Smart's tactics lead to premier road win

ROB SMART claimed his first-ever road race win with victory in the Guernsey Velo Club's Liberation Day event. He rode a superb race, using his climbing to good effect on the punishing five-and-three-quarter laps of L'Eree circuit.

For the first time, it was handicapped in order to give the less-experienced riders a greater chance of making it to the finish with the leaders.

However, once the scratch group containing Smart, Paul Brehaut, Tony Bleasdale, Stuart Le Tissier, Danny Guillemette and Alan Rowe got into their stride in the first couple of laps, the writing was on the wall for those riders given an advantage by the handicappers.

The race was a war of attrition, with the first group on the road suffering on the ascent of Pleinmont: as such, virtually all of them failed to finish.

Commonwealth Games triathlete Sam Herridge was one notable exception, however: in her first road race, she proved more than a match for her companions, riding strongly in her group.

By the fourth lap, the fast pace being set by Smart, Brehaut, Bleasdale and Guillemette started to pay off when the 12-minute deficit was reduced to one.

The catch came at the top of Pleinmont and from that point, attacks came thick and fast in an attempt to thin out the group. The tactic worked and approaching the final climb of the day, five riders remained out in front: Smart, Brehaut, Le Tissier, Bleasdale and Rowe.

The false flat at the top of the final climb proved a useful launch pad for Smart who put in a volley of attacks over the top. Initially, there was no reaction until Brehaut and then Le Tissier replied, bridging the gap after a long chase. Bleasdale and Rowe attempted the same but between them did not have the firepower to catch the three leaders.

Approaching the finish, it was Smart who was first to react. Starting his sprint with around 200 metres to go, he remained unchallenged to the line.

Brehaut pipped Le Tissier for second place, with Bleasdale winning the sprint for fourth from Rowe.

Guillemette, not concerned with contesting the sprint, gave sixth place to Bowditch, with Herridge finishing in a superb eighth place. Tracey Dowinton and Tim Holmes rounded off the top 10.

The support races consisted of a three-quarter-lap time trial for the under-14s and a one-and-three-quarter-lap one for the under-16 riders. Alex Falla rode strongly to win the former in 19min. 13sec., while Nathan Baudains took victory in the latter with 36-44, with James McLaughlan pushing Baudains all the way for a close second place from James Cameron.