Marcin’s sprint finish clinches road race win

SOMERSET-based Marcin Bialoblocki added yet another victory to his season’s tally at the Severn Valley Road Race.

The Wilier-Bigmaggys rider and Richard Cartland (Team Corley) broke away from the field on the last lap of four on an undulating course around Bridgnorth, Shropshire.

The pair built up a lead over the bunch of around a minute-and-a-half as they approached the end of the 60-mile race and were left to fight out the sprint between them, with Bialoblocki’s power earning him the Andy Poole Memorial Trophy.

“I was really pleased with the win,” said Bialoblocki. “There were a lot of good guys in the race but I felt strong today.

“I didn’t expect the two of us to get away at the end as I thought maybe a break of five or six riders would succeed, but I tried my best and it paid off.”

The win keeps Bialoblocki on top of the British Cycling road rankings, ahead of Ian Wilkinson, who finished a surprisingly lowly 20th, more than six minutes down.

Results: 1 Marcin Bialoblocki (Willier-Bigmaggys.com) 2:35:15; 2 Richard Cartland (Team Corley Cycles); 3 Rob Partridge (Endura Racing) @1:30min; 4 Hugh Wilson (Team Qoroz) @1.40m; 5 Scott Thwaites (Endura Racing); 6 Liam Holohan (Team Raleigh) 7 Duncan Putman (Team Nemesis GB) @4:25m 8 Gareth McGuiness (Energy Cycles) 9 James Moss (Endura Racing) 10 Tom Collier (Team Probikekit.com). Others: 13 James Williams (Pendragon-Le-Col) @5:07m; 15 Ian Rees (Willier/Bigmaggys); 20 Ian Wilkinson (Endura Racing).

● Bradley Wiggins, who finished a disappointing 24th in the Tour de France, has confirmed that he will be riding in the Tour of Britain, which starts in Rochdale on September 11 and includes two stages in the South West.

The Team Sky rider, who has pulled out of the Commonwealth Games, said: “The Tour of Britain will be my only other race this year, then I’ll start building towards next year. We know what we have to do, and what we’re going to do.”

Stage four from Minehead to Teignmouth takes place on September 14, while the following day’s stage runs from Tavistock to Glastonbury.

● Nine personal bests were set during Severn Road Club’s 10-mile time trial, despite the 38 riders having to set off in torrential rain.

Results: 1 Peter Georgi (Epic Cycles RC) 21:26; 2 Rob Dixon (Severn RC) 21:37; 3 David Leighton (Severn RC) 22:07; 4 Simon Baynes (Giant CC) 22:22; 5 Richard Spink (Day Member) 22:49; 6 Chris Newman (Farnham RC) 22:55; 7 Adrian Bult (Avonlea Treasure RT) 22:56; 8 Phil Curtis-Whitfield (Avonlea Treasure RT) 23:09; 9 Andrew Derrick (Severn RC) 23:40; 10 Dave Woodward (Severn RC) 23:44: Vet 40-49 Peter Georgi; Vet 50-59 David Dew (Bath CC) 28:20; Vet 60-plus 1 Julian Wilson (LVRC) 24:00; 2 Brian Mallard (Severn RC) 24:22; Lady 1 Carol Powell (Chippenham & District) 27:05; 2 Lydia Leighton (Severn RC) 29:14; J13 Jim Massey (Severn RC) 29:26; J14 James Hathway (Severn RC) 27:23; J15 Alex Massey (Severn RC) 26:04.