Cycling Pro Road & Mtb

Cycling News: Dempster sprints to CiCLE Classic victory

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Parent Category: Cycling Pro Road & Mtb

Category: News Cycling Pro Road & Mtb 2011

Published on Monday, 18 April 2011 20:38

Written by Luca Salvatelli

Showing the strength and speed that took him to a cycling World title for his home country of Australia, Zak Dempster, Rapha-Condor-Sharp shot out of the remaining 18 man group to win this years TESCO / CNP sports nutrition sponsored Rutland – Melton international CiCLE Classic in Melton’s Sherrard Street last Sunday.

With the greatest foreign participation yet in the event, the CiCLE Classic set out under bright sunshine and an almost party atmosphere from Oakham Town centre, 172 riders set out on the initial two laps of Rutland Water in search of the coveted CiCLE Classic crown, being defended by Denmark’s Michael Berling, winner on 2010. From the outset however the speed was high and by the time the riders raced back through Oakham again after just 28 miles, with Geoffrey Deresmes of the French Eseg-Douai team taking the sprint award offered by Cavell’s of Oakham, the race was already five minutes ahead of schedule.

As the race reached the narrow roads around Somerby and Owston the main bunch began to fragment with many riders now beginning to feel the speed as the race was spearheaded by Berling’s Glud & Marstrand Team aswell as the French squad. Berling himself showing his power with strong performances at the first two hill sprints sponsored this year by Corporate Ascents.com.

But unlike other years when the bunch has broken into many small groups early in the race, this year a large and effective bunch stayed together at the front of the race depite constants attack. Possibly the warm, dry and fast conditions being experienced on even the off road sectors enabling regrouping to take place, after each acceleration from the leaders. But just as the potential of any breakaway gaining any distance was doubted, and as the race approached the feared first passage of ‘Somerberg,’ all changed as Spaniard Javier Pomares (KTM-Murcia) suddenly raced clear and took a lead which reached one minute and lasted for 15 miles before finally being reeled in.

While the continuing undulations of the challenging Owston, Burrough-on-the hill circuit began to reduce the numbers in the lead group it was not until nearly 80 miles covered that another rider was allowed to go clear, with this time the French Eseg-Douai team responsible for the new leader. Racing clear just before the final passge of OIwston; once again packed with specatators enjoing the BBQ and the village fete atmosphere; Leo Fortin moved quickly to a lead that reached one minute and 45 seconds with only 14 miles of the 106 miles race remaining. Fortin looked to be riding to a solo and classic victory in front of the massive crowd assembled in the centre of Melton. But he had not bargained for the chasing group, now comprising just 23 riders increasing its tempo as they left the A606 for the last time on their way towards Whissendine. As the village loomed into view the chasers also saw their prey, and what had looked a significant lead dwindled and disappeared. With the prospect that the race would have the nearest to a bunch sprint finish that it has ever had, several riders tried without joy to go clear, as each in the leading group sensed that they could possibly still win this most prestigious of races on the British road racing calendar.

With teams like Motorpoint-Marshalls and Rapha-Condor –Sharp each having multiple riders in the lead group, tactics began to play a great part and whilst the foreign riders were in a majority, they lacked the potential strength of these two British squads. The most notable omission from the group however was last years winner Berling who despite his confident words at the start was having and ‘ off day.’

As usual the final special sector of Sawgate Lane just before the final rapid descent of Burton Road took a hand in the outcome as three riders punctured and gave up their chance of the win. But with 18 riders practically beginning their sprinting 500m from the line Rapha-Condor showed at the front as the main driving force, and placing their best sprinter, Dempster, into second place rounding of the sharp right hand bend into Sherrard Street, Dempster did not disappoint his team mates and raced over the finish line to win the race, ahead of Belgium’s, Erwin De Kerf (Hand-in-Hand) and Polands Marcin Bialoblocki (Motorpoint-Marshals Pasta).

Once again the CiCLE Classic showed its tremendous popularity with more than ever numbers of spectators at the roadside along the 106 miles tortuous route.

Fortin was rewarded for his aggressive riding by winning the Corporate Ascents.com ‘King of the Bergs’ competition from Berling, with the Motorpoint –Marshalls-Pasta taking the Melton Building Society Team competition.

Speaking after the race, Race Director was complimentary of the support that the race has received over the past seven years and the way in which the race has become such an important part of the local sporting scene,. “ When we set out with the first race in 2005, we believed that we had a race which had the potential to be special. But what it has become has exceeded even our own expectations. We are grateful to TESCO and CNP who as our new sponsors this year have kept the race alive. But also we have to praise Dolmio (Mars UK 0, Manor Farm Feeds , the Melton Building Society, and Tim Norton Motors of Oakham for their long term support which helps sustain the event year on year. This years race has again proved how popular it has become, both nationally and internationally as well as locally and we are already thinking ahead to 2012, the nations Olympic year, when we hope to be even bigger and better for all those who now enjoy seeing this annual event.”

Brief Results.

1. Zak Dempster (Rapha Condor Sharp) 105 miles in 4 hours 9 minutes 56 seconds
2. Erwin De Kerf (Hand in Hand Espoirs)
3. Marcin Bialoblocki (Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta)
4. Johnny McEvoy (Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta)
5. Jose Ramirez (KTM Murcia)
6. Tomas Okrouhlicky (AC Sparta Praha)
7. Kinch Llewelyn (GWR Team Swindon Cycles)
8. Kasper Linde (Glud & Marstrand)
9. Lasse Bochmann (Glud & Marstrand)
10. David Clarke (Endura) All same time

90 finishers in total within the 15 minute time limit.