Caesarean Cycling Club rider Chris Spence was in action again at the weekend racing in his last UK race for 2009: the JP's Sussex Border Race 2009, held at Rowlands Castle, Hampshire by Southdown Velo on October 4. Victory went to pre-race favourite Wouter Sybrandy, of the Sigma Sport Team, but Spence finished a creditable sixth.
Forty-three starters lined up for the fourth revival of the Sussex Border Race. The race, which is a tribute to Southdown Velo founder John JP Pendleton, features the steep climbs of the scarp slope of the South Downs with the riders facing 10 climbs including five ascents of the Chaltonberg on a finishing circuit.
Despite the prospect of the hills the riders were keen to press on and by the time the Lavant climb was reached, after 10 miles, four riders had broken clear. Eventual winner Wouter Sybrandy (Sigma Sport), Toby Neave (Southdown Velo), Roy Chamberlain (Team Corley Cycles) and Sam Allen (AW Cycles) had gained a small advantage which they maintained to the Hartingberg climb. Here the group began to facture and two men, Sybrandy and Chamberlain, formed a lead break of two riders, with Chamberlain, Neave and Allen all being absorbed by a much reduced chasing bunch, which featured CCC rider Spence.
In the two man lead break, Roy Chamberlain was unlucky to puncture, but would recover to take fourth at the finish.
It was a compact group of about 25, including Spence, which continued to pursue Sybrandy, the solo rider in the lead. As each climb of the Chaltonberg took its toll more riders struggled to stay in contact. Finally Chris Spence, in a chasing group of six, broke clear and began to close in on Sybrandy. Although they could almost see him by the finish Sybrandy was still clear of the chasing bunch at the line. The chase group jostled for position in the sprint for 2nd place. It was a tight finish, with riders battling neck and neck for the line, where Spence was eventually placed 6th.
“The hills made for a hard race” said Spence “but I was pleased that I made and stayed with the chasing bunch, and am happy with my sixth place, which was a good result. I’m looking forward now to my final event of the season in Majorca next week”.
Spence would like to thank the Caesarean Cycling Club for their continued support.
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JP's Sussex Border Race 2009
Rowlands Castle, Hampshire (Southdown Velo)
October 4, 2009
1st Wouter Sybrandy, Sigma Sport
2nd Raphael Deinhart, CyclingBargains.com
3rd Ashley Cox, Bedfordshire Road CC
4th Chis McNamara, Team Corley Cycles
5th Roy Chamberlain, Team Corley Cycles
6th Chris Spence, Caesarean CC
7th Alexander King, Twickenham CC
8th Danny Axford, Arctic Premier RT
9th Dave Coulson, Team Sabbath Clayton
10th Ben Luckwell, Sports Beans
11th Peter Wager, VC Meudon
12th Simon Brooks, VC St Raphael
13th Sam Allen, AW Cycles
14th Richard Cartland, Team Corley Cycles
15th Sebastian Ader, a3CRG
16th Philip Peters, DH Cyclesport
=17th Grant Bayton, Sports Beans
=17th Ishmael Burdeau, www.agiskoviner.com
=17th Nick Watson, Hardly Athletic CC
=17th Matt Ullmer, Qoroz - Novatec
21st Simon Henley, Team Corely Cycles
22nd Andy Rivett, VC St Raphael
23rd Harry Bulstrode, DHC Cyclesport
24th Toby Neave, Southdown Velo
25th Simon Ernest AW Cycles
26th Paul Caton, Anders TMG Horizon RT
27th Ian Rees, Team Type 1
28th James Lowden Lewes Wanderers
29th Rob Marcus, VC Godalming
30th Joe Hemmant, London Dynamo
31st Steve Dring, Team Echelon
32nd Steve Atkinson, South Downs Bikes
33rd Tim Benham, DH Cyclesport
34th Keith Jarrett, VC Meudon
35th Phil Burnett, Mosquito Bikes
36th Nigel Carpenter, Norwood Paragon CC
37th Andrew Hitching, Norwood Paragon CC
38th Niall Pugin, Norwood Paragon CC
39th Kevin Davey, Norwood Paragon CC
40th Stuart Thompson, Behind the Bikeshed
43 starters |
