Peter Bidwell Memorial

The race was short and fast-paced. Although it was run as a handicap, the majority of the field consisted of C1 riders, so there was never any real expectation of catching the groups ahead. Instead, we approached it as if there were no groups in front and focused on racing from the gun.

From the start, Sean and Liam were active and looking to get away. However, Liam was struggling with stomach issues, while Sean found himself out of position. A small group managed to slip away and had already established a gap before anyone realised the move had gone.

Liam was forced to sit up, while Sean grew increasingly frustrated as every attack he made was quickly shut down by teammates of riders who were already represented in the break. Eventually, with one lap remaining, Sean finally managed to break clear with two other riders.

The trio committed fully once the gap was established and worked well together. One rider was dropped with around a lap to go, leaving Sean and one other rider to press on. Sean did the majority of the work, maintaining the advantage over the chasing group, although there was never any realistic chance of bridging across to the riders up the road.

On the final climb, the remaining companion attacked on one of the kickers. Sean responded as best he could, but after such a committed effort in the chase, he couldn't quite match the acceleration. Despite that, it was a determined ride after a frustrating race, showing strong form and persistence right to the finish.