James Hartley capped off his time with Cycling Sheffield by taking a stunning solo win in the Leicester Forest CC Road Race, crossing the line in pouring rain after thunderstorms and a series of punctures marred the final third of the race.
Hartley, who moves to France to race with Team Bricquebec Contentin in 2025, was aggressive throughout, starting the race on the front front, playing an active role during the skirmishes in the first three of the 14 and ¾ laps, as Ryedale GP winner Tom Williams (Saint Piran) seemed determined to get away, trying a number of attacks.
A move did go on the fourth lap, however it didn’t contain Williams, as Hartley, Jonny Britton (Moonglu RT), Thomas Doig (Primera-TeamJobs), Bernard Galea (SPRNT) and James Satoor (Bridgnorth Cycling Club) established a 50 second lead, as some riders in the bunch began to find the strong pace too hot.
Olivier Mangham (Richardsons Trek-DAS), Dean Watson (Wold Top The Edge Pactimo) and Matt Clarke (Bridgnorth Cycling Club) attacked from the peloton in pursuit, however they were unable to make up much time past their initial effort as the race came to life behind, last year’s winner Clay Davies and on the day entrant Matt King (X-Speed United) going on the charge.
With the halfway point approaching Jonny Britton was dropped from the leading quintet, while behind King and Davies had been swallowed up by a group containing Bradley Symonds (Saint Piran), Jack Hartley (Cycling Sheffield), Casper Brazier (Trash Mile), Sam Llewelyn (PB Performance), Ãlvaro Trivino Martinez (London Dynamo), John Bardsley (360 Cycling) and Clarke, with the two groups merging to create a 13 man leading group soon after.
The leaders worked well together as their advantage extended, the bunch behind cracking under the pressure. Their number was almost equal to the front group as riders continued to make last ditch efforts to bridge across.
With five laps to go Hartley made his first effort to go clear, breaking the harmony in the leading group and stringing it out as riders fought to stay on level terms, Symonds and Davies among the few able to do so.
The upping of the tempo saw Satoor dropped, and as the group came back together, Symonds was the next to attack. Going solo, he provoked a reaction from the dogged Hartley, who dragged a dangerous group to Symonds, including Clarke and Davies, as well as his brother Jack, handing the advantage to Cycling Sheffield, and the Hartleys.
With less than two laps to go the leading five continued to push on, heavy rain now falling with less than 20km to race. A double puncture scuppered Davies’ chances, the British Cycling number one ranked rider commenting the grippy roads, recently chipped, were “like riding on razor blades”, questioning how many more riders had suffered the same fate.
However, there was more to Davies’, and other riders’, plight, as it transpired a local farmer had taken angst against the race, abusing marshals and threatening to first drive into the race, then use his hedge cutter to spread debris on the road; choosing to act on the latter in the closing laps.
Davies’ misfortune brought the race back together as the bell rang, Hartley going on one final attack and getting a 25 second gap on the chasing group of eleven with only 8km remaining.
As the heavens really opened, the Sheffield rider pushed on, aided by his brother Jack dropping anchor behind and disrupting the chase, allowing Hartley to solo to a memorable win.
Behind Thomas Doig attacked late on to claim an excellent second place, while fast finisher Matt King took the sprint for third.
James Hartley capped off his time with Cycling Sheffield by taking a stunning solo win in the Leicester Forest CC Road Race, crossing the line in pouring rain after thunderstorms and a series of punctures marred the final third of the race.
Featured image: Emma Wilcock
Report
Hartley, who moves to France to race with Team Bricquebec Contentin in 2025, was aggressive throughout, starting the race on the front front, playing an active role during the skirmishes in the first three of the 14 and ¾ laps, as Ryedale GP winner Tom Williams (Saint Piran) seemed determined to get away, trying a number of attacks.
A move did go on the fourth lap, however it didn’t contain Williams, as Hartley, Jonny Britton (Moonglu RT), Thomas Doig (Primera-TeamJobs), Bernard Galea (SPRNT) and James Satoor (Bridgnorth Cycling Club) established a 50 second lead, as some riders in the bunch began to find the strong pace too hot.
Olivier Mangham (Richardsons Trek-DAS), Dean Watson (Wold Top The Edge Pactimo) and Matt Clarke (Bridgnorth Cycling Club) attacked from the peloton in pursuit, however they were unable to make up much time past their initial effort as the race came to life behind, last year’s winner Clay Davies and on the day entrant Matt King (X-Speed United) going on the charge.
With the halfway point approaching Jonny Britton was dropped from the leading quintet, while behind King and Davies had been swallowed up by a group containing Bradley Symonds (Saint Piran), Jack Hartley (Cycling Sheffield), Casper Brazier (Trash Mile), Sam Llewelyn (PB Performance), Ãlvaro Trivino Martinez (London Dynamo), John Bardsley (360 Cycling) and Clarke, with the two groups merging to create a 13 man leading group soon after.
The leaders worked well together as their advantage extended, the bunch behind cracking under the pressure. Their number was almost equal to the front group as riders continued to make last ditch efforts to bridge across.
With five laps to go Hartley made his first effort to go clear, breaking the harmony in the leading group and stringing it out as riders fought to stay on level terms, Symonds and Davies among the few able to do so.
The upping of the tempo saw Satoor dropped, and as the group came back together, Symonds was the next to attack. Going solo, he provoked a reaction from the dogged Hartley, who dragged a dangerous group to Symonds, including Clarke and Davies, as well as his brother Jack, handing the advantage to Cycling Sheffield, and the Hartleys.
With less than two laps to go the leading five continued to push on, heavy rain now falling with less than 20km to race. A double puncture scuppered Davies’ chances, the British Cycling number one ranked rider commenting the grippy roads, recently chipped, were “like riding on razor blades”, questioning how many more riders had suffered the same fate.
However, there was more to Davies’, and other riders’, plight, as it transpired a local farmer had taken angst against the race, abusing marshals and threatening to first drive into the race, then use his hedge cutter to spread debris on the road; choosing to act on the latter in the closing laps.
Davies’ misfortune brought the race back together as the bell rang, Hartley going on one final attack and getting a 25 second gap on the chasing group of eleven with only 8km remaining.
As the heavens really opened, the Sheffield rider pushed on, aided by his brother Jack dropping anchor behind and disrupting the chase, allowing Hartley to solo to a memorable win.
Behind Thomas Doig attacked late on to claim an excellent second place, while fast finisher Matt King took the sprint for third.
Results
Provisional only – awaiting official results.
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