Richard and Anthony in the points at the Ken Lush

What a difference a week makes - a warm sunny day made for an altogether more pleasant race this week for our National B duo.

Richard was as watchful as ever but a touch less restless than usual in the opening laps as

A few more points on the board: Ant relaxes post-milkshake

a succession of accelerations failed to make any impression on the main group. When a move went with 5 to go though, he was caught out as it drifted away up the road. Cue a flurry of counter moves which were predictably brought back by attentive team mates of the eight escapees and a lap later the break was well established with around a minute of cushioning.

As the attacks died down, Richard picked his moment and chipped off the front with four others to establish a chase group. Within a lap, they had a minute on the bunch with another 1:30 to the leading group: "It was hard but manageable," says Richard. "Just!"

The bunch was starting to break up under the strain of the pace as patience wore thin, and when another rider attacked off the front, Anthony went with him: "I knew Rich was away, and initially it was just a case of following the wheel and seeing where we went," he recalls."But people were tiring so it was nice when I realised we had a clear gap and there were only two of us."

So with two of our riders in the three front groups, it came down to how much everyone had left by the finish. Richard came in 12th and Ant 15th: "Nice morning out," concluded Richard. "We treated ourselves to a milkshake on the way home!"

Duncan Murray Wines Road Race - Wood in the top 10

Richard going early again

bit messy: Anthony Morris in a wet bunch

Whilst a number of our riders were taking a not-particularly-deserved weekend off racing, Anthony and Richard were in action at the Duncan Murray Wines Road Race yesterday.

Although our training circuit at Cublington is less than an hour away from this race, the conditions were very different.

The race-shy contingent had barely a drop of rain to contend with whilst the racers were soaked in a dramatic deluge. Who said the sun shines on the righteous?

Richard kicked off with a characteristically early move. As happened at our own Road Race 2 weeks ago, a gap was quickly established with the bunch deciding to grant the break some rope. After all, they always come back don't they? Well they did then...

Richard in the front as a bridging group with some big engines claws its way up

With the heavens open, he got some good use out of his Acquaviva short sleeve and the momentum of the break continued, opening out to 1:30, although 1:30 was as big as the gap would get. so maybe the bunch was policing it?

Well, yes they were keeping an eye, but not, as it turns out, close enough. Richard's early move picked up a few strong guys who bridged mid-race and added to the collective effort, numbering 11 in total by the final lap. 

With that combined strength, they managed to stay away but as increasingly desperate attacks off the front of the bunch came thick and fast late on the final lap, the breakaway started to disintegrate. Richard was pretty depleted after yet another all-race escape  but still managed 9th. "That was quite a morning out," he laughed afterwards. "A bit messy, but it was a great workout and my legs will feel that tomorrow. It definitely emptied the tank!"

Anthony rolled in with the bunch: "Not my kind of weather,"he joked. "Maybe it'll be summer next week!"

Thanks to Haigh Photography for the photos