Current Junior World Cyclo-Cross Champion, Seventeen-year-old Tom Pidcock solos to victory in the penultimate round of the 2017 Tour Series in Durham.
Winner of the Junior Paris-Roubaix earlier this year Pidcock [PH Mas Paul Milnes Oldfield] had time for a bike change before the final couple of laps with Conor Swift [Madison Genesis] and Alister Slater [JLT Condor] chasing him down.
The pair had survived crashes on the slippery wet surface with mechanicals and punctures all over the place.
They were part of a twenty or so group of riders that settled into the lead group after fifteen minutes of racing had unfolded.
Around the midway point, Pidcock took off and no-one could follow his move. Pidcock stretched his lead to almost half-a-lap passing many riders one-by-one.
The final chase for the win came with around fifteen minutes remaining as the group blew apart leaving Swift and Slater working hard together, getting to with-in ten seconds in the closing stages of the race.
Pidcock had plenty of time to celebrate his impressive victory in Durham in only his second ride in this Tour Series.Eyes were then on Madison Genesis and JTL Condor as they battled through grimy conditions for the team competition with riders all over the place. Both Madison and JLT were well represented in the front group all evening so there was await to find out in which order they would cross the line.
Swift crossed the line in second place but JLT’s Slater, Lampier and Briggs were next to follow, giving them the team win on the night.
JLT extend their lead to three points going into the final round in Stevenage on Bank Holiday Monday 29th May.
Rory Townsend [BIKE-Channel Canyon] set the Brother fastest lap of 2:15.407
Wheelbase Altura MGD finished off as the Northern Guest Team competition winners.
Individual Race Result
1, Tom Pidcock, GBR, PH Mas – Paul Milnes – Oldfield, 29-laps, 1:11:56.881
2, Connor Swift, GBR, Madison Genesis, + 5.959
3, Ali Slater, GBR, JLT Condor, + 10.325
4, Steve Lampier, GBR, JLT Condor, + 1:18.673
5, Graham Briggs, GBR, JLT Condor, + 1:18.910
6, Johnny McEvoy, GBR, Madison Genesis, + 1:19.653
7, Richard Handley, GBR, Madison Genesis, + 1:22.204
8, Liam Holohan, GBR, Metaltek Kuota, + 1:24.807
9, Kristian House, GBR, ONE Pro Cycling, + 1:27.562
10, Ed Clancy, GBR, JLT Condor, + 1:28.852
11, Dylan Hughes, GBR, Scotland, + 1.55.621
12, All plus 1 lap
Team Standings, post-Round Nine
1, JLT Condor, 92pts
2, Madison Genesis, 89pts
3, BIKE Channel Canyon, 76pts
4, ONE Pro Cycling, 74pts
5, Team Raleigh GAC, 66pts
6, Metaltek Kuota, 50pts
7, Morvelo Basso, 43pts
Wiggle Points Standings, post-Round Nine
1, Sebastian Mora, ESP, Team Raleigh GAC, 84pts
2, Brenton Jones, AUS, JLT Condor, 42pts
3, James Lowsley-Williams, GBR, BIKE Channel Canyon, 40pts
Brother Fastest Lap
Rory Townsend, GBR, BIKE Channel Canyon, 2:15.407