The latest round of the Tour Series in Peterborough last night was won by Halfords Bikehut.
The boys-in-orange controlled affairs for much of the second part of this race, ensuring that they always had a presence in the splinter groups that regularly fired off the front.
On the face of it the triangular Peterborough circuit was going to be a fast affair – and less technical than the tight Woking track – giving the riders the opportunity to stretch their legs. However, some narrowing and kinks through the start/finish area served up a night’s racing that was equal to any of the previous three rounds.
The ‘big four’ of Candi TV-Marshalls Pasta, Team Halfords, Madison.co.uk and Rapha-Condor meant business as soon as the flag dropped, with Russ Downing, Ed Clancy and Kristian House touching 40mph as they gained a small lead on the field after 25 minutes of racing. It was great to see the BMC, SportBeans, Sigma, Cyclingbargains, Corley and Endura boys still mixing it at this stage, as this threshold riding began to take its toll. Indeed Endura still had their full complement of five riders nestled in that main group of around 35 riders.
The escapees were joined by another four riders, including round two and three winner Dean Downing, and by the time the final sprint of the night had come and gone the race was back together. At this point Team Halfords took matters in their own hands, and with six laps to go it was the site of an orange train of all five riders at the head of affairs as the sizable Peterborough crowd banged the boards along the start/finish straight. They had obviously been working on team tactics – the name of the game.
With four to go, the other teams obviously had designs on the win as Madison fired Jerone Janssen to the front, and the vigilant Halfords squad watched and waited. One to go and Candi TV’s Russell Downing took team mate Malcolm Elliot with him, as they had the team goal in mind. In a frantic run-in to the narrow finish Downing edged his was to the line, but it was Halfords ‘superman’ Ian Wilkinson who wheelied across the line to the win. Olympic champion Ed Clancy followed team mate home in second, with Russell Downing in third.
In what was a great execution of team tactics Halfords and CandiTV were head and shoulders above the rest as they filled the first six positions.
After four races of the 10-round Tour Series Candi TV-Marshalls TV moved back into the overall team leaders’ jerseys, Madison.co.uk moving up to second and Rapha-Condor in third.
Team results
- 1. Team Halfords Bikehut
- 2. Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta
- 3. Madison.co.uk
- 4. Rapha – Condor
- 5. Sigma Sport Cycling Team
- 6. Endura Racing
- 7. www.cyclingbargains.com
- 8. Team Corley Cycles
- 9. Sports Beans – Wilier
- 10. BMC UK Racing Team
Team Standings after Round 4
- 1. Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta
- 2. Madison.co.uk
- 3. Rapha – Condor
- 4. Team Halfords Bikehut
- 5. Sigma Sport Cycling Team
- 6. Sports Beans – Wilier
- 7. Team Corley Cycles
- 8. BMC UK Racing Team
- 9. www.cyclingbargains.com
- 10. Endura Racing
More at www.tourseries.co.uk. Highlights will be shown tonight on ITV4 at 7pm.
