Scott Thwaite (Endura Racing) has won the Tour of the Reservoir.
The Yorkshireman outsprinted Peter Hawkings (Team IG-Sigma Sport) and teammate, Russell Downing, to take the win after 100 miles of racing around the Durwent Reservoir and its surroundings in Northumberland.
Thwaites said his preceding race, the seven-stage Tour de Bretagne, had left him stronger than ever, despite a cough.
He paid tribute to his Endura Racing teammates, whom he said had a rider in each of the breaks, and modestly added that any of them could have won.
“Wilko was away with Pete and there is a climb about 3km out which was the perfect springboard and there were attacks and Russ was up the front. Then myself and Dean (Windsor) sensed a bit of a lull as the group went over the top and we attacked and ended up in the middle. We went flat out all the way to the finish and could see the other teams chasing us,” he said.
After a restrained start, an early breakaway included two former WorldTour riders in Magnus Backstedt (Team UK Youth) and Russell Downing (Endura Racing), accompanied by Raleigh-GAC’s Jamie Sparling, Tom Moses (100% ME) and National Trophy Series cyclo-cross champion, Paul Oldham (Hope Factory Racing).
The quintet gained a minute before a peloton headed by Rapha Condor Sharp reeled them in.
Former national road race champion Downing launched a second attack, escaping with Ben Greenwood (Vanilla Bikes) but were hauled back.
Thwaites made a first attack in the company of Node4-Giordana’s Pete Williams, staying away for a lap and gaining nearly a minute on the chasing pack before being caught.
With two kilometres to go, Ian Wilkinson (Endura Racing) launched his bid for victory, but was quickly joined by teammates Downing, Thwaites and Dean Windsor and others.
Windsor attacked with just 500 metres to go, but Thwaites launched off his wheel, outsprinting Hawkins and Downing for the victory.
“Dean did a fantastic job and was going so well down the hill and as soon as we turned into the Reservoir, I just came off his wheel up the short steep hill and that’s the sort of finish that suits me similar to Lincoln,” said Thwaites.
He now heads the Premier Calendar standings after three rounds from Endura Racing teammates Jonny McEvoy and Erick Rowsell.
Tour of the Reservoir – result
1) Scott Thwaites (Endura Racing) – 4.04.47
2) Peter Hawkins (Team IG-Sigma Sport)
3) Russell Downing (Endura Racing)
4) Graham Briggs (Raleigh-GAC) +2”
5) Andy Tennant (Rapha Condor-Sharp) +5”
6) Pete Williams (Node 4-Giordana)
7) Marcel Six (Metaltek)
8) Michael Berling (Cycle Premier)
9) Evan Oliphant (Raleigh-GAC)
10) Wouter Sybrandy (Team IG-Sigma Sport)
