May 06, 2014 (London, ON) – The Springbank RR course features a swift off-camber left turn downhill off the start, leading into a kilometer of headwinds on the bottom. Then it turns back uphill ending with a final kilometer stretch through a round-about and a tailwind to the finish – 24 laps in total was the complete race.
Just minutes into the race a break was established with Tom Nesbitt (Morning Glory Cycling Club), Phill Hodgkinson (Wheels Of Bloor/Graywood Develpment), and Nacsworld/Norco rider Brian Kelly. Lawrence Akot covered some early attempts to cover the gap. Over the first half of the race they gradually built their lead up to over 1:20, until somewhere around lap 13-14, a second break was established and gained enough ground to get free. This second break contained Carlo Capaldi (Team Type1Cycling/London Honda), Ian Scott (Wheels Of Bloor/Graywood Develpment), and Nacsworld/Norco rider Justin Rogers.
In the pack many attempts were made to close the gap to the second group, knowing the first group was likely clear to the podium. Failed attempts were reeled back in by NN riders Kevin Tearle and Bob Tomsic with some assistance from a WOB rider equally prepared to help keep his teammates that were off the front free of a chasing pack. With Sprinters Kevin Davis, and Steve McKee, our job was to ensure no other riders went over the gaps, and to ensure they had the opportunity to snag any possible points remaining in the Ontario cup race.
In the first group, Brian Kelly had helped amass their 2:30 lead ahead of the pack, and was tiring yet still found the legs to make an attack hoping he could hold it to the line. He jumped to the right side of the road, catching Hodkingson asleep at the wheel and was able to gap him. Nesbit was right on his wheel while Hodkingson clawed his way back to them but couldn’t quite make it settling for third as Nesbit took the win with Kelly second.
The second pack had Justin Rogers sitting in so as not to eat into Kelly’s lead. Much to the voiced dislike of the other two riders, here he sat on to ensure that Kelly had his day, confident that the bunch sprint behind would be won by Davis and Mckee. When this group arrived at the finish the attack came as Rogers came around the other two riders but sat up to allow the 4th place rider, who had towed them around, to cross the line ahead of him and he ended up 5th a solid 1:20 over the pack behind.
After great efforts at allowing the free Nacsworld/Norco riders to make it to the line, the speeds ramped up after the climb to the final bend. Once again, Nacsworld/Norco riders McKee and Davis took the bunch sprint respectively. NN has six of nine podium places so far this year, and holds the top three spots in overall O-Cup points rankings. Four different riders from the team have climbed the steps of the podium making for a very diverse and successful season so far.
Full results and Elite Men’s report here.