Thanks to Jack for this report from the ever-busy cycling team. Ed
On Saturday 29th June, Tim Wiggins of the Wightlink-LCM Systems Cycle Race Team travelled to Leigh in Surrey for the Redhill CC Elite level road race. As the only member of the team present at the event, Wiggins put up a strong solo performance against many strong five man teams from the mainland scene.
Early on in the race, a breakaway of six riders got a gap on the rest of the field, Wiggins unfortunately missed the escapees’ move; boxed in within the main peloton. With all of the major teams having members in the breakaway, the pace of the pack slowed, allowing the group of six riders to gain a substantial gap. Wiggins moved to the front and put in several hard efforts both to try and get across to the breakaway, and pull the race back together. Unfortunately Wiggins was fighting a losing battle, and rued missing the break.
After almost 90 miles of racing in the 27°C heat, and with the breakaway enlarged by a few lucky attempts by solo riders to bridge across, the remainder of the race came down to a bunch sprint.
A satisfying result
After Wiggins’ efforts early on in the race he had little left in the tank for this final burst, but he finished safely in the main bunch, placed mid-twenties of the 80 riders that started the event.
A satisfying result given the high calibre of the field that he was in competition with.
