Robin Ovenden from the Caesarean Cycling Club traveled to Sussex to take part in this year’s National B BEC Open Road Race, held on Sunday 10th May 2009. The weather was sunny and near perfect for the 65 riders that started out on the fast undulating 78 mile Lingfield circuit.

With great weather forecast and close proximity to Gatwick, a hop on red-eye and a quick hire car journey was all that was needed.
After a neutralized start to get riders onto the circuit, breaks went from the get-go. A mixed group of elite, category 1, 2 and 3 riders all fought for road position on the tight and winding country road of the Sussex/Kent boarder. Two motorcycle outriders and the race commissaire did a great job to control the bunch as best as possible.

The first climb saw a number of riders, including Robin, attempt to break off the front but were eventually pulled back into the chasing bunch. By the second lap a group of eight riders had managed to detach themselves from the bunch and worked hard throughout the second and third laps to slowly increasing the gap to around 2 minutes. By the beginning of the fourth lap the break had increased the gap to 3 minutes, although the hard work had meant the break now consisted of only 5 riders.

As the main bunch entered lap 4 there was an incident with two horses, which was being ridden in the opposite direction. This caused a large break in the bunch with some riders having to stop totally and some crashing. The Commissaire made the decision to stop the race, bring it back together and release the groups again at the same time intervals.

With the breakaway riders being set off with their existing 4 min break, the bunch were unable to catch them by the finish line. When the main bunch finally came in, Robin crossed the line in a respectable 18th position overall, after some 3 hours of racing.
Of the 65 riders who started only 41 riders completed the full course.

Robin would like to thank the Caesarean Cycling Club for their continued support in the pursuit of qualification for the Commonwealth Games 2010.

Official Results
1 Martin Smith awcycles.co.uk
2 Jon Pain Vc Montpellier
3 Richard Hoult London Dynamo
4 Toby Neave Southdown Velo
5 Andy Betts Sigma Sport

Main Bunch + 4 Min 10 Sec

6 Sam Allen awcycles.co.uk
7 John Heaton-Armstrong Fit-For
8 Peter Dibbon Hargreaves Cycles
9 Jean Spies In Gear Development Squad
10 David Creeggan VC Meudon
11 Simon Lawn Sigma Sport
12 Pete Wager VC Meudon
13 Chris Ansell Team Corridori
14 Matt Ewings Pendragon-Kalas
15 Unclear
16 Nic GWR Team
17 Daniel Rudd Arctic RC
18 Robin Ovenden Caesarean Cycling Club
19 Tony Smedley London Dynamo
20 Warren Jesse Felt Racing
21 Mike Cripps Army CU
22 Daniel Clark Private Member
23 Tim Elverson Felt Racing
24 James Holland-Leader Agiskoviner
25 Justin Callaway DHC / Colnago
26 Colin Roshier Team Quest
27 Andrew Briggs Fit-For
28 Ishmael Burdeau Agiskoviner
29 James Beaumont Kingston Wheelers
30 Stewart Martin Kingston Wheelers
31 Russell Painter Norwood Paragon
32 Kevin Knox Dulwich Paragon CC
33 John McClelland Agiskoviner
34 Mike Wragg Team Milton Keynes
35 Jaco Ehlers De Rosa / MG Décor
36 Peter Bolke DHCyclesport
37 Matt Meadows Met Police CC
38 Robert Stimpson Python RT
39 Ian Alexander Cheltenham and County CC
40 Justin Hoy Felt Racing
41 Conor Dunne Hemel Hempstead CC

Further information and images please see:

http://www.beccyclingclub.co.uk/index.html