June 09: Billy Whenman Wins!

When Whyte Racer Billy Whenman isn’t blasting around the woodlands of the UK on his MTB he relaxes by sitting in and riding with the popular Sport Beans Wilier team. Sitting in? That’s a laugh. He is becoming one of the most feared sprinters in the country and won races in Castle Coombe and in Jersey in the televised series. Here’s Billy’s report...

Castle Coombe

Travelling up I'm the nick of time I was suited and booted for this super fast race to gain me hopefully a few British Cycling points.

The race was started and attacks were going constantly...I sat tight and followed the moves, after a hour and half’s racing it was the last lap, and it was all together coming down the long fast straight, I followed a well known road team for my leadout and made my sprint - winning by just a bike length.

Jersey

Travelling out to Jersey on the Saturday after a road race, we arrived on the island after a 4 hour 30 minute boat trip..

Finding our accommodation we got our heads down for some sleep before a busy 2 days.

Waking up at 9am, we set off on a steady road ride around the island before resting up for our afternoon race.

Criterium

With a tight twisty course we were soon off to a fast start with some of our team members going up the road early on.

I took the bunch sprint for 10th position.

Off to bed and up at 6am for a 7 30am race start !! 7 30 am !!!! I didn’t even know the sun was out at 7 30am !! A bit of a shock to the system.

We were soon on course and about to complete 8 laps a total of 110km of racing with a long hill and a very long flat straight road for the finish..

The race started and the bunch was riding at a sensible pace. Two laps in and two of the team attacked up the road and took with them two other riders, who were to stay away and take the top four positions.

With a lap to go Mark Perry my team mate attacked and got a gap, then to be followed by a well known sprinter Graham Briggs, who had won the first televised crit race on the Thursday

I jumped onto his wheel and we soon got up to Mark, and worked well to establish a gap.

Coming to the finish, Mark lead from the front followed by Graham and then me.. The pace was a perfect leadout for my sprint.. I just had to try and beat Graham.

Just 300metres from the line I kicked and got a jump on them both. Sprinting in for 5th place and am I well pleased with my current sprinting form?