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Report: Ras de Cymru

Ras de Cymru
Event: 6th July - 10th July 2011
Event Details

Complete stage by stage breakdown of this year's Ras de Cymru.

Stage 1: 4.5 mile prologue time trial

The opening prologue was held over a rolling course with a half mile hill finish. the prologue was made much harder by the head wind and the rain.

Result

1. Tavis Walker (Adeo Cadence RT) 11.31
2. Michael Smith (Team Corley Cycles Composite) @ 19 secs
3. Brennan Townshend @ 31 secs

Team GC
1. Adeo Cadence RT 36.14
2. Team South-West @ 42 secs
3. Team Corley Cycles Composite @ 57 secs

Stage 2: 57 mile rolling road race

Stage 2 was held on the three cock's course, with a steep 18% climb on each of the six laps and rolling road for the rest of the course. The bunch was very nervous at the start with riders anxious to get into a break.

Attacks came on the fast back section of the course and a break eventually formed after several counter attacks on previous attempts. The break grew to two and a half minutes before the bunch started to work to bring the time gap down. Attempts were made to get across on the climb but none were successful.

Result

1. Steve Calland (South Downs Bikes) 2.15.35
2. Jamie Howard (Team South-West) @ 5 secs
3. Gruff Lewis (Team Wallis Composite) @ 14 secs

KOM
1. Jamie Howard 14
2. Gruff Lewis 12
3. Steve Calland 6

Sprint
1. Steve Calland 16
2. Gruff Lewis 8
3. Jack Waller(Team Corley Cycles Composite) 6

GC
1. Jamie Howard 2.27.49
2. Steve Calland @ 3 secs
3. Gruff Lewis @ 9 secs

Team GC
1. South-West 7.28.19
2. Corley Cycles Composite @ 19 secs
3. Wallis Composite @ 48 secs

Stage 3: 59 mile hilly road race

Heavy downpours and strong winds added to the stage 3, a 59 mile rolling course with one steep climb of 20% and a long drag up to the finish. With some tired legs in the bunch the attacks were painful and it was clear that many were suffering from the day before. The group kept stretching out and snapping on the climb with many riders going off the back.

The eventual move went on a very fast decent onto a dual carriage way section, the break got to three minutes before being bought back to one and a half minutes by a very hard working bunch. On the final drag to the finish riders were fighting for positions for the stage finish. A lot of riders went off the back with the high pace set on the uphill finish.

Result

1. Alex Peters (Eastern Region) 2.02.15
2. Liam Stones (Team Corley Cycles Composite) @ 5 secs
3. Rhys Howells (Eastern Region) @ 10secs

KOM
1. James Cartridge (Adeo Cadence RT) 8
2. Rhys Howells (Eastern Region) 6
3.= Alex Peters (Eastern Region) 4
3.= Jamie Caldwell (St Ives CC A) 4

Sprint
1. James Lewis (Port Talbot Wheelers) 12
2. Steve Calland (South Downs Bikes) 8
3. James Cartridge (Adeo Cadence RT) 6

GC
1. Steve Calland (South Downs Bikes) 4.31.35
2. Jamie Howard (Team South West) @ 1 sec
3. Gruff Lewis (Team Wallis Composite) @ 10 secs

Team GC
1. Team Corley Cycles Composite 13.38.28
2. Eastern Region @ 39 secs
3. Adeo Cadence RT @ 1.41

Stage 4: 10.5 mile team trail

The team time trial was over a rolling course from Brecon out with a tail wind and back into a head wind.

Result

1. East London Velo 25.29
2. Climb on Bikes RT @ 6 secs
3. Team Corley Cycles Composite @ 9 secs

GC
1. Steve Calland (South Downs Bikes) 4.57.22
2. Jamie Howard (Team South-West) @ 30 secs
3. Jack Waller (Team Corley Cycles Composite) @ 45 secs

Team GC
1. Team Corley Cycles Composite 14.04.06
2. Eastern Region @ 58 secs
3. Adeo Cadence RT @ 2.01

Stage 5: 53 mile hilly road race

The stage started at a high pace set by riders high on GC. On the first climb, a long gentle gradient, a move attempted to go, but failed. The route then went through some rolling hills with attacks going all the time but being bought back by riders. A long decent section with tight corners resulted in lots of riders loosing valuable time due to nervous descending whilst two riders went away at the bottom.

Result

1. Tim Allen (Midlands Composite) 2.05.55
2. Michael Smith (Team Corley Cycles Composite) @ 8 secs
3. Brennan Townshend (Team South-West) @ 17 secs

KOM

1. Michael Smith (Team Corley Cycles Composite) 16
2. James Dobbin (Somerset Composite) 8
3. Tim Allen (Midlands Composite) 6

Sprint
1.= Steve Calland (South Downs Bikes) 6
1.= Toby Eichler (Somerset Composite) 6
3.= Gruff Lewis (Team Wallis Composite) 4
3.= Jamie Howard (Team South-West) 4

GC
1. Gruff Lewis (Team Wallis Composite) 7.04.27
2. Michael Smith (Team Corley Cycles Composite) @ 27 secs
3. Hefin Price (Port Talbot Wheelers) @ 1.00

Team GC
1. Team Corley Cycles Composite 20.26.23
2. Adeo Cadence RT @ 55 secs
3. Port Talbot Wheelers @ 3.49

Stage 6: 47 mile rolling road race with mountain finish

The race started with a bad crash going down in the neutralised section. Following the incident the race rolled out over a 44 mile flattish course with a three mile mountain climb to finish. The pace was high throughout but there was strong evidence that most riders were felling heavily fatigued with Michael Smith eventually sprinting to the victory.

Result

1. Michael Smith
2. Brennan Townshend
3. Alex Peters

GC
1. Michel Smith
2. Brennan Townshend
3. Gruff Lewis