The last few years have seen Doncaster Wheelers repeatedly take out the Rutland CC mid-summer Road Race and this year, to the disappointment of riders from the promoting team, they did it again.
For 2008 the course was changed to avoid the main Sheffield - Baslow road but if any riders had hoped that the absence of the climb up to Clod Hall would make for an easier night the 16 climbs of Grange Hill and the 3 dead turn corners each lap provided a shock.
Jack Ibbotson of Doncaster Wheelers attacked on the first lap and shortly after crossing the finish line for the first time was joined by Darren Otter, Dan Lowthorpe and Tom Bailey of the Rutland CC. The prospects were looking good for the Rutland as the four leaders started to stretch their lead out. Behind them riders who were suffering from too many repeats of Grange Hill were continually being shelled out of the back of the bunch. After 3 laps eventual winner Tom Stewart bridged across a considerable gap on his own. When, a few laps later, Tom Bailey dropped back to the chasing group the odds were evened up leaving 2 riders from each team to stretch the lead out.
With plenty of Doncaster and Rutland riders in the shrinking main field it was left to individual riders to try and force a selection in order to bridge to the leaders. Many tried but all ultimately failed as the leading quartet stretched out the lead to over 2 minutes.
On the last lap Jack Ibbotson attacked but was countered by Dan and Darren until Tom Stewart, spinning his junior gears, escaped on the downhill section before the finishing straight. The young rider held his lead up the finishing straight and took the win from a fast finishing Darren Otter.
1 Tom Stewart Doncaster Wheelers
2 Darren Otter Rutland CC
3 Dan Lowthorpe Rutland CC
4 Jack Ibbotson Doncaster Wheelers
5 Tom Wood
6 Rob Blackburn Newark Castle CC
7 Mick Rowson
8 Fred Majer
9 Stephen Ellis Rutland CC
10 Michael Clayton Rutland CC

Phil Holwell was the only finisher from the club in the Yorkshire Divisional Road Race Champs at a rain soaked Sherriff Hutton at the beginning of June.
(Pictures courtesy of www.britishcycling.org.uk )

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