First win of the season for Ian

Bourne Wheelers Hilly TT - 11/03/2007 - Essendine

A bright and breezy morning greeted the 40 riders for the Bourne Wheelers Hardriders 22.5 miles time trial, although the sun was out a 9.00am start meant that the temperature was still quite cool.

The course was based at Essendine, just north of Stamford and headed north on the A6121 towards Bourne, turning left and climbing to Witham on the Hill and on to Little Bytham, left again on to the B1176 heading south on the undulating road to Ryhall where left on the A6121 back to Essendine the circuit was completed twice for the race distance of 22.5 miles

Early starter Ian Waddilove of Fenland Clarion came close to going under 1 hour for the course clocking 1 hr 0 min 2 sec, it was Ian’s Fenland Clarion team mate Paul Lilley who managed this and became the first rider on the day to get inside 1 hour his time of 59mins 12 secs would eventually be good enough for 3rd place

The next two seeded riders were ex team mates Pete Saint riding in Boston Wheelers new team colours and Adam Ellis who moved to Spalding CC during the winter break, these two started only 1 minute apart and it was Adam who was showing the better early season form catching Pete just after completing the first lap and extending his lead through to the finish. Thier times were 1.00.45 for Pete Saint and 58.31 for Adam Ellis this time put Adam as the current race leader.

The only rider who could knock Adam off the top spot was Cherry Valleys Ian Dalton, starting last on the road as the pre race favourite Ian knew that early season form can produce unexpected results as riders need to find there racing legs after the winter break.

Ian started well and was climbing better than the previous weekends event in Derbyshire, this helped on the road to Ryhall as this part of the course was into the wind and had two climbs, by the end of the first lap Ian was the fastest rider completing the lap in just under 28 minutes and although he slowed slightly on the final lap Ian crossed the finish line to clock at time of 56mins 18 sec and take the win by over 2 minutes