Le Page snatches third at Reading GP

CHRIS LE PAGE snatched a podium place and Ann Bowditch rode well in the Reading CC Grand Prix road race over 74 kilometres. Bowditch opted to compete against a field of over 70 men, joined only by one other woman rider.

Le Page was looking for a good placing to gain points towards a category three licence and did just that.

He always looked the most comfortable of the four Guernsey riders - Simon Rowe and Mike Dean were also racing - which was to be expected given his greater climbing ability and experience.

On the first climb it looked as if he was about to get into an early break with two other riders as a small gap opened. However, this lasted only a few hundred metres before the force of the peleton pulled them back. Meanwhile riders were dropping off the pack unable to cope with the pace sustained on the climb.

Le Page made a few more attempts to break the pack, one of which was before the climb on lap two, but he nearly paid for his enthusiasm, as he once again got caught by the group.

This time he opted to settle into the pack for a while to recover from his early efforts.

Bowditch is favouring the tougher men's racing as a build-up to her national events and used all her experience to maintain her position within the pack.

She was determined to improve on her performance at the same event two years previously when she lost touch with the peleton on lap one.

Lap three saw more attacks and it was Stewart House who made a lone break. House has a reputation as a strong rider and it was fully expected that his break would be successful.

Meanwhile, Rowe's race finished with a puncture on lap four while on the final time on the A-road Dean was in a crash.

Although there was disappointment for Rowe and Dean, perhaps they will take some confidence away from the fact that they had held their own during the first three laps of the race.

Later on lap four just as the riders came off the A-road, House was caught, leaving the race wide open.

With the finish just 500 metres over the top of the final climb, it was clear that this would suit the lighter but powerful riders and this was to be the case.

The pace was fast from the bottom of the climb and those remaining in the field were scattered over the climb. First and second place were clear and Le Page edged third from four rivals in a photo finish. Bowditch was a few seconds back but happy.

In her capacity as the Velo Club's development officer Bowditch added it was good to have riders prepared to go away and race.

'That is the only way they will progress to a good standard, particularly for those who are looking to compete at Island Games level, otherwise they will have a shock.'