Steve Coates race report for the We Love mountains Racing Team at the North Yorkshire Evening Road Race League Series event no. 6 at Kirby Misperton, Malton, North Yorkshire on the 26th July 2012.
The final race of a road race series jointly promoted by Clifton CC, York Cycleworks and Malton Wheelers, meaning there was more at stake than just the evening’s race result. There was also a number of riders present who had gained their Cat 2 licences, but having entered the series were there to prove a point, if not pick up licence points (Cat 2 riders cannot gain BC points from regional B races).
Rock Racing team had at least 10 riders in the race and seemed to be taking turns attacking, although some of their riders did a decent job of chasing down their team mates. Numbers don’t count for everything, as would unfold!
I felt pretty good and decided to ride aggressively and try to get in a break, having nearly succeeded in staying away on this course a month ago. After a couple of laps of this and not getting anywhere I had a little break and then on the last lap went hard from the bell, knowing that two small climbs early in each lap had been stretching the bunch out and hoping that things might get split up.
A couple of times riders joined me and gave up as the bunch closed in. Each time they did though I went again and with about three miles to go I was alone with about 300m /20s gap. Fairly inevitably I got caught with about ¾ of a mile remaining, including a short steep hill to the finish. So, I stayed near the front and emptied the tank in the sprint managing 7th, there was three of us very difficult to separate for 6th, 7th and 8th. It was great to have a strong ride and have good legs, even though I do say so myself! Lewis Jackson from Cottingham Couriers took the sprint, who was also riding solo.
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