Clay back on top form
Martin Ayres reports for Snowdon Sports Editorial. Pictures by Phil O’Connor.

Round six of the Premier Calendar, the Lancaster Hertford Grand Prix, saw Jon Clay return to winning ways with his first major road race success in two years.

TIMING his final attack to perfection, Jon Clay (SLBM) raced to a lone victory in Sunday's Lancaster Hertford Grand Prix at Welwyn Garden City. Clay was chased home by Welshman Huw Pritchard (Linda McCartney-WCU), who crossed the line 12 seconds down. Pritchard, third in the previous weekend's Archer GP, had just two seconds to spare before Chris Newton (Middridge CRT) sprinted home at the head of a 10-man chasing group. Disappointed at failing to score his third Premier Calendar win of the season, Newton had the consolation of returning to top spot in the overall table.

It was a good day for the national team pursuit squad, which had three men in the winning break - Clay, third-placed Matt Illingworth and Bradley Wiggins in fifth position.

"All the track riders were at the Tour of Majorca last week," Clay explained. "It was a good race, hard in the hills - it brought us on. Matt [Illingworth] was storming today, probably the strongest rider in the group."

Illingworth had inspired the race winning break with a powerful attack that split the leading group with 16 miles to go. When the dust settled, 12 riders had made the selection. Among those who missed the split were last year's winner, John Tanner, and his Pro VisionPowerBar team. Tanner spent the rest of the race in fruitless pursuit of the 12 escapees.

However, aware that Tanner and the chasers were only one minute behind, the breakaway riders stuck to their task, with Wiggins and Newton looking particularly strong. As the leaders hit the 3.8-mile finishing circuit, their leading margin was down to 43 seconds. Twice Clay tried to escape and twice he was chased down. Then Anthony Malarczyk (Real Cost Car Imports) streaked away but there was no hiding place on the wide open spaces of the dual carriageway. Two miles to go, and Clay chose a left-hander followed by a slight descent for his third and final attack. The rest hesitated, looked at each other, and the 36-year-old Yorkshireman was away.

"I knew that if I didn't do something, somebody else would," said Clay. "You only need 15 or 20 seconds leeway, by that time the gap's quite big and they're wary about committing to a chase."

Only Pritchard was prepared to chase. He got clear of the group but couldn't close the gap on Clay, who knew he had to stay clear, as Pritchard had the superior sprint. Clay, now in his 14th season as a professional, proved that a wise head can beat young legs by holding on to score his first victory in the Premier Calendar since 1998, and moved to second overall in the series table.

How the race was won

NINETY riders signed on for the Whitewebbs CC promotion, sponsored by the Lancaster Hertford Mercedes dealership. Hertfordshire police provided the rare luxury of an eightstrong motorcycle escort plus numerous other officers at potential hazard points.

Most of the 19-mile circuit was dual carriageway, with a section through Hertford town providing a change of scenery and a couple of hills. A stretch of B-road - also used for the early-season North Road Hardriders time trial - had been flooded overnight. Standing water and grit on the road claimed a number of victims.

The first decisive break of the day, at 20 miles, saw nine men go clear, including Huw Pritchard and his fellow Welshman Julian Winn (GS Strada). They were destined stay at the head of affairs for the rest of the day.

With 31 miles covered, a 13-man chase group closed in on the leaders. This brought Chris Newton (Middridge CRT), Bradley Wiggins (unattached), Jon Clay (SLBM), Matt Illingworth (unattached), Gordon McCauley (Essentia Oleum RT), Julian Ramsbottom (Pete Read Racing), Rod Ellingworth (Team McEll) and Premier Calendar leader Andy Lyons (unattached) to the front.

The enlarged group was too big to work together efficiently, and their lead dwindled to 53 seconds.

Climbing past Hertford's County Hall, Illingworth provoked a rapid acceleration with an attack that split the group at the 84-mile point, with 12 men going clear.

Despite John Tanner's frantic attempts to whip up a chasing group, the dozen stayed together until Clay made his race-winning move on the final lap of the finishing circuit.

1. Jon Clay (SLBM) 105m in 3-1-09
2. H. Pritchard (Linda McCartney-WCU) at 12sec
3. C. Newton (Middridge CRT) at 14sec
4. M. Illingworth (unatt)
5. B. Wiggins (unatt)
6. R. Ellingworth (McElI-Raleigh)
7. M. Jones (Robert Grinsell Travel)
8. J. Winn (GS Strada)
9. G. McCauley (Essentia Oleum RT)
10. J. Ramsbottom (Pete Read Racing)
11. A. Malarczyk (Real Cost Car Imports)
12. H. Haynes (Prickett Atom Elite) all st
13. J. Tanner (Pro Vision- PowerBar) at 41 sec
14. P. Pickup (Liphook Cycles) at 43sec
15. W. Randle (Pro Vision- PowerBar)
16. W. Wright (Prickett Atom Elite)
17. B. Steel (Team Chilwell)
18. C. King (Amore e Vita)
19. A. Lyons (unatt)
20. K. Dawson (Pete Read .Racing) all st.

BCF Premier Calendar (standings after six events)
1. Chris Newton 110 points
2. J. Clay 90
3. H. Pritchard 89
4. A. Lyons 85
5. J. Tanner 78
6. W. Randle 71
7. G. McCauley 69
8. K. Dawson 56
eq 9, J. Winn & M. Lovatt (Pro Vision-Power Bar) 49.