Joe Perrett wins the Hog Hill Junior Grand Prix in a solo breakaway
At 1pm the main event of the day was the only National Series Circuit Race in this year's programme with 56 riders entered but 46 made it to the start line. Although this was clearly a circuit race, 
the special demands of the full circuit meant we were not going to see a normal crit! The rain had stopped but the wind was still blowing which made for difficult conditions. With all but a couple of the country's main contenders lining up, we were in for a tough race. There were current National Champions in other disciplines such as cyclocross, timetrialling, scratch and pursuit, and former age group national champions on the road. We even had the most recent winner of the Youth Olympics Circuit Race in George Atkins of Websters Cycles lining up to take on the current leaders of the National Series, Peter Dibben of Hargroves Cycles, Sandy King of Twickenham CC, Tim Kennaugh from the Isle of Man, Dave Nichols of the Glendene and Sam Harrison of Planet X. The 1st sprint lap went to Jake Durant of Mid Devon Wheelers but one lap later, Welsh rider Jon Mould of Agiskoviner started a blistering sub 3 minute lap which led to a solo break which lasted just over half the race. Eventually his lead reached about a minute. The main group stayed together for most of the first half of the race with minor breaks off the front being pulled back. As the lap count reached double figures it was clear there was a trickle of riders falling off the pace because of the toughness of the course. That trickle became a stream as the race went on.
Jon's superb ride kept a gap until the 18th lap when Josh Edmondson and
Joe Perrett of the Glendene broke clear. In an attempt to cross to the chasers, Tim Kennaugh followed on his own but never made to the two Glendene riders who caught Jon Mould in the 21st lap. Still with a substantial gap to the chasing group, the three leaders stayed together for another lap until Joe Perrett made a solo break on the 22nd lap. Meanwhile Jon and Josh worked together for another 8 laps as Joe established a substantial lead of over 50 seconds by time trialling at about 3minutes 9 seconds a lap for the rest of the race.
The main group had now split up with riders chasing the leading three riders. Dominic Schils and Jake Hayles of Lotto Olympia, Sandy King, George Atkins, Peter Dibben, Matt Bailey of Halesowen, Dave Nichols, Perry Bowater of CC Giro, Lewis Balyckyi of Team Wallis and Conor Dunne of Hemel Hempstead all set about staying in contention, but once you lose the wheel on this course, it is almost impossible to get back to the pace again. By lap 30, Jon and Josh had been joined by the first of the chasers but the field was split apart by the relentless course and the pace of riding.
With seven laps to go, Tim Kennaugh made another attempt to cross to Joe and closed his lead down by ten seconds for the next lap. By the following lap Joe had re-established a lead of 55 seconds which he kept until the last lap when he finished in 2hours 6 minutes and 13 seconds. This was his second National Series win of the season having won the Sid Standard Race last month in an equally emphatic way.
The final sprint for the chase group at 45 seconds went to the series leader Peter Dibben ahead of George Atkins and Matt Bailey ( great result for a first year junior), followed a few seconds later by Tim Kennaugh then Dave Nichols and Sandy King. Next, Dominic Schils and Josh Edmondson ( who had done a great ride earlier in the race for his team mate) came in 2 minutes later then Jon Mould another minute and a half back was the only other unlapped rider having started his finishing lap just before Joe reached the line. Jon's break at the beginning of the race was superb and he thoroughly deserved the king of the mountains prize.
Finally it was great to have Magnus and his family with us for the race and to award the prizes. For over twelve years with the professional peloton he was always the biggest rider in the race but today when giving out the prizes, I couldn't help notice that both the Dibben boys were able to greet him at eye level, or maybe even looking down a little! Who says big people are not suited to bike racing?
Many thanks to the Lee Valley Youth CC who turned out in force to run the race, supported by their associate senior club, Glendene and to all the other sponsors and supporters, including Mark Austin from Cardiff Ajax and Maindy Flyers who was kind enough to commentate and entertain us with his "Cardiff Cockney Wit"!
the special demands of the full circuit meant we were not going to see a normal crit! The rain had stopped but the wind was still blowing which made for difficult conditions. With all but a couple of the country's main contenders lining up, we were in for a tough race. There were current National Champions in other disciplines such as cyclocross, timetrialling, scratch and pursuit, and former age group national champions on the road. We even had the most recent winner of the Youth Olympics Circuit Race in George Atkins of Websters Cycles lining up to take on the current leaders of the National Series, Peter Dibben of Hargroves Cycles, Sandy King of Twickenham CC, Tim Kennaugh from the Isle of Man, Dave Nichols of the Glendene and Sam Harrison of Planet X. The 1st sprint lap went to Jake Durant of Mid Devon Wheelers but one lap later, Welsh rider Jon Mould of Agiskoviner started a blistering sub 3 minute lap which led to a solo break which lasted just over half the race. Eventually his lead reached about a minute. The main group stayed together for most of the first half of the race with minor breaks off the front being pulled back. As the lap count reached double figures it was clear there was a trickle of riders falling off the pace because of the toughness of the course. That trickle became a stream as the race went on.Jon's superb ride kept a gap until the 18th lap when Josh Edmondson and
Joe Perrett of the Glendene broke clear. In an attempt to cross to the chasers, Tim Kennaugh followed on his own but never made to the two Glendene riders who caught Jon Mould in the 21st lap. Still with a substantial gap to the chasing group, the three leaders stayed together for another lap until Joe Perrett made a solo break on the 22nd lap. Meanwhile Jon and Josh worked together for another 8 laps as Joe established a substantial lead of over 50 seconds by time trialling at about 3minutes 9 seconds a lap for the rest of the race.The main group had now split up with riders chasing the leading three riders. Dominic Schils and Jake Hayles of Lotto Olympia, Sandy King, George Atkins, Peter Dibben, Matt Bailey of Halesowen, Dave Nichols, Perry Bowater of CC Giro, Lewis Balyckyi of Team Wallis and Conor Dunne of Hemel Hempstead all set about staying in contention, but once you lose the wheel on this course, it is almost impossible to get back to the pace again. By lap 30, Jon and Josh had been joined by the first of the chasers but the field was split apart by the relentless course and the pace of riding.
With seven laps to go, Tim Kennaugh made another attempt to cross to Joe and closed his lead down by ten seconds for the next lap. By the following lap Joe had re-established a lead of 55 seconds which he kept until the last lap when he finished in 2hours 6 minutes and 13 seconds. This was his second National Series win of the season having won the Sid Standard Race last month in an equally emphatic way.
The final sprint for the chase group at 45 seconds went to the series leader Peter Dibben ahead of George Atkins and Matt Bailey ( great result for a first year junior), followed a few seconds later by Tim Kennaugh then Dave Nichols and Sandy King. Next, Dominic Schils and Josh Edmondson ( who had done a great ride earlier in the race for his team mate) came in 2 minutes later then Jon Mould another minute and a half back was the only other unlapped rider having started his finishing lap just before Joe reached the line. Jon's break at the beginning of the race was superb and he thoroughly deserved the king of the mountains prize.
Finally it was great to have Magnus and his family with us for the race and to award the prizes. For over twelve years with the professional peloton he was always the biggest rider in the race but today when giving out the prizes, I couldn't help notice that both the Dibben boys were able to greet him at eye level, or maybe even looking down a little! Who says big people are not suited to bike racing?Many thanks to the Lee Valley Youth CC who turned out in force to run the race, supported by their associate senior club, Glendene and to all the other sponsors and supporters, including Mark Austin from Cardiff Ajax and Maindy Flyers who was kind enough to commentate and entertain us with his "Cardiff Cockney Wit"!
The next race in the sesies will be the Tom Simpson National Junior Grand Prix on Sunday 21 June in South Yorkshire
photos by Steve Riches and Meg (ex-GB ladies' national road race champion and junior worlds bronze medallist) Backstedt!
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