2024 Dave Peck Memorial road race: report and results
Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne (DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK) won the second round of the British Team Cup at the Dave Peck Memorial road race on Sunday 21 April
The sun was deceptive in the opening moments of the race, a chilling and sunny day as forecast. The racing began before the first circuit had been completed, an attack comprised of three riders, the trio of riders coming through the feed zone trying to create a gap on the first ascent of the race. However nothing was gained as it all came together on the first descent and settled down. The landscape of the race stayed largely similar, the peloton thinned out by early crashes, its tail end beginning to split.
Caitlin Dimbelby (FTP-Fulfil the Potential-Racing) and the other pre-race favourites avoided the crashes, prominent towards the front of the race. On the third of ten laps, another crash occurred, catching the rear of the group out and splitting riders even further. A total of five riders were down, mostly unscathed but with one rider needing to be taken to Race HQ, the race was neutralised to allow medical services to attend to the riders.
After the restart, there was a period of calm before the next attacks began. Charliiy Berry (The Phoenix Collective) had made a solo move and had a small gap on lap four, while Georgia Bullard (Doltcini-O’Shea) made a move on the valley road out of the feed. Both moves were shortlived, however.
On the following lap, last year’s winner Ruth Shier (DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK) moved clear with Molly Patch (The Phoenix Collective). Were we about the to see a repeat of Shier’s breakaway masterclass? No. But as Shier and Patch were brought back, Shier’s teammate Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne made counter move. She was followed by Lydia Watts (The Phoenix Collective), Lotty Dawson (Brother UK-On Form) and Katie-Anne Calton (Saint Piran WRT).
The quartet’s collaboration had earned them a 35 second lead with four laps remaining, the gap similar with just three tours left. Behind, Dimbleby was one of the riders at the front of the reduced bunch notably leading the chase. These efforts were not enough however, as the break’s lead doubled in the following lap, despite being down to three riders after losing Calton.
The trio had a comfortable two minute lead by the bell. As they hit the final climb up to the finish, Hodgkins-Byrne pulled clear, finishing several seconds ahead of Watts, with 19-year-old Dawson in third. Dimbleby won the bunch sprint behind for fourth.
Hodgkins-Byrne laps a backmarker as she takes the win. Image: Ian Wrightson
Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne (DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK) won the second round of the British Team Cup at the Dave Peck Memorial road race.
Featured image: Ian Wrightson
Report
The sun was deceptive in the opening moments of the race, a chilling and sunny day as forecast. The racing began before the first circuit had been completed, an attack comprised of three riders, the trio of riders coming through the feed zone trying to create a gap on the first ascent of the race. However nothing was gained as it all came together on the first descent and settled down. The landscape of the race stayed largely similar, the peloton thinned out by early crashes, its tail end beginning to split.
Caitlin Dimbelby (FTP-Fulfil the Potential-Racing) and the other pre-race favourites avoided the crashes, prominent towards the front of the race. On the third of ten laps, another crash occurred, catching the rear of the group out and splitting riders even further. A total of five riders were down, mostly unscathed but with one rider needing to be taken to Race HQ, the race was neutralised to allow medical services to attend to the riders.
After the restart, there was a period of calm before the next attacks began. Charliiy Berry (The Phoenix Collective) had made a solo move and had a small gap on lap four, while Georgia Bullard (Doltcini-O’Shea) made a move on the valley road out of the feed. Both moves were shortlived, however.
On the following lap, last year’s winner Ruth Shier (DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK) moved clear with Molly Patch (The Phoenix Collective). Were we about the to see a repeat of Shier’s breakaway masterclass? No. But as Shier and Patch were brought back, Shier’s teammate Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne made counter move. She was followed by Lydia Watts (The Phoenix Collective), Lotty Dawson (Brother UK-On Form) and Katie-Anne Calton (Saint Piran WRT).
The quartet’s collaboration had earned them a 35 second lead with four laps remaining, the gap similar with just three tours left. Behind, Dimbleby was one of the riders at the front of the reduced bunch notably leading the chase. These efforts were not enough however, as the break’s lead doubled in the following lap, despite being down to three riders after losing Calton.
The trio had a comfortable two minute lead by the bell. As they hit the final climb up to the finish, Hodgkins-Byrne pulled clear, finishing several seconds ahead of Watts, with 19-year-old Dawson in third. Dimbleby won the bunch sprint behind for fourth.
Results
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