Stafford GP – Crit Race

Last Wednesday night Stafford hosted a round of the Elite Circuit Race Series. This criterium race around the town center is tight with many 90 degree bends. It encourages breakaways and exciting racing. http://staffordgp.co.uk/

I’ve been meaning to go for the last couple of years, either as a marshal or spectator. This year I picked up Holly from swimming early and we made an evening of it.

The Stafford cycling community was out in force, with familiar faces in every direction. Eventually we settled for a position on the barriers just before the finish to get the best views of the action.

We arrived to see the end of the youth races and it was good to see so many Lichfield City Cycling Club ‘zipvit’ jerseys flying round, which has encouraged Holly to want to re-join and start their training nights again!

There was lots of pzzaz pre-start with sign on, each rider being given a union jack / BC flag to give out. To get Holly involved I managed to get Rapha Condor Sharp’s – Dean Downing’s attention and got his for Holly thinking he would be mixing it up the front and he did not disappoint. We also were supporting local Metaltech Scott http://www.metaltekscott.com rider Matt Gee. Its worth remembering that the difference in support for the various riders varies hugely: Matt turned up at the race straight from a full day’s work !

The track was still damp and slippery from rain earlier as the riders strung out from the gun behind the TV bike but immediately Graham Briggs and Rico Rogers broke away. The chasing pack stayed 10 seconds to 20 seconds behind for the whole race. At ¾ distance the heavens opened and the rain caused a number of crashes. Rapha Condor put the hammer down in the last 5 laps trying to catch but Briggs and Rogers held their lead with Briggs taking the sprint finish. All very exciting….

For more details on the remaining rounds of the series see http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/elitecircuitseries