Totnes Crit - Race Report

Bike racing returned to the streets of Totnes in the South West on Bank Holiday Monday with a virtuoso display by Marcin Biablocki (Wilier/Big Maggies/Prendas) in the Elite race, the return of former National Junior Champion Mark Dolan in the Regional B event and the final of the South West Youth Series. The crowds certainly had something to cheer about.

Promoted by the Mid Devon Cycling Club in conjunction with the Totnes Rotary Clubs "Wheels for Charity", the events were held in sunny conditions. After careful negotiation with the town council, an 800 metre circuit featuring cobbles, corners and a short climb to the finish was drawn up, all key elements for an exciting event.

The first event off was the Regional B event for 3rd and 4th cat riders. The racing was animated from the start with the sharp corners ensuring the bunch was soon lined out. The main aggressors were Gerry Bowditch, Adrian Sluman and Mark Dolan, all on the come back trail after successful racing careers in their youth. An untimely crash put out local hope Nick Avery of the Mid Devon CC after clipping a corner with his pedal and tumbling out of the event. None of the attacks off the front were able to stay away and it was a fifteen strong bunch that contested the final sprint with Dolan celebrating a home win for the Mid Devon closely followed by Will Harrison, Bowditch and Sluman.

1. Mark Dolan, Mid Devon CC
2. Will Harrison, Private Member
3. Gerry Bowditch, CC Abergavenny
4. Adrian Sluman, Plymouth Corinthians
5. Tony Kiss, Stratford CC
6. Paul Hooper, Private Member
7. Craig Bellew, Certini
8. Scott Tomkinson, Camel Valley
9. Tom Cann,  Shred Racing
10. Sam Whittlesea, Shred Racing

Youth
It was the turn of the Youth C/D/E riders with a good local field and visitors taking advantage of the half term break. The crowd were soon cheering the stars of the future as they lapped the course at speed. Local riders dominated the events with brother and sister double act Etiene and Pfeifer Georgi leading home the C and D category events and visiting rider Jack Rootkin Gray winning the E cat.

Youth C
1. Etiene Georgi Mid Devon CC
2. Tom Morris Mid Devon CC
3. Alex Ford Taw Velo

Youth D
1. Pfeiffer Georgi Mid Devon CC
2. Josh Morris Fit Kidz
3. Jack Cutting Fit Kidz

Youth E
1. Jack Rootkin-Gray Solihull CC
2. Josh Chmielwski Team Tor 2000
3. Fraser Nye Fit Kidz

The Youth A and B event was the final of the South West series and with the series winners going forward to represent the region at the National Youth Champs, the competition was hot. A field of 28 riders lined up demonstrating the surge in popularity for bike racing. When the flag dropped for the 45 minute event, a battle royal ensued and the field quickly split under the pressure applied by the leaders.

Series leader Seb Baylis of Chard Whls, Exeter's George Pym and Simon Cooper and visiting rider Matt Rotherham of Eastlands Velo, were all prominent at the front of the race. A lead group of ten soon forged ahead and dominated whilst further down the field, groups formed to work together with a shared purpose to catch the leaders.

With three laps to go, an attack by Baylis reduced the lead group to eight and the stage was set for a sprint finish. Exiting the cobbled right hand corner into Fore Street, Matt Rotherham used his track experience from regular competition at Manchester velodrome to hold off a fast finishing George Pym with Baylis claiming third and the series. Laura Clode of Revo Racing led in the Women's field maintaining her lead in the the youth series and progressing onto the regional team.

1. Matt Rotherham Eastlands Velo
2. George Pym Exeter whls
3. Seb Baylis Chard whls
4. Simon Cooper private member
4. Jack Plumber Somerset RC
5. Adam Thompson Camel Valley
6. Jack Hogg Taw Velo
7. Joel Kelly Mid Devon CC
8. Adam Fursdon Mid Devon CC

Elite/1/2/3
Rounding the evening off was the E/1/2/3 event with Marcin Biablocki of Willier/Bag Maggy's/Prendas the favourite. Five minutes into the race and Biablocki was away despite the attempts of Darren Moore, Andy Hitchens, Blake Pond and Pete Johnson to chase him down. The Polish leader was soon lapping the course at speed, his smooth style belying the effort being put in.

Back in the bunch, it was a hurt locker for the riders with a combination of the tight corners and repeated attacks stringing out the field so typical of a town centre race. Forty five minutes into the event and Biablocki had lapped the bunch and worked his way to the front of the group before going on to take the win in style. The sprint for second was a close run affair between local veterans Pete Georgi and Andy Hitchens duking it out and putting the young guns to shame.

1. Marcin Biablocki Willier/Big Maggy's
2. Peter Georgi Epic RT
3. Andrew Hitchens Mid Devon CC
4. Gary Chambers South Fork Racing
5. Peter Johnston
6. Ewen Mc Donald Epic RT
7. Gerry Bowditch CC Abergavenny
8. Steve Chmielwski Team Tor 2000
9. Darren Moore Le Col
10. Phil Borrett Team Tor 2000

It was a cracking afternoons racing and judging by the reaction of the local population and the riders we'll be back next year! Some of the quotes from them included "if you could run regular races on that course I would be there every time. It was fast and fun, technical in places and a great atmosphere. A big thank you to everyone involved in organising and delivering the event! Still smiling".