Vecchi Glory for Wilson

The Vets team, Ciclisti Vecchi, rode the Epson Spring Classic on the Henfold Hill course. The A/B race for 'younger' Vets featured a good field including Vecchis Colin Addison, Keith Jarrett, Terry Morgan and Craig Wilson.

After 7 miles of the 55 mile race Colin Roshier and another broke away. A chasing group of 5 formed with Craig Wilson managing to creep into the move. After 20 miles of chasing the two groups linked up with a lead of over 1 minute on the Vecchi marshalled bunch (last year's green jersey Andrew Meilak had missed the move and was sweating by now). Into the last 20 miles the break eased back and the bunch sensing an opportunity rapidly closed so that with 10 miles to go the whole race came back together.

Despite numerous attacks and counter attacks the bunch remained intact. Terry Morgan was showing a fine return to form making a number of efforts to bridge across to breakaways only for them to be reabsorbed by the bunch. With a mile to go Colin Addison launched a desperate attack.( Ed: intended only to soften up the bunch in preparation for a Wilson sprint, but turned into cramp-ridden clammer for the line)

Into the last corner he still had 50 yards but on the slight climb to the finish the bunch swallowed him up. Craig Wilson managed to sprint clear to win from Andrew Meliak and Colin Roshier with Vecchis Keith Jarrett in 4th and Terry Morgan in 5th. With Craig winning the race overall and Keith and Terry placing it also meant that the Vecchis finished 1,2 and 3 in the B race with a honourable mention in dispatches for Colin Addison's fine last minute attack.

After the race Wilson and Addison commented that they had no concerns that they had peaked too early and that they saw the race as fine tuning for the big one - next weeks trip to Majorca. Colin commented "With my new found form I am looking forward to giving the youngsters a really hard time in the Tramuntana Mountains".


Keith B reports from the E's race
The first race of Tricot series for “D”s had all the usual suspects of ex pros and top amateurs who can read a good race but maybe the legs aren’t quite as they were;

There were numerous attacks throughout the race and the short steep hill had some in trouble but with 10 miles to go the field was still intact. A break of three crept away and seeing the danger the Brooks/Summerfield tandem went across but the rest soon came up and that seemed to be it. However a smart counter move by series favourite John McMillan had all of us watching him creep away with under a lap to go never to be seen again. Three more crept away with half a lap to go and then KB slipped of the front with Shay Giles but the line came too soon and although KB was able to hold off the bunch for 5th we never got up to the leaders.

Colin Summerfield and Phil Masters led the bunch gallop and Paul Shoebridge, who had been in a first lap break and had ridden strongly throughout just got tailed off in the last few miles. With over 60’s Swanson, Packman, Ruffell and El Tel still to show their legs it looks like a good squad for the CVs.