Lavery leads the escape near Bristol yesterday
Philip Lavery had the misfortune of suffering a puncture yesterday, Sunday, from what proved to be the winning move in just his second outing with his new UK Continental team ’NODE4 Giordana’.
The Dubliner was in very good form in the Severn Bridge Classic near Bristol, taking the KOH classification after winning five of the nine KOH primes on the rolling course.
“I was trucking,” Lavery told stickybottle.
“I went in the breakaway early on and myself and Marcin (team mate Marcin Bialoblocki) just smashed it. We opened up seven minutes with the group. It was ten times up the climb and we kept the pace on. With two laps to go Marcin jumped and I punctured on the last lap trying to bridge across. The race didn't allow team cars to follow and neutral service never came up so I had to rim it to the finish but we got the win so I can't complain.”
Advertisement
The former An Post-Sean Kelly rider said while he was “happy enough” with his form, he was taking a long term view of the season ahead.
“I'm not under any illusions; it’s still early days and I'm just looking to keep building and racing. That's what's important for me. The team understands that and are pushing me to perform to a level and to goals that I set for myself as long as I keep progressing. It’s a long season….”
Lavery was one of ten riders to forge ahead on the second of ten laps yesterday. With some very strong riding by a number of those up front, including Lavery, the gap continued to go out; reaching almost seven minutes at one point.
On the seventh lap, Bialoblocki decided to attack from the breakaway, making his move on the ascent of Old Down Hill just before the start-finish area. He pressed on well alone and at the bell had 45 seconds on the chasers.
Related News
The breakaway split behind, and as Lavery was covering the moves of those trying to get across to Bialoblocki he punctured, his race ended. He was absorbed by a large group well back.
Yesterday’s race followed his season opener at the Eddie Soens Memorial in Aintree, Merseyside, on Saturday where he finished in the bunch.
Severn Bridge Classic
1 Marcin Bialoblocki (NODE4 Giordana Racing)
2 Matthew Jones (Team Corley Cycles) @1.05
3 James Sparling (Team Raleigh – GAC)
4 Colin Parry (Wilier/Live2ride)
5 Dale Appleby (Metaltek-Scott)
6 Robert Smail (Team Wallis CHH) @ 1.07
7 Tom Stockdale (Primal Europe/RUTrainingtoday.co.uk)
8 Tobyn Horton (Team Raleigh – GAC) @4.40
9 Toby Eichler (Wilier/Live2ride) @5.05
10 David Clarke (NODE4 Giordana Racing) @7.05
24 Philip Lavery (NODE4 Giordana Racing) at 8:45
KOM Winner: Lavery
It was typical early season fare yesterday; wet weather and lumpy roads
Topics
