Location: Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire
Event: 9 September 2012
Alec Rumball (Bath CC) took a fine solo win in the Roman City Road Race on Sunday, promoted by his own club over the MOD land on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire.
Along with Aled Jones (Gloucester City CC), Alec came to the 1km marker, but it was Alec who was the stronger and he eased away towards the finish.
The morning started warm and sunny and once the early morning mist cleared the temperatures rose and it was soon apparent that there were to be a few riders unable to sustain the climbing on a hard rolling course.
As soon as the neutralised section had been completed from the HQ at Chitterne the road climb up and onto the plains and the first rider to show was Callum Lister (Corinium CC) and he eased away from the bunch as it headed towards Shrewton and then onto Tilshead, before turning back towards the finish line to complete the first of four laps and a total mileage of 74km.
As the race continued a small group of three riders were pushing on and they open a gap of about 15 seconds, the three riders being Callum, Alec and Mark Hudson (Bristol South CC).
As these three completed the first lap it was Mark who dropped back as they ascend the climb away from Chitterne and on toward the first of two primes.
At Tilshead on the second lap Callum and Alec held a 30 second lead over a chasing bunch with the riders from Bristol RT trying to control it.
But at the finish line it’s Callum that takes the Centurion prime just ahead of Alec, with Ian Humble (Gloucester City CC) the first of the bunch.
The third lap saw the bunch speed up and pull the race all back together and as they rode towards the next prime there was nothing between them.
The next prime, named the Gladiator Prime, was won by Sebastien Finch (VO2 Development) from Alec and Darren Gardner (Cadence RT).
On the last lap Aled Jones was allowed by the bunch to slip of the front as they headed towards the turn at Shrewton and he held this lead until Tilshead where he was joined by Alec and Duncan Lancashire (Behind the Bikeshed).
Once clear of the main road and towards the finish Alec eased away and at the finish line he had time to sit up and celebrate his win.
And there was an award for the ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ which was awarded to the last rider and this was won by Adele Martin GB Cycles who wins a free entry to next year’s race.
Provisional Result:
1 Alec Rumball Bath CC
2 Duncan Lancashire Behind the Bikeshed @11sec
3 Aled Jones Gloucester City CC @16sec
4 Callum Lister Corinium CC
5 Sebastien Finch VO2 Development
6 Matt Blackmore Bristol RC
7 Gareth Adams Cadence RT
8 Mark Hudson Bristol South CC
9 Oliver Fowles VC Walcot
10 Davis Hutchinson VC St Raphael
Centurion Prime: Callum Lister.
Gladiator Prime: Sebastien Finch.
Decimator Prize: Alec Rumball.
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.
