Ollie Peckover (trainSharp Elite) and Jess Finney (AWOL O’Shea) continued their hot streaks with a win apiece at the RCR FatCreations road races on Saturday 1 April.
As riders made their early-morning preparations for the day of racing ahead, persistent and heavy rain on the famous Goodwood course nearly forced organisers to cancel the RCR FatCreations road races, such were the concerns about the wet road conditions.
The men’s race did begin as planned at 9.30, however, in very Belgian conditions. Battling rain, wind and puddles, the men faced seven laps of the 17 km circuit that ends with the climb up to Kennel Hill to the start/finish line.
The peloton in the early stages of the race. Image: Chris Wallis
The racing was aggressive from the outset with the peloton already splitting the first time up Kennel Hill. By the second time up the climb, a break of 8 riders had formed, including Rowan Baker (London Dynamo), James Jenkins (Richardsons Trek DAS) and Jacob Vaughan (TEKKERZ CC) among others. Last year’s winner Zeb Kyffin (Saint Piran) bridged across on lap 4. With two laps too, however, the race was coming back together, albeit to a vastly reduced bunch.
As the riders took the bell, Ollie Peckover (trainSharp Elite) and Jordan Giles (Primera-TeamJobs) crossed the finish line a few seconds clear, with Tom Portsmouth (Bingoal WB Development Team), Kyffin and a second trainSharp rider in hot pursuit.
Portsmouth and Kyffin bridged to Peckover and Giles on the final lap. As the reached the climb for the final time, it was Peckover that ascended to the win to continue a remarkable start to the season in which he has won each road race he has entered (having won the Capernwray road race and the Peaks 2 Day stage race already).
Peckover takes his third win of the season, Kyffin in second. Image: Chris Wallis
Kyffin rolled in second, so close to repeating last year’s win, with Portsmouth – the best-placed under-23 – in third.
Women’s race
By the afternoon it felt like it was a completely different day. The rain had passed, blue sky was peering through the clouds, and the roads were beginning to dry.
The racing was as aggressive as the men’s race, however, and by the second of five laps, the peloton was in bits as it ascended Kennel Hill.
The peloton crests Kennel Hill. Image: Chris Wallis
By lap three, a lead group of six riders had cemented itself. The break consisted of ANEXO/CAMS Women’s CiCLE Classic winner Jess Finney (AWOL O’Shea), Zoe Langham, Bexy Dew (both Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 20 Degrees Coffee), Ruth Shier, Sannah Zaman (both Hutchinson-Brother UK) and Lucy Lee (DAS-Handsling).
The group worked well together and stretched out a lead of over one and a half minutes over a chasing bunch of around 20 riders. As they took the bell, the sextet’s lead was 1’45”; no way back for the bunch at this point.
Finney reprised last weekend’s victory, driving up the final climb to outsprint Langham, with Lee rounding out the podium. Zaman was the highest-finishing under-23 in sixth.
Jess Finney surges to the win ahead of Zoe Langham. Image: Chris Wallis
Ollie Peckover (trainSharp Elite) and Jess Finney (AWOL O’Shea) continued their hot streaks with a win apiece at the RCR FatCreations road races on Saturday 1 April.
Featured image: Chris Wallis
Report
Men’s race
As riders made their early-morning preparations for the day of racing ahead, persistent and heavy rain on the famous Goodwood course nearly forced organisers to cancel the RCR FatCreations road races, such were the concerns about the wet road conditions.
The men’s race did begin as planned at 9.30, however, in very Belgian conditions. Battling rain, wind and puddles, the men faced seven laps of the 17 km circuit that ends with the climb up to Kennel Hill to the start/finish line.
The racing was aggressive from the outset with the peloton already splitting the first time up Kennel Hill. By the second time up the climb, a break of 8 riders had formed, including Rowan Baker (London Dynamo), James Jenkins (Richardsons Trek DAS) and Jacob Vaughan (TEKKERZ CC) among others. Last year’s winner Zeb Kyffin (Saint Piran) bridged across on lap 4. With two laps too, however, the race was coming back together, albeit to a vastly reduced bunch.
As the riders took the bell, Ollie Peckover (trainSharp Elite) and Jordan Giles (Primera-TeamJobs) crossed the finish line a few seconds clear, with Tom Portsmouth (Bingoal WB Development Team), Kyffin and a second trainSharp rider in hot pursuit.
Portsmouth and Kyffin bridged to Peckover and Giles on the final lap. As the reached the climb for the final time, it was Peckover that ascended to the win to continue a remarkable start to the season in which he has won each road race he has entered (having won the Capernwray road race and the Peaks 2 Day stage race already).
Kyffin rolled in second, so close to repeating last year’s win, with Portsmouth – the best-placed under-23 – in third.
Women’s race
By the afternoon it felt like it was a completely different day. The rain had passed, blue sky was peering through the clouds, and the roads were beginning to dry.
The racing was as aggressive as the men’s race, however, and by the second of five laps, the peloton was in bits as it ascended Kennel Hill.
By lap three, a lead group of six riders had cemented itself. The break consisted of ANEXO/CAMS Women’s CiCLE Classic winner Jess Finney (AWOL O’Shea), Zoe Langham, Bexy Dew (both Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 20 Degrees Coffee), Ruth Shier, Sannah Zaman (both Hutchinson-Brother UK) and Lucy Lee (DAS-Handsling).
The group worked well together and stretched out a lead of over one and a half minutes over a chasing bunch of around 20 riders. As they took the bell, the sextet’s lead was 1’45”; no way back for the bunch at this point.
Finney reprised last weekend’s victory, driving up the final climb to outsprint Langham, with Lee rounding out the podium. Zaman was the highest-finishing under-23 in sixth.
Results
Results updated 3 April 2023.
Men’s race
Women’s race
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