Early sprint secures victory for Bleasdale

TONY BLEASDALE claimed victory in the Guernsey Velo Club's latest road race contested over seven laps of the punishing Coudre circuit. Bleasdale was part of the group of scratch riders that also contained Stuart Le Tissier, Rob Smart, Danny Guillem-ette and Terry Wright, who were handed a seven-minute deficit by the handicappers over the first ones on the road and three minutes to the second, much larger group.

But as the race progressed, the testing climb of the Coudre took its toll and before long Leon Ogier was the only rider out in front of the second group of riders, having dropped his early companions.

The second group containing, among others, Ben Burtenshaw, Josh Gosselin, Matt and John Osborn, Ann Bowditch and Dave Gallienne had initially worked well, but splintered as the pressure was applied on the climbs.

Meanwhile the scratch riders were working well together, gradually eating into the big deficit and on the fifth climb the group, now consisting only of Bleasdale, Smart and Le Tissier, had caught all of those who started before them and begun thinking of individual glory.

It was on the sixth lap that Bleasdale made his move, attacking the group hard at the bottom of the climb and distancing his rivals.

Smart and Le Tissier were the only riders able to respond and joined Bleasdale on the descent of Les Sages.

Approaching the finish the three leaders were keeping a close eye on each other and it was Bleasdale who opened the hostilities.

He started the sprint early and held on to take the win from Le Tissier with Smart third.

Bowditch was the first woman, finishing ahead of Ben Burtenshaw and Josh Gosselin.

Matt Osborn, Leon Ogier, Josh Owen and Mark Batiste all made it into the top 10 with Ogier winning a closely contested sprint for eighth place.

Tim Holmes won the sprint for 11th from Bob Green who was also first veteran ahead of Gallienne.