Alex Pritchard (DAS-Richardsons) put on a display of strength and guile, taking advantage of tired legs amongst the field to win the Sherpa Performance Stage Race after an attritional final stage around Abberton Reservoir was won by Jake Hales (Ride Revolution Coaching).
The action-packed road race rounded off a brutal final day, following a no-holds barred road bike time trial on the same course won by Gabe Dellar (Primera-TeamJobs).
Reports
Stage 3
After Saturday’s two circuit races, overnight race leader Phil Large (Wold Top Pactimo) was the last rider off in the morning’s 8km road bike time trial as the general classification shot into life.
A four-time National B road race winner in 2024, Dellar had kept a low profile round Colchester’s Northern Gateway Sports Park yesterday but made his presence felt on the lanes around Abberton Reservoir. He conquered the crosswinds and used the tailwind to his advantage up the tough ramp in the final kilometre to set a time of 9:47 – a warning shot to his competitors as he set the time to beat early on Sunday morning.
Time trial specialist Alex Pritchard showed well yesterday, winning the bunch sprint for 5th on the second stage, and was among the first of the big names to challenge Dellar. The DAS-Richardsons rider measured his effort well to record a time just north of ten minutes, and crucially keep his powder as dry as possible for the afternoon.
With strong times from Bernard Galea (Primera-TeamJobs), points classification leader Callum Laborde (Ornata Factory Racing), Josh Horsfield (Reflex Nopinz) and Simon Alexander (DAS-Richardsons) all landing them in the top ten and in contention for the GC, only Timothy Strickland (GTFA) and race leader Large were left to challenge Dellar. The former, more accustomed to a hill climb effort, recorded a time just two seconds off that of the Primera-TeamJobs rider, propelling himself into the overall race lead. Large battled to a time of 10:17, 30 seconds adrift of Dellar, but enough to keep him in the hunt for overall honours.
The win was Dellar’s first of the season but with 25 riders finishing within a minute of him, all would be to play for in the afternoon’s road race on much of the same course. Strickland headed into the final stage as an unlikely leader, with 127km between him and the biggest win of his career.
Stage 4
Jake Hales sprinted to stage glory as Alex Pritchard took the General Classification in a thrilling, attritional road race to cap off a brutal weekend of aggressive racing.
The race started in typical fashion with a break instantly establishing itself. The bunch, and race leader Strickland, found themselves leaning on Primo RT, with team rider Oliver Curd sat in second place, to do the lion’s share of chasing.
While the initial break was caught, the attacks continued to go with tired legs from the morning’s time trial eventually forcing a split as 18 riders made the front group their own. Race leader Strickland was the biggest casualty of those left behind.
With rain falling sporadically, conditions under the wheels were sketchy at times. Galea decided that the head of the race was the place to be as he made the most of his Primera-TeamJobs strength in numbers, attacking hard and putting Curd, now the virtual leader, under pressure.
Sending the danger, Pritchard and Dellar bridged across with the race blowing to pieces until a stalemate ensued in the wind on the far side of the course. Pritchard was determined however, attacking again with Jake Hales, who had bridged across, still with 40km remaining.
With the remains of the early break still ahead, the pair worked well together, rouleur Pritchard doing the lion’s share of the work with the GC in mind, Hales offering him a rest in the wheel on the faster sections, eyeing the stage win.
The pair caught the remnants of that early break just after the bell with just 10km remaining, a six man leading group now containing James Chapman (PB Performance), Sam Walsham (Reflex Nopinz), Jack Batholomew (Stolen Goat RT), and John Bardsley (360Cycling) ready to battle it out for the stage. Pritchard continued to drive the group forward, confident he would have enough time to take the GC win with the team cars remaining in the gap behind them.
With tired legs all round, Pritchard led out the sprint, eager to eek out every second possible, the Cambridge rider sacrificing four seconds at the line as the rest of the group opened their efforts with the finish in sight. Veteran Hales proved he still has a powerful kick, crossing the line first to take the stage win ahead of Chapman and Walsham, a tired Pritchard trailing home in 6th, waiting nervously for the next riders to appear.
Over two minutes later Dellar would come into view, sprinting home behind last year’s final stage winner Sean Dawson (Bridgnorth Cycling Club), handing the overall victory to Pritchard, with breakaway companions Bardsley and Walsham rounding out the podium – reward for their effort, and risk, in attacking early.
The victory marks a comeback of sorts for Pritchard, his first National B triumph since a Type One Diabetes diagnosis in April, the 2024 Rás Tailteann stage winner using his experience to measure his effort over the weekend.
“You could say that!” He laughed when asked if his win proves he’s more than just a time trial specialist. “I made sure not to burn too many matches on day one and in the TT,” he continued. “It was really good racing, that course is more attritional than you think.”
Results
Stage 3
Stage 4
General Classification
| Pos | Rider | Team | Time | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexander Pritchard | DAS Richardsons | 5:04:24 | +60 |
| 2 | John Bardsley (U23) | 360 cycling | +20″ | +52 |
| 3 | Sam Walsham | Reflex Nopinz | +22″ | +45 |
| 4 | James Chapman | Team PB Performance | +28″ | +40 |
| 5 | Jake Hales | Ride Revolution Coaching | +37″ | +35 |
| 6 | Gabriel Dellar | Primera-TeamJobs | +1′45″ | +31 |
| 7 | Oliver Curd (U23) | Primo RT | +2′17″ | +27 |
| 8 | Philip Large | Wold Top Pactimo | +2′26″ | +23 |
| 9 | Callum Laborde (U23) | Ornata Factory Racing | s.t. | +20 |
| 10 | Sean Dawson | Bridgnorth Cycling Club | +2′52″ | +17 |
| 11 | Bernard Galea | Primera-TeamJobs | +2′56″ | +15 |
| 12 | Joshua Horsfield | Reflex Nopinz | +2′59″ | +13 |
| 13 | Thomas Lewis | BCC Race Team | +3′12″ | +11 |
| 14 | Hugh Aubrey (U23) | Beeston Cycling Club | +3′30″ | +9 |
| 15 | William Pollard (U23) | Team PB Performance | +3′33″ | +7 |
| 16 | Euan Campbell | Royal Air Force CA | +3′41″ | +6 |
| 17 | Kieran Jarvis | Optimum Coaching | +4′16″ | +5 |
| 18 | Colin Ward | Primo RT | +9′59″ | +3 |
| 19 | George Gould | Watford Velo Sport | +13′36″ | +2 |
| 20 | James McCormick | Finchley Racing Team | +16′35″ | +1 |
| 21 | Joel Hurt (U23) | Moonglu SpatzWear | s.t. | +0 |
| 22 | Jack Bartholomew | StolenGoat Race Team | +18′27″ | +0 |
| ⚠️ DNF | Simon Alexander | DAS Richardsons | — | 0 |
| ⚠️ DNF | Mark Barningham | ViCiOUS VELO | — | 0 |
| ⚠️ DNF | Max Bolton | Oxford University Cycling Club | — | 0 |
| ⚠️ DNF | Charlie Crawt | Primo RT | — | 0 |
| ⚠️ DNF | Oliver Featherstone | League of Swindon Cycles RT | — | 0 |
| ⚠️ DNF | Aaron Freeman | Schils – Doltcini Racing Team | — | 0 |
| ⚠️ DNF | Danny Hedley | Royal Air Force CA | — | 0 |
| ⚠️ DNF | Dexter Mansel-Thomas | Schils – Doltcini Racing Team | — | 0 |
| ⚠️ DNF | Ian McCaul | Le Col Race Team | — | 0 |
| ⚠️ DNF | Ian Perry | Schils – Doltcini Racing Team | — | 0 |
| ⚠️ DNF | Freddy Pett | Wold Top Pactimo | — | 0 |
| ⚠️ DNF | Thomas Reynolds | Army Cycling Union | — | 0 |
| ⚠️ DNF | Adam Robertson | Ride Revolution Coaching | — | 0 |
| ⚠️ DNF | Timothy Strickland | GFTL | — | 0 |
| ⚠️ DNF | Richard Summerbell | Royal Air Force CA | — | 0 |
