An opportunity that could not be missed, an offer to photograph the first of the UK's premier road races from a motor bike had to be snapped up. This race is special as there is no other like in in the UK other than the Ciclos Classic further North. It is special because some of the course goes off road, down farm tracks. Something you would expect to see at rally cars races, not for expensive carbon bicycles.
With nine off road section of 160k/99mile route makes this a tough race.
We arrived early at Race HQ with the Kent NEG boys who were assigned to help look after the event. My Pilot Nigel had ridden as race escort for the tour of Briton in the past along with the others, so I was confident that he would get me where I needed to be, also we had been testing helmet radio mics so we could communicate without shouting our heads off during the race as I have done in at previous races.
I soon felt part of the event as I started to mingle recognising riders from local domestic racing, going over to the boys from Twenty3c for a quick chat, then meeting up with Steve Lampier, Tom Murray of Sigma Sport, and a brief hello with Dave Clarke Node4.
Just after one O'clock we were all in action the racing was on. It was going to be 18 miles of flat twisting country roads before the 1st off road section. When the riders hit the first section at Southminster there was no let up in the pace. Of course with a 120 riders hitting the first section this caused a wave of dust that enveloped the surrounding countryside, so thick it stung the eyes. "How on earth do riders see through that!"?
From this the riders headed to the four lap circuit with more of these off road rough stuff sections.
In avoiding the first section we decided to a take a road route that should of brought us out on the 1st lap of the circuit, but we missed some of the support cars to follow, we ended up getting a little lost.
Thanks to some help from a group of Marshals we got back to the race at the tail end. Nigel was having some serious fun, maybe he felt he was back on the Tour of Briton, navigating passed the team cars cutting in on tight corners with the odd comment coming over the radio mic, "Oh, bit tight that one!" Not for the faint hearted, but fun.
Just as we got to the back of the bunch, the riders suddenly separated, 2 riders were down on the deck one lying still moaning in pain the other trying to get up in difficulty. Nigel manoeuvred his bike to force the race caravan of team cars to slow and pass as wide as possible until the paramedics arrived.
Even though I'm regarded as a photographer, and maybe it is my job to photograph these guy's in pain, I decided not to. These moments riders don't want to be reminded of a situation like this, most cases they just want to sort themselves out and get back to the race, these guy's were going nowhere.
Debbie the first aider was first on the scene, she told the PremierCycles rider to sit back down, by this time the paramedics had arrived, time for us to go.
We got back to the race again following a large group of riders who had be split from the main peloton as a result of the crash, the pace had eased enabling these riders to get back. We tried to see if we could get through the bunch to get ahead, but the rider were having none of it. so we hung back with a police motorcycle and waited for an opportunity to pass. Once the road was wide enough and the riders were lined out as the pace intensified, Nigel went for the pass - 1600cc motorbike went like a ballistic missile.
A large breakaway group had formed, we caught up with them before the next section of rough stuff, missing our short cut to avoid this part we followed the riders through the dust cloud. Problem now was we couldn't see the smoothest path through the trail, bouncing and banging as the bikes suspension was struggling with the pounding it was now getting.
We followed the breakaway group for the rest of the race getting ahead of them for the off road sections so Nigel could pick a better path through. A couple of times I decamped from the bike for some static shots of the riders. The Breakaway group was firmly established all the major teams were represented, it was odds on that the winner would come from here. Would it be a salvo of attacks for a long lone bid for victory using the last few section of rough stuff, or will the group reduce in size due to pace pressure, and punctures?
With 5 miles to go I asked Nigel to get me to the finish, the breakaway group was staying much together, although the group had dwindled a little there were still eleven riders left at this point.
The finish was buzzing with local spectators and comentary, a large build up of photographers were already assembled at the finish line.
All we needed now was to see who was going win. In a short time 6 riders came into view using the full width of the road; Endura's Alex Blain suddenly muscled passed Matt Cronshaw, Node 4 – Giordana, and the Australian Ben Grenda, Condor Sharp, coming into view and ahead of the pack as he scorched over the line with an impressive win.
1 Alexandre Blain Endura Racing 3-56-05
2 Ben Grenda Rapha Condor Sharp st
3 Matt Cronshaw Node 4 – Giordana st
4 Roberto Cesaro Meridiana Kamen st
5 Simon Richardson IG Markets-Sigma Sport st
