Stage 1 - 60miles based around Morpeth

The race started in the centre of Morpeth at a Youth Sports day. All the children cheered us off. This was truly taking the race to the public as we rode a short lap around the sports field before setting off on our 60 miles. The race rode out of the busy streets under a neutralised flag, on the outskirts the race started properly. We raced out to a circuit which we completed seven time. The pack stayed together until the 6th lap, when a strong group started to go clear. This included newly crownd national champion Julian Winn, John Tanner, Anthony Malarczyk, Neil Swithenbank, Zak Toogood and Dave Cook. I was talking with Phil Evans and he said that he thought the group was the winning move. I moved up the pack and then thought, "I think Phil is right!" I attacked after the group, only Mark Lovatt got on my wheel and we were soon in the leading group. We all worked together but only had a slim lead of about 20 seconds. We still had almost 20 miles to go. We managed to hold this gap right to the line. Then after a few attacks it came down to a sprint. Julian Winn won from John Tanner. I took 3rd place which I was pleased with.

Stage 2 - 8.8mile individual timetrial

Less than an hour and a half from finishing the first stage the first riders were off on the TT. The start order was not on how you finished in the morning but on your start number. This meant I was off 10th. Many riders had a look at the circuit but there was not really time of me being off so soon. I looked at a map before setting off and had a good idea of were I was going in my head. There were many special timetrial bikes out with fast wheels and tri bars. I had bolted some little spinachy tri bars on my road bike. I built up my effort in the first mile then road comfortably hard for the rest of the way around (in zone 5). I finished 6th! 42 seconds behind winner Winn.

Timetrial result

1st     Julian Winn              Pinarello RT                17:07
2nd    Antony Malarczyk    Atom Elite                   17:17
3rd    Kevin Dawson          Compensation Group  17:20     
4th    John Tanner             Compensation Group   17:46
5th    Gethin Butler            Preston Wheelers        17:48
6th    Barrie Clarke            Helly Hansen - Giant     17:49  

Stage 3 - Sunday  89miles

Today started and finished in Morpeth but to make the 89 miles we rode out to Elsdon, descending the Gibbet, climbed Bilsmoor before doing a loop then retraced out tracks. Climbing Bilsmoor (the hard side), then struggling up Elsdon Gibbet. To finish we did a 15 mile lap after crossing the finishline the first time. 
A group of three escaped after twenty miles, this had leader Julian Winn, Mark Lovatt and Dave Cook. It was a long way to the finish. The pack chased then eased of the next 40 miles. The gap was never that big, always less than two minutes. At one point it was down to less than 30 seconds, then there was a lull in the chase and the gap grew again. On the climb back up Bilsmoor Dave Cook was dropped by the leaders. In the pack a small group had opened a gap, this was being pushed on by Oli Beckingsale and John Tanner. I was in it with maybe 5 others. When we hit the Gibbet climb, Oli and John were pushing the pace again, this time only Phil Dixon and I stayed with them. We had a gap over the top but there was a big tail wind. In the next 5 miles we tried to open a bigger gap but the pack closed us down. We reached the finishline for the first time still with the two leaders at about two minutes. There were various little attacks which all came to nothing before a good group formed with 12 miles to go. This contained John Tanner, Chris Young, David Clarke and I. John Tanner was going hard! The gapped opened up behind and closed in front. At the line Mark Lovatt won, Julian Winn 2nd then at 1:03, my group of 4 came in. I finished 5th. The gap behind was 44 seconds to the bunch - Phil Dixon won the sprint. This time gained was enough to move me up passed Anthony Malarczyk, but Mark Lovatt had gained enough time to pass me. I finished 4th overall.

stage 3 result

1st       Mark Lovatt    Compensation Group       3:33:03
2nd     Julian Winn     Pinarello RT                     3:33:03
3rd      David Clarke  ACBB Paris                      3:34:06
4th      John Tanner   Compensation Group        3:34:06
5th      Barrie Clarke  Helly Hansen - Giant          3:34:06
6th      Chris Young   Marie Curie                       3:34:06
7th      Phil Dixon      Y2K                                  3:34:50

Overall

1st  Julian Winn, 2nd Mark Lovatt, 3rd John Tanner, 4th Barrie Clarke, 5th Anthony Malarczyk

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