With the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix looming, the big news at Friday's E3 Harelbeke was Fabian Cancellara's return to top form as he rode away from his rivals to win the race for the third time in four years. But British fans had cause to cheer as one of the country's latest stars - 20-year-old Simon Yates, who until he won the points race at the UCI World Championships in Minsk last month wasn't even among the 75 riders with a biography on the British Cycling website (he does now) - won the Under-23 Criterium support race. What's more, 100% ME team mate Joe Kelly, from the Isle of Man, was second. Owen Rogers was on the spot to get some pictures and grab some words with the winner. Here's his report.
Fresh from gaining the rainbow jersey in the World Track Championship Points Race, Simon Yates (100% ME) took an impressive win in the Under 23 E3 Harelbeke Criterium on Friday, ably supported by team mate Joe Kelly, the eight cyclist from the Isle of Man to have been through the GB Olympic Academy programme, who managed second on a cold, windy day in Belgium.
While the professionals were tackling the cobbles and ‘hellingen’ out of town, the 20-lap race started off at a fierce pace, though Yates and Kelly managed to go clear on the second lap with one of the local riders, Dries Vannevel.
100% ME were well represented with a strong team who had planned to go with any moves, though as it was Yates, Kelly and their Belgian companion went clear on the second of the 20 lap race.
Yates eventually escaped solo on the final lap, finishing well over a minute ahead of the peloton and about 10 seconds in front of his team mate.
Besides that one-two from Yates and Kelly, 100% ME - the team is backed by UK Anti-Doping - got all three of its other riders into the top eight in the 45-strong field. Alistair Slater was fifth, while Owain Doull and Chris Latham were seventh and eighth, respectively.
“I’m ecstatic to take the win, I’m obviously carrying some form from the track,” Yates told road.cc after the race, explaining, “We planned to have the numbers up there and go with the moves and it just stuck straight away really.”
The trio quickly opened a 30 second gap and no one behind seemed willing to commit to bring it back. All the while, the remaining 100% ME riders in the peloton controlled the pace, allowing the three breakaway riders to stay clear.
The team are staying in Belgium for the next few weeks in preparation for the Nations Cup races.
No thanks...you can keep your mini cars off my bike lanes. I want the scooters (petrol and electric) off as well.
Nice easy way to get to the beach for a walk - just have to make sure she doesn't see any squirrels.
Yep: "Are REVOLOOP bicycle tubes suitable for rim brakes?...
I'm all for a much more socialist approach to the sorts of things you mention, where there are clear market failures and a need for decent...
Zorbing balls - if it saves just one life
12 corners in just over 2km is a terrifying prospect if it rains!
I think it's:...
As it's often said -'the way to justify the building of a bridge is not too count the number of people swimming the crocodile infested river!'
I used to go that way to work. It's nasty and congested. I doubt any changes will make the congestion worse.
Both bikes are both 1x