IT HAS been a tremendous two weeks for Petersfield cyclist Philip Peters who rides for Portsmouth based i-team.cc, culminating in an excellent third place in a road race at Owlsebury near Southampton, beating quite a few second category riders.
Philip is a 17-year-old junior rider but managed to keep up with the leaders who were aged 23 and upwards. Two riders got away early on, and there were lots of little short climbs which took their toll on the majority. Many drifted off the back suffe
ring cramp and general tiredness.
Philip sat near the front sheltering from all those problems. With a mile to go to the finish he looked at his companions and knew he would lose out on the sprint finish, but with a sharp left-hander approaching he darted down on the inside line catching them by surprise to ride to the finish uncontested.
This race came a week after Philip rode the Ras de Cymru race, a six-stage event in the Welsh Brecon Beacons. The event was in the style of Le Tour de France with a Prologue, team time trial and four hilly 50 to 70 mile road stage. The final stage ended in a gruelling 3.5 mile long climb to the top of a mountain.
Philip was racing with 2nd, 3rd and 4th category men and elite women. Olympic women hopefuls Nicole Cooke, Emma Pooley and Joanna Rowsell were all competing as preparation for Beijing.
Philip was part of a Southern Region team with riders from DHCycles and finished a respectable 38th out of 80 starters, being second junior overall. The experience gained from these events will greatly increase his race craft.
Meanwhile …a3crg riders were busy riding a 10-mile time trial on the A303 on Saturday afternoon with Martin Whitty and Simon Craig from Liss both doing personal bests and Bryce Dyer the club’s fastest rider with a 20min 21sec.
On Sunday another set of riders were in action at Farnham riding a 50-mile time trial, Graeme Stirzaker taking second place, Simon Berogna fifth and Patrick Brennan ninth, giving them the team win. Ben Fielden from Chiddingfold took the second vets prize.
This weekend a large contingent will travel to Wales to contest the 100-mile National Championships. Not all the riders are competing but will be the support for the team, ensuring they are kept well fed and watered during the event.
In the meantime the popular Wednesday evening 10’s continue on the A3 at Greatham starting at 7pm.
DAVID COLLARD-BERRY
The full article contains 433 words and appears in PP-Post Edition newspaper.
