MAKING it three wins in three weeks for Cyclepremier Racing Team, Stephen Adams launched his season on the best possible note with victory in the opening round of the South East Road Race League over six laps of the Lamberhurst-Frank circuit, near Tunbridge Wells.

The London-based 23-year-old jumped away from a leading group of five riders with 250 metres to go and got a big enough gap to hold on from second-placed Lewis Atkins (Twenty3c.co.uk-Orbea) and Wouter Sybrandy (Team IG-Sigma Sport).

In line with the rest of the country, conditions were atrocious for the 78-mile race which saw an early move take three riders clear with Adams and James moss (Node4 Giordana Racing) moving across to them after 18 miles.

The group worked together for the next 40 miles to stay in front before a series of attacks and counters produced the final selection going into the closing stages.

In-form Sybrandy kicked hard last time up the major climb and had the others scrambling to hold on, but they got back together over the top with attacks then coming thick and fast before Adams made his winning move.

“It’s a perfect way to start the year,” said the winner who, a building surveyor, intends to make the most of the next few months as a full-time rider before starting a new job in September.

“I’ve got six more months and I’m trying to go out on a high.

“We have a very young team this year with a lot of potential to do well. Team director Rod Freeman has done a fantastic job to put together a good blend of experience and youth, and it’s a really nice set up.”

Results:

1 Stephen Adams Cycle Premier RT

2 Lewis Atkins Twenty3c.co.uk-Orbea

3 Wouter Sybrandy IG - Sigma Sport

4 James Moss NODE4 - Giordana Racing

5 Nicolas Hutchings CS Grupetto

6 Chris McNamara Pedal Heaven RT

7 Allan Ridler Pedal Heaven

8 Paul Pickup Pedal Heaven

9 Chris Morrison London Dynamo cc

10 Francis Cade VO2 Development Team

11 David Creeggan Pedal Heaven RT

12 Phil Starr Python RT

13 Nicholas Baker Zappis CC

14 John Heaton-Armstrong Felt-Colbornes RT

15 Anthony Moye Velo29

16 Pete Wager Felt-Colbornes RT

17 Joe Norledge Velo 29

18 Lawrence Carpenter V02 Development

19 Tao Geoghegan Hart Cycling Club Hackney

20 Mark McCullagh Dulwich Paragon

21 Robin Kirk Kingston wheelers

22 Zappi Flavio Zappis CC

23 Ciaran O'Grady Team Toachim

24 Keith Henderson Condor Cycles

25 Steven Smith Clay Cross RT

26 Phil Dempsey Aprire RT

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.