Tour of the Reservoir 2012 photo gallery by Andy Jones>>
Scott Thwaites made it yet another Premier Calendar win for Endura Racing with victory in the Tour of Reservoir.
The 22 year old from Yorkshire surged clear of a group of around twenty riders on the final climb up to the reservoir edge to win ahead of Pete Hawkins (IG-Sigma) and Russ Downing (Endura).
Endura has won all three rounds of the Premier Calendar this year with Thwaites now leading the series heading into round four at the Lincoln Grand Prix on May 13.
"It was funny old race, I didn't expect it to be all together at the end," Thwaites said at the finish.
"We had the whole team pretty much up there in the top ten. I saw a bit of an opportunity, there was a bit of a lull just as we went over the top of the final climb, and then Dean Windsor came with me so we had a perfect combination really."
Organisers changed the finish line for this year's race, removing the flat straight along the reservoir edge in favour of a short and sharp hill just before the line.
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"We hit the last corner and Deano lead out all the way to the bottom of the hill with 200m to go and I came off his wheel and just put my head down to the finish," Thwaites added.
Hawkins, riding his first Premier Calendar race of the season, was pleased to split the Endura riders on the podium after a strong finish on the short ramp to the line.
"It would've been difficult to beat Thwaites," he said, "but I was pretty happy to get round Downing. I wasn't sure what sort of position I was looking for but I'm happy with second."
Spring finally came to County Durham on a sunny but chilly day in the Dales. Besides an early group of five which gained a few minutes early on in the race, the expected splinters in the bunch failed to materialise.
The presence of a strong Endura squad and team pursuit stars Ed Clancy and Andy Tennant in the colours of Rapha Condor Sharp ensured that any dangerous escapees were soon pounced upon and returned to the fold.
It took until the eighth and final lap of the course for the decisive split to form, with 20 riders breaking free to contest the win.
Results
Tour of the Reservoir 2012, 100 miles
1. Scott Thwaites (Endura Racing) 4.04:47
2. Peter Hawkins (IG-Sigma Sport) s.t.
3. Russell Downing (Endura Racing) s.t.
4. Graham Briggs (Raleigh-GAC) at 2 secs
5. Andy Tennant (Rapha Condor Sharp) at 5 secs
6. Pete Williams (Node-Giordana) s.t.
7. Marcel Six (Metaltek-Scott) s.t.
8. Michael Berling (Cycle Premier-Kovert) s.t.
9. Evan Oliphant (Raleigh-GAC) s.t.
10. Wouter Sybrandy (IG-Sigma Sport) s.t.
Tour of the Reservoir 2012
Pete Williams and Scott Thwaites in the break
Scott Thwaites wins Tour of the Reservoir
Related links
Tour of the Reservoir 2012 photo gallery by Andy Jones
Premier Calendar 2012: Cycling Weekly's coverage index
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