Anthony Chandlen attacks on the final climb

The first road race of the 2009 cycling calendar ended in a closely fought contest on the slopes of Mont Cambrai yesterday morning in the Caesarean Cycling Club’s Handicap Road Race.

VSJ’s Anthony Chandlen was victorious after launching a surprise attack on the final hill that proved decisive. Caesarean Cycling Club’s Ali Cann responded to the attack and, despite falling on the wet road surface of the final hair pin bend, managed to get back on his bike to claim second spot. Triathlete and Velo Sport Jersey’s Nick Le Cocq came in third after a gutsy attacking ride.

CCC’s veteran Simon Fenton showed promising early season form to finish amongst the seniors, taking a fine fourth spot and claiming the first vets' place, with Commonwealth Games hopeful, Robin Ovenden, back in fifth.

Debutee Caesarean and Island badminton star, Kim Ashton, in her first competitive cycling race, claimed victory in the ladies' class by over a minute, with VSJ’s Sam Carney taking the juniors' class with an impressive ride, following a resumption of last season’s battles with club-mate and fellow junior, Steve Haley.

Thirty riders started the race, in three groups, divided by handicap according to age and ability, with five minutes between each group. The Mont Cambrai circuit features a hill-top start and finish, with the route taking in Carrefour Selous, Jersey Lion Park and St Mary’s Village, before a fast descent along the entire length of St Peter’s Valley, finishing with the gruelling ascent of Mont Cambrai. The first group stayed away from both chasing bunches until the fourth lap of six, when the riders in all three groups came back together at Carrefour Selous, and the race was on.

On the penultimate climb it was CCC’s Simon Fenton and VSJ’s Nick Le Cocq who launched the decisive attack that broke the peloton bringing with them Cann, Ovenden, Crowder, Harris, Chandlen and VSJ’s gutsy junior Sam Carney. The leading bunch of eight riders managed to maintain the break, with further attacks to break up the leading bunch still further ensuing, the most concerted efforts coming from seasoned veteran Mike Harris and triathlete Nick Le Cocq.

All came back together in the valley for the leading bunch and the final placings were determined in the sprint for the hill-top line on the gruelling sixth ascent of Mont Cambrai, where Chandlen made the decisive move to take victory. [KP]

Thanks to Allan Miller for organising this event