The 50th edition of the Totnes Vire stage race takes place this weekend in Devon. With four stages, no other national race in the UK features more stages.
Organised by Mid Devon CC, and supported by the Dartmoor Classic, the Totnes Vire is one of the most important road races in South West of England. Named after the town of Totnes and its twinned French town of Vire, the race has been running since 1973.
This classic race has led to some immense battles in the past with previous winners including Darrel Webster, Mark Bell, Peter Longbottom, Jon Locke, Matt Holmes, Steve Lampier, and Rory Townsend. James McKay won last year’s edition with a dramatic last-stage breakaway.
Route
This year’s edition features four stages set over two days. Three of the stages are named in honour of three greats that Mid Devon CC has lost over the past year.
Stage 1 | Saturday 25 May | Ken Robertson Ruby Country TT
The race kicks off at 10.30 in Hatherleigh with a 14km individual road bike time trial, riders setting off at one minute intervals. This is a rolling point-to-point course featuring 217m of climbing along the way.
Stage 2 | Sunday 25 May | Roy Hopkins Dartmoor View Road Race
Stage 2 is a hilly 108km road race. This is the queen stage, the one likely to define the overall classification. Taking in nine laps of the Jacobstowe circuit south of Hatherleigh, the race then finishes on am uphill rise just north of the village. With 1,655m of climbing altogether, this will be no easy stage.
There will be time bonuses of 15, 10 and 5 seconds respectively for first, second and third at the finish.
Stage 3 | Sunday 26 May | Oddicombe Hill Climb
Sunday’s racing begins with a short sharp hill climb, a stage reprised from the editions of this race back in the 1980s. Set on Oddicombe Beach, this scenic stage will be the riders test their legs on a closed road on a double-digit gradient stretch from the beach up to Babbacombe Downs Road.
Riders are off from 11.00 at one minute intervals. If you are local, this one will be well worth a watch.
Stage 4 | Sunday 26 May | Colin Lewis Velopark Criterium
The race finishes with a criterium at the velopark in Torbay. Beginning at 13.30, the stage will last for 1 hour 20 minutes plus 5 laps.
Once again, there will be time bonuses of 15, 10 and 5 seconds respectively for first, second and third at the finish.
Riders who are lapped will be withdrawn by the commissaries and the rider will incur the following time penalties after approximately 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes of racing:
After 60 minutes – 2 minute penalty
After 45 minutes – 4 minute penalty
After 30 minutes – 6 minute penalty
After 15 minutes – 8 minute penalty
Before 15 minutes – 10 minutes penalty
Riders to watch
The race has a small but competitive field this year. Former winner Steve Lampieris a fascinating addition to the startlist, the 40-year-old making a comeback of sorts on local roads. In his heyday, he would have been a firm favourite, but his form is more unknown this around.
Josh Housley (HUUB BCC RT) has had a consistent season with four top ten National B road race finishes. As one of the stronger riders in the field he’ll be one of the favourites.
Another name to keep an eye on are Housley’s former teammate Tobias Bartlett, who left HUUB BCC recently for Doddington Cycling Club. Bartlett was sixth last weekend at the DAP CC road race. Meanwhile James Bevan heads up a strong UK Armed Forces combined team. Bevan’s best result this year was sixth at the PNE National B road race.
The 50th edition of the Totnes Vire stage race takes place this weekend in Devon. With four stages, no other national race in the UK features more stages.
Here is our preview.
Featured image: Chris Godfrey
What is it?
Organised by Mid Devon CC, and supported by the Dartmoor Classic, the Totnes Vire is one of the most important road races in South West of England. Named after the town of Totnes and its twinned French town of Vire, the race has been running since 1973.
This classic race has led to some immense battles in the past with previous winners including Darrel Webster, Mark Bell, Peter Longbottom, Jon Locke, Matt Holmes, Steve Lampier, and Rory Townsend. James McKay won last year’s edition with a dramatic last-stage breakaway.
Route
This year’s edition features four stages set over two days. Three of the stages are named in honour of three greats that Mid Devon CC has lost over the past year.
Stage 1 | Saturday 25 May | Ken Robertson Ruby Country TT
The race kicks off at 10.30 in Hatherleigh with a 14km individual road bike time trial, riders setting off at one minute intervals. This is a rolling point-to-point course featuring 217m of climbing along the way.
Stage 2 | Sunday 25 May | Roy Hopkins Dartmoor View Road Race
Stage 2 is a hilly 108km road race. This is the queen stage, the one likely to define the overall classification. Taking in nine laps of the Jacobstowe circuit south of Hatherleigh, the race then finishes on am uphill rise just north of the village. With 1,655m of climbing altogether, this will be no easy stage.
There will be time bonuses of 15, 10 and 5 seconds respectively for first, second and third at the finish.
Stage 3 | Sunday 26 May | Oddicombe Hill Climb
Sunday’s racing begins with a short sharp hill climb, a stage reprised from the editions of this race back in the 1980s. Set on Oddicombe Beach, this scenic stage will be the riders test their legs on a closed road on a double-digit gradient stretch from the beach up to Babbacombe Downs Road.
Riders are off from 11.00 at one minute intervals. If you are local, this one will be well worth a watch.
Stage 4 | Sunday 26 May | Colin Lewis Velopark Criterium
The race finishes with a criterium at the velopark in Torbay. Beginning at 13.30, the stage will last for 1 hour 20 minutes plus 5 laps.
Once again, there will be time bonuses of 15, 10 and 5 seconds respectively for first, second and third at the finish.
Riders who are lapped will be withdrawn by the commissaries and the rider will incur the following time penalties after approximately 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes of racing:
Riders to watch
The race has a small but competitive field this year. Former winner Steve Lampier is a fascinating addition to the startlist, the 40-year-old making a comeback of sorts on local roads. In his heyday, he would have been a firm favourite, but his form is more unknown this around.
The Stolen Goat team have contenders, particularly in the form of Gabriel Dellar, who won the Bec CC road race recently and was tenth at the Aughton road race last weekend. His teammate Oliver Hurdle is another rider to watch. Hurdle was second in this race last year and seems to be coming into good form after a fourth place finish at the BUCS road race championships.
Josh Housley (HUUB BCC RT) has had a consistent season with four top ten National B road race finishes. As one of the stronger riders in the field he’ll be one of the favourites.
Another name to keep an eye on are Housley’s former teammate Tobias Bartlett, who left HUUB BCC recently for Doddington Cycling Club. Bartlett was sixth last weekend at the DAP CC road race. Meanwhile James Bevan heads up a strong UK Armed Forces combined team. Bevan’s best result this year was sixth at the PNE National B road race.
Provisional startlist
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