Jack Hartley (Cycling Sheffield) powered to his first National B road race victory in the GA Bennett p/b Pedal Pushers Grantham road race, pipping breakaway companion Alex Luhrs (Moonglu RT) to the line at the end of a frantic race.
Amidst bright sunshine and a backdrop of rolling hills in the picturesque Vale of Belvoir, the flag dropped as a full field of 60 riders embarked on 6 and ¾ laps of an 18.8km circuit punctuated by a westerly breeze and a host of narrow, technical roads.
Josh Housley (HUUB-BCC RT) and Philip Large (Wold Top The Edge Pactimo) were joined by Oliver Hucks and another of his TAAP-Kalas teammates, as the quartet became the first riders to attack after a fast start, using the short climb preceding the finish line to launch their move.
Their tenure at the head of the race would be short lived, however. The next time the race passed through the feed zone a leading group of six had emerged, chased by Danylo Riwnyj (TrainSharp-Orro), James Bentley (Race Ride Fire) and Saturday’s 360cycling Tour of the North West stage winner James Hartley (Cycling Sheffield).
Credit: Emma Wilcock
With no moves sticking, the pace remained high throughout the race as the favourites made their way to the front of the bunch in an effort to influence affairs; James Ambrose-Parish (TAAP-Kalas) and Damien Clayton (Le Col RT) among those to make their effort through the feed zone climb.
After a brief neutralisation, a break was finally established in the lull after with Luhrs attacking on the exposed back section of the course. Eddie Soens winner Jack Hartley jumped across the gap with Clayton following as the trio set about creating an advantage. With a little more than two laps remaining it was a move that immediately looked like it could go the distance.
With the three leaders working well together and the gap going out, TAAP-Kalas – which had seven riders in the race – came to the head of the peloton to chase, Hartley’s older brother James (Cycling Sheffield) playing the role of the perfect teammate, disrupting the flow every time he came to the front.
Credit: Emma Wilcock
With one lap remaining, the gap had extended to 1m30sec with the three leaders still working well together. Luhrs led through the feed zone for the final time, Clayton looking very smooth and relaxed in third wheel. With TAAP-Kalas unable to change the direction of the race, it was now HUUB-BCC at the front of the bunch with three riders as they toiled away trying to make amends for missing the move.
Handling errors almost cost Clayton his place at the head of the race on the final lap, the narrow twisting roads causing him to lose his rear wheel and clip his pedal on the floor twice, before having to unclip and come to an abrupt halt. Jack Hartley and Luhrs waited for the Yorkshireman, who would opt to not contest the sprint against his breakaway companions.
Luhrs led through the final corner and started his sprint from a long way back, allowing the fast finishing Jack Hartley to stay in his wheel and make his way round to pip him to the line in similar style to his Eddie Soens win over Matt Bostock earlier in the season. Fist clenched and arm extended, the Chesterfield-based rider let out a loud cry of emotion as he claimed his biggest victory to date.
Credit: Emma Wilcock
After the race a jubilant Hartley was quick to point out to The British Continental what a good run his Cycling Sheffield team is currently on, having impressed collectively throughout the 360cycling Tour of the North West earlier in the weekend.
“On the way here I said to James, my brother, it was you on Saturday, today it’s me!” He said with a smile.
“It was a hard day out because it was fast. The course suited me. I was out in Belgium last week so I didn’t really know what to expect, but I’ve clearly brought some form home. It’s my first National B win, I can die a happy man!”
Jack Hartley (Cycling Sheffield) powered to his first National B road race victory in the GA Bennett p/b Pedal Pushers Grantham road race, pipping breakaway companion Alex Luhrs (Moonglu RT) to the line at the end of a frantic race.
Featured Image: Emma Wilcock
Report
Amidst bright sunshine and a backdrop of rolling hills in the picturesque Vale of Belvoir, the flag dropped as a full field of 60 riders embarked on 6 and ¾ laps of an 18.8km circuit punctuated by a westerly breeze and a host of narrow, technical roads.
Josh Housley (HUUB-BCC RT) and Philip Large (Wold Top The Edge Pactimo) were joined by Oliver Hucks and another of his TAAP-Kalas teammates, as the quartet became the first riders to attack after a fast start, using the short climb preceding the finish line to launch their move.
Their tenure at the head of the race would be short lived, however. The next time the race passed through the feed zone a leading group of six had emerged, chased by Danylo Riwnyj (TrainSharp-Orro), James Bentley (Race Ride Fire) and Saturday’s 360cycling Tour of the North West stage winner James Hartley (Cycling Sheffield).
With no moves sticking, the pace remained high throughout the race as the favourites made their way to the front of the bunch in an effort to influence affairs; James Ambrose-Parish (TAAP-Kalas) and Damien Clayton (Le Col RT) among those to make their effort through the feed zone climb.
After a brief neutralisation, a break was finally established in the lull after with Luhrs attacking on the exposed back section of the course. Eddie Soens winner Jack Hartley jumped across the gap with Clayton following as the trio set about creating an advantage. With a little more than two laps remaining it was a move that immediately looked like it could go the distance.
With the three leaders working well together and the gap going out, TAAP-Kalas – which had seven riders in the race – came to the head of the peloton to chase, Hartley’s older brother James (Cycling Sheffield) playing the role of the perfect teammate, disrupting the flow every time he came to the front.
With one lap remaining, the gap had extended to 1m30sec with the three leaders still working well together. Luhrs led through the feed zone for the final time, Clayton looking very smooth and relaxed in third wheel. With TAAP-Kalas unable to change the direction of the race, it was now HUUB-BCC at the front of the bunch with three riders as they toiled away trying to make amends for missing the move.
Handling errors almost cost Clayton his place at the head of the race on the final lap, the narrow twisting roads causing him to lose his rear wheel and clip his pedal on the floor twice, before having to unclip and come to an abrupt halt. Jack Hartley and Luhrs waited for the Yorkshireman, who would opt to not contest the sprint against his breakaway companions.
Luhrs led through the final corner and started his sprint from a long way back, allowing the fast finishing Jack Hartley to stay in his wheel and make his way round to pip him to the line in similar style to his Eddie Soens win over Matt Bostock earlier in the season. Fist clenched and arm extended, the Chesterfield-based rider let out a loud cry of emotion as he claimed his biggest victory to date.
After the race a jubilant Hartley was quick to point out to The British Continental what a good run his Cycling Sheffield team is currently on, having impressed collectively throughout the 360cycling Tour of the North West earlier in the weekend.
“On the way here I said to James, my brother, it was you on Saturday, today it’s me!” He said with a smile.
“It was a hard day out because it was fast. The course suited me. I was out in Belgium last week so I didn’t really know what to expect, but I’ve clearly brought some form home. It’s my first National B win, I can die a happy man!”
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