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East Midlands Regional Road Race Championships - 03/06/2007 - Binbrook, Lincolnshire

Gareths race diary....

'I'll keep it simple, I was in the group going for 12th place and got cramp with 20 miles to go and pulled out.

However, well done to Andy for a brilliantly organised race and to everyone who helped and gave up their Sunday without whom we couldnt have run the event'.

Report (Andy Hayton)
With many a major player in the Premier Calendar taking part in this regional championship, it was no surprise that a rider who shined brightly in the recent Richmond Grand Prix, Dave Clarke, was the winner of the race ahead of a former Premier Calendar series winner, Robin Sharman with another top rider in Richard Wilkinson filling third place.

The Race
Contested on a tough, classic Lincolnshire Wolds circuit, the terrain soon took it's toll on the field as a select group of 10 riders soon rode clear only to lose one of the riders as the favourites started to drive the race along.

Most of the pre-race favourites were represented in the break and the names in it included Stephen Adams (Merlin Racing Team), Llewellyn Byrne (Scienceinsport.com), Dave Clarke (Unattached), Scott Gamble and Andrew Stuart(Ashfield RC), Matt Jennings(Websters Cycles), Rob Parkin (Heanor Clarion), Robin Sharman (KFS Special Vehicles/Sunday Bicycles) and Richard Wilkinson (Rapha Condor).

The group worked well, and quickly gained a permanent looking gap on the remainder of the field, which had now broken into several small groups. With three laps to go Richard Wilkinson, who had been looking fresh throughout and trains in the Lincolnshire Wolds, attacked and sought to go it alone to the finish. The gap increased to over a minute until he was eventually being reeled back by the remainder of the group with two of the 9.5 mile circuits remaining.

With the combined tough terrain, distance and numerous attacks, the lead group started to fragment allowing Robin Sharman and Dave Clarke to go clear. The pair opened up a gap of over a minute on the now dissipated group. The winner with each mile passing was looking like it would come from the leading two, though still not finished, Wilkinson had dug deep and closed the gap considerably but just failed to get to them before the finish. In the sprint for Gold, Clarke was too fast for Sharman, with Wilkinson 13s down in 3rd.

The remainder of the initial lead group came home separated by minutes. Dave Clarke took home the East Midlands Region Trophy, together with The Simon Goodge Memorial Trophy, which was presented by Jenny Goodge.