Chris Pook turns on the pace to claim yellow jersey
Rhino Velo race ace Chris Pook showed that he was the fastest sprinter to clinch victory in round three of the Shropshire & South Staffs Road Race League.
The 34-year-old, from Shrewsbury, timed his winning sprint to perfection after a gruelling race around a hilly Enville circuit near Stourbridge.
After finishing second in the first round Pook made no mistake on this occasion, winning on the slightly downhill finish to take the overall Coaching Revolutions’ leaders yellow jersey.
However, he was nearly thwarted by a late attack in the final few miles from Matthew Higgins (Mammoth Lifestyle RT) and Rhino Velo team-mate Ollie Hayward.
The duo looked to have snatched victory but were caught metres from the finish line.
“I knew the form was there and I was hoping that the league table would reflect that,” said Pook. “With the run in to the finish it was just a case of sitting in and waiting. Peter Banham (DMW-Bridgtown) opened up the sprint so I got on his wheel and bridged up to the leading two.
“I swung around him and just beat Higgins on the line. I wasn’t even sure where the finish line was. It was my second win of the season and my form is better than ever but there are 79 other guys who also want to win so it is hard to win a bike race.”
The handicap format saw the first ability-based group have an advantage of almost eight-and-a-half minutes at the start of the 32 mile race.
However, four times up the Six Ashes climb took their toll. Only 25 of the 77 starters came to the finish together with Higgins and Hayward sneaking a slight lead on the charging pack. Higgins managed to hold on for second while Ben Joughin (Pro Vision RT) finished third.
Matthew Morris (Wolverhampton Wheelers) lost his overall lead but will remain as strong favourite for the veterans’ overall after finishing fifth.
Junior rider Alfie Mortimer (Mid Shropshire Wheelers) put in another strong showing to finish 14th on the night in the leading pack.
Pook took the overall leader’s jersey but will be missing for several rounds when he travels to Colorado, USA, with some of his Rhino Velo team-mates to compete in a endurance road race over several days.
