Wightlink-Wight Mountain Cycle Racing Team members Kev Chant, Elvis Belton and James Veal headed to Blandford Forum in Dorset on Sunday, 25th March to compete in their first road race of the season: the Azets Spring Classic Stage Race.
Featuring 3 stages across one day, the race would prove to be a challenge to even the most experienced riders.
Stage 1 kicked off in Pimperne with a 1-mile Hill Climb, which was no easy task due to the strong headwind. Kev pulled out a fantastic ride, taking 2nd place; James and Elvis gave it their best shot and were placed mid-field going into the second stage.
Stage 2 was a 10-mile Time Trial on the famous Pimperne Circuit. In difficult windy conditions, this was always going to be a tough challenge for all the riders. However, Kev showed his class on this stage, powering home to take the win and being the only rider to cross the line with a time under 24 minutes.
Kev was looking good leading into Stage 3 in the afternoon, but with very little recovery time from the morning stages, he would have to brave the strong winds on the grippy 50-mile Blandford course to bring home the result. Kev, Elvis and James worked well as a team to help keep each other in contention till the end of the race and did well to finish in the top 20 against some of the South’s strongest teams and with half the field of riders pulling out in the tough conditions.
Kev Chant finished the competition just missing out on a podium, taking 5th place overall.
