47th Perfs Pedal Race

The traditional start to the southern road season is the Perfs Pedal race. Thanks to resurfaced roads the 47^th edition of the race returned to its historical home of laps around Portsdown Hill overlooking Portsmouth harbour.   While the hill isn’t as savage as some the long drags and fast decent are enough to make it decisive.  Our own Harry Bulstrode and Phill Rreynolds fancied their chances in this 75km race.  

 Looking over the start sheet there where some big names enterd. Former winners on the start sheet included Ben Stockdale, James Stewart, Will Bjergfelt and a few of the major UCI teams are represented with Endura Racing sending Jonny McEvoy and Erick Rowsell while Node 4 have Marcin Bialoblocki and Dave Clarke entered.The strongest team though by far is the one from UK Youth lead by former Paris-Roubaix winner Magnus Backstedt and including Yanto Barker and Chris Opie to name but three of them. 

Very cold weather overnight left ice on the course so the race was delayed and consequently the race was shortened by one lap making the race from brutal into a suffer fest!    From the gun it was clear that Endura and Youth UK where just going to control the race and in the end it all came down to the last lap when youth UK massed on the front and put the hammer down for the last time up the hill putting Chris OPIE in a position to take the win.  With Harry coming in a creditable  24^th of the 53 finishers.  

 

Result
1 Chris OPIE Team UK Youth
2 Marcin BIALOBLOCKI Node4 Giordana
3 Jonathan McEVOY Endura Racing
4 David McGOWAN Team UK Youth