Dawes breaks away to win as Jackson shines in UK
THE spectacle of Gibraltar 2019 left a depleted field in its wake as Steve Dawes broke away to victory in Sunday’s CI Road Race at L’Eree.
Dawes’ path to a Guernsey win had come much easier given the lack of visiting Caesarean opposition at the top end, while in Cheshire, ultra-cyclist Paul Jackson was putting the finishing touches to a superb 24-hour outing.
Jackson eventually won his age group and placed 10th overall in the RTTC National 24 Hour Championship as fellow Team Bottrill representative Graham Kemp produced – pending ratification – a new UK all-time best of 544.3 miles.
The Guernsey veteran stood proud after clocking up 485.2 miles and exceeding his 20mph target in the process.
Domestically, Dawes still considered his race a satisfying triumph after breaking away in the last lap of the Perelle Long Circuit.
An early attack allowed a small group to lead and it remained intact until the last four miles of the 48, with the eventual winner working up a decisive lead on the Felconte and then holding it into the windy coastal stretch to finish.
Dawes clocked 2hrs 3min. 27sec. to string out leading veterans Tony Bleasdale and Aaron Bailey, with Andy Gibson coming through strongly to pip Matt Osborn.
‘It panned out better than I thought it would,’ said Dawes.
‘Obviously, with the Island Games, there’s no Jersey guys here and most of our best guys are resting.
‘But it made a change that Bailey was here, because he doesn’t tend to do road races ... it was a good little race.’
