Please see the report below from the Isle of Man Youth Tour last weekend, part of the National Youth Circuit races. A huge well done to Freddie for his brilliant participation and results!
This was Freddie’s first three day race and only the second time he’d raced in the National Series (the last time being a one-off race 2 years ago).
So on the first day Freddie lined up along with 36 other riders for a time trial on Douglas seafront, which was an out and back course of 1.3km and he came 12th with a time of 2m 15s which was pretty competitive (2m 13s would have got him 7th). The winner, who is the Irish National Champion, did it 2:05!
On the second day, we awoke to a very windy and rainy day. We recce’d the course the night before in the car which was useful. It was supposed to be two laps (12.5km) of a very hilly 7km circuit up in the IOM hills. However the conditions meant that all races were halved in distance. This meant the his race started at the bottom of the finishing climb and then they went off to do their lap before returning for the final climb (the overall climb to the very top was around 7 mins, so it wasn’t short!). He didn’t make the lead two groups but found himself in a group of 6 or 7 riders chasing down the hill to the final climb. Freddie attacked his group on the turn and put distance in to all his fellow riders. He maintained his lead on the group with one other rider who rode with him up to the finish and he was pipped on the line to finish 15th on the day. Overall this put him 15th in the General Classification, two or three seconds behind 13th.
On the final day the weather was bright and sunny in the seaside town of Ramsey for a flat 12.5km Criterium stage on the seafront. Freddie knew that it was important to make the leading group, should the race split early on. However he wasn’t gridded for the start and had to start from the back of the bunch. On the first lap, a group of 17 of the stronger riders formed and Freddie had to work hard to get on, but he managed it and then we was set for the rest of the race. Over the course of the next 5 laps and intermediate sprints the group was whittled down to 13 riders for the inevitable bunch sprint. Having felt comfortable and fresh all race Freddie was one of the first to open up the sprint and was at one point 3rd. However realising that he perhaps he’d gone too early he was overtaken by a couple of riders as they approached the line and finished 6th. He also bagged a bonus point on the line, and with other riders ahead of him in the GC finishing outside the main bunch, he climbed to 12th in the final overall standings.
You can see a picture of the sprint here:
He’s learnt a lot about his abilities in this race and really looking forward to the Omniums over the next couple of weekends.
He’s also now on the reserve list for the NW Tour up in Lancashire at the end of the month and we are hoping his performance in the IOM will help get him up that list and on to the start line…*fingers crossed*