Opener was a ‘shock’ to the system says optimistic Culverwell

The Guernsey professional faced a barren 2020 amid heavy Covid restrictions before losing the business end of 2021 to an untimely crash, but he enters his final year as an U23 targeting that big individual result he has long desired.

Last Sunday’s Dorpenomloop Rucphen in the Netherlands – a UCI 1.2 event over 186km – did not provide that result, but it was by no means a disaster.

The Trinity Racing representative finished 40th and near the tail of a big sprint for second behind breakaway Dutchman Maikel Zijlaard.

‘It was good, but I expect a bit more from myself really,’ he said during a brief visit to Guernsey before racing again tomorrow.

‘Bit of a shock, the first race back, but I’m feeling good and optimistic for what’s to come.’

After missing his intended season opener a week earlier due to an untimely bout of Covid, the 21-year-old’s first assignment proved much more gruelling than its pan-flat nature may suggest.

Constant crossroads and narrow roads presented a real test, with the 175-strong field fighting furiously for positions throughout – this meant crashes ran rife.

Fortunately Culverwell enjoyed a relatively clean ride, save for a tangle when caught behind a crash at 80km.

Several strong sprinters were involved and Trinity had two of their own contending – Luke Lamperti and the aptly-named Blake Quick – so Culverwell sought his own way to win, trying to get into moves for the last 50km.

But he expended a lot of energy doing so and Zijlaard eventually broke away decisively with 12km left, battling solo to triumph in 4hrs 7min. 33sec.

Lamperti cracked the top 10 as the bunch that included Culverwell roared in 4sec. behind, with Quick taking 57th another 14sec. back.

‘Nothing stayed away, so it was just a mass sprint finish,’ the Guernseyman said.

‘Very hectic race, like hugely hectic, and our DS Ian Stannard [a former Team Sky rider] said he’s never seen so many crashes in a race before.

‘Overall, I’d say it was a good performance – the result isn’t great, like 40th is nothing to shout about.

‘I want to try to get in the top 10s of these and go for the wins, but it’s tricky when you have two sprinters in the group and the sprint’s always going to go to them, so I have to find my own ways of trying to win the race and that’s getting in a move that stays away.’

This summer’s Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and Tour of Britain provide prominent targets for the Sarnian.

But his more immediate focus is tomorrow’s Youngster Coast Challenge in Belgium, a U23 event where Culverwell believes ‘anything can happen’.

‘You could win or you could come 100th, as it’s such a lottery. I hope to be up there and have a good go for the win.’