WE TOOK IT! Joe takes the Third stage with the overall control of the race & perfectly formed sprint which gives him the overall GC !

3/4 Race – Myles & Joe

Our ORRL GC lead this season has been flying, claiming podiums on the run into this stage race day, Joe is racing really well and headed into this day needing less than 10 points to gain his 2nd Category license. 49 riders stuck on the racing chips from Eventrex to start the day. The “Blast Crit” was a fast paced race with splits and attacks from the go. Lot’s of ‘cat and mouse’ attacks with riders willing to chase but un-willing to work within the break to form the break. Both Joe and Myles had a strong outing and had appearances off and at the front of the race but finished within the peloton in 26th & 28th respectively.

The TT proposed a completely different effort and mindset, full gas and accept the hurt. I’m quoting Olly with “Full Gas to the second corner, head down and max out to the third corner, just urgh to the final and hope for the best to the finish line“. Joe put down a super strong time which sat him nicely in the hot seat for a while and by the time the last rider rolled in nudged him down to 12th. Myles had put in a strong ride leaving him in 36th.

The two riders took to the field for the last time of the day after around 3 hours rest. An hour and 17s would be the time it took for team owner Stephen to watch the events that unfolded with many emotions.. sitting in the beaming sun with what he’d describe as a soft wind keeping the heat un-noticed watching on as the riders fought for position, attacks and bridges. Joe tried multiple times from the go to form a break, being bridged and covered. Then a group was formed of around 5 riders, all working hard to break and stay away, Myles performed heroically covering the peloton and getting to the front and controlling the pace enabling the break to gain time and the gap. On the last lap, the group was looking for someone to take charge, and Joe was that man – he attacked half a lap from the finish with 2 or 3 following and then left it late to put in a final sprint and took it literally at the line. He’d taken not only LEAGUE’s first stage/race win of the season but also gapped the riders sat in the top 10 GC enough to take the GC overall as well.

Stephen had said; “I knew going into the final lap he was feeling it, we’ve been here before and Joe was visibly in a world of pain and left it all out on the track… but this time, as he passed me rolling turns grinning and pulling confident races I just knew he was going to go all the way – so proud of him for his work but just happy for him as he deserves this!”

E123 Race – Olly

With a gap until the end of June until the next focus race and ahead of Olly’s ‘guest’ team appearance for Raptor Factory Racing in Poland next week at Tour of Malopolska Olly heads to where it all started for him, back to his stomping ground of Dalton Barracks to race the Giro Stage Race hosted by ART.

As always his targets are to absolutely send it and go, but recently Olly has been trying to apply more tactics to his racing and racing smarter. The first round, “blast crit”, was set up with 25 competitors all aiming to achieve victory. Olly had a fantastic battle through out the Blast Crit work hard in the break and splitting up the race early, which finished with a battle where by Olly took second – his best result this season.

Heading into the TT; the aim – as any TT – was to just show ultimate grit and determination to get through it with the best time and to minimise any time lost. Olly finished 5th 600th of a second down on GC lead. So a fantastic effort and perfectly positioned for the final “Super Crit”.

After an hour rest and refocusing. Olly warmed up and heading to the start line for the final time of the day, a much bigger course and double the time, 20 laps equalling nearly 2hours of racing saw an ultimate showing of effort, sweat and heart. Olly had managed to get into the move that went – with 6/7 riders all working super smooth pulling turns and gaining a 45s gap by 30-40minutes of racing 2 riders pulled off leaving the strong unit with it all to do and less man-power to do it. You could visibly see the gap drop across the old airfield and come down. With the weather turning, heat rising and wind blowing hard the team tried as many as 6 failed attempts to get him fluids to take the front group was caught and the attacked resulting in a new group forming and moving into the break, unfortunately Olly was not in this group and dropped. He soldiered on and crossed the line in 11th, literally coasting upon the bike and collapsing off track into the fields of grass… taking on water and fluids.

Olly unfortunately dropped in the GC standings to 7th. A hard fought top 10 for him along with a podium in tough conditions against really tough competition.

Women’s 234 Race – Lou

Lou took to only her first race back from illness and injury. She arrived for fun and to see where she was in the grand scheme of competition.

The first “Blast Crit” was all going well until it wasn’t, Lou in good position made a few too many efforts in pulling back moves, especially after the Prime lap and found herself reopening issues with her breathing – resulting in her DNF’ing the first race. This meant she was given a time penalty.

Before the TT Lou had time to relax and refocus, she managed to earn a top 10 finish and took 7th.

And going into the “Super Critical” she spent some time with the other riders, all giving her advice on what to watch – how to react and positions to take up. She rode the full race, perfectly positioned through out and took 7th – on the front line of the bunch sprint. She took 20th overall, but with lots of confidence in the knowledge that she can compete and will compete in the 234 women’s ranks!