wheelers
1Oth David Duffy I-Team
1st Junior Jake Wilde Salisbury Tri Club

British Cycling would like to thank the organising team, officials and everyone else who helped promote this event. Our sport could not exist without the hundreds of people, many of them unpaid volunteers, who put in many hours of hard work running events, activities and clubs.