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Suir Valley 3 Day 2007

Gurit / Wightlink team manager Chris Weston took three of his Isle of Wight based riders to represent The Surrey League at the Suir Valley 3 day, held in Ireland between the 4^th and 6^th of August. Simon Saunders, Simon Ambrosini and Russell Page contested the three day stage race based around Clonmel in County Tipperary.

Stage one headed west out of Clonmel to Ballyporeen, veered south to Lismore before returning to Clonmel via Newcastle. The 68 mile stage included three 1^st cat climbs, the first the Vee came after 16miles. The two Simons were aggressive from the start and went with many of the early breaks that racing in Ireland involve. A good group did make one of these stick before the first main climb and both were in it. This group of about 20 riders moved away from the pelton quite quickly to gain a good advantage. Page mean while managed to hang on to a small group over the top of the Vee that included Ciaran Power who would drive them along picking up dropped riders on the way. After the top of the last big climb Saunders tailed of the back of the lead group leaving team mate Ambrosini in the move. Four riders got away at the end, and the stage was won by Sean Lacey. Ambrosini crossed the line in a solid 13^th place. Mean while the group with Page mopped up Saunders on the run in and Page crossed the line in 21^st with Saunders in 32^nd.

Sunday was going to be hard with a spilt stage of 70mile road race starting at 11 am then a criterium in the evening. The morning stage left Clonmel heading south to Dungarvan, on towards Waterford before turning to Carrick-on-Suir and back to Clonmel. Page had won the red jersey of best Vet/ cat3 rider. The race followed the same pattern as the day before with attacks from the word go. The two Simons made the split again and by the top of the 1^st cat climb “ the Pike” the group had moved away as the bunch shut up shop behind. On the run in along the river Suir to Clonmel Saunders lost touch with the lead group, leaving Ambrosini with them. Two riders broke clear of this group the yellow jersey Sean Lacey and Rory Wiley, with the later wining the stage. Ambrosini finished in a fine 5^th place, Saunders came in 22^nd with Page crossing the line in 29^th. Ambrosini had moved up to 6^th on GC, Saunders to 21^st and Page was now in 30^th position this gave them 5^th in the team event with just the three riders.

The evening Criterium around the streets of Clonmel with a large crowd watching, went of at break neck speed. In the first couple of laps a group of 18 riders had moved clear which included Page. This break kept pulling away from the rest of the field which had fragmented into lots groups on the fast circuit. Half way through the race the rain came, which brought down riders every where and the commissaire to decide to take thr result of the race out of the GC. The two Simons pulled out; meanwhile Page had come down in a crash on a wet corner, after taking a lap out rejoined the front group. Page eventually pulled out after not being able to hold the pace and the race ended with just 10 riders left on the course. Junior Sam lacey to the win from Navigators professional Ciaran Power.

The final stage on Monday Left Clonmel in a westerly direction to Ardfinnan, reaching Newcastle were the heavens opened and the rain of the day before returned. Luckily this stopped in time for the last 4 laps of a circuit alone the river Suir which included a 3^rd cat climb each time. The pace from the start was very fast as riders tried to go clear, which was always going to be hard with the Yellow Jerseys team of Murphy Gunn keeping the pace high on the front of the pelton. Team manger Chris had instructed the riders to defend Ambrosini position on GC, so all three were prominent at the front of the race. But with only 3 seconds between the first two riders on the overall in was always going to end in a bunch sprint. Coming into the last 500m Saunders launched an attack that saw him go clear and be first around the corner into the finishing straight. The gamble did not pay off for him as he got swamped by the sprinters with 100m to go. Power lead out the sprint for local rider Robin Kelly who took the win, Page surged to take 5^th place on the stage with the two Simons safely in the pack.

The team ended with.

Ambrosini  5^th on stage 2 and 6^th overall.

Saunders  21^st overall.

Page 5^th on stage 3 and 30^th overall, Ist vet.

5^th in the team compition.