Primavera Road Race Results 2022

SAM BECKETT from Wales was a deserved winner, but Mid-Devon CC teenager Ewan Warren announced ‘I’m Back’ at the club’s season-opening Primavera Road Race meeting at Hatherleigh.

Beckett (Wales Racing Academy), who had finished in the top-ten at the UK Pro Series Lancaster Grand Prix last season, and Mid-Devon prospect Warren broke away with nearly 20 of 60 miles to go in the Elite/1/2/3rd Category event.

It was the first race for two years for Warren, 18, who had recovered from two heart operations which halted his junior career.

Callum Start and other MDCC junior teammates did their best to ‘block’ at the head of the peloton, as the riders tackled four circuits of a course between Hatherleigh, Brandis Corner and Halwill Junction.

The chasers were just about to make the ‘catch’ when Warren, not a specialist sprinter, launched his final effort 400 yards from the line.

He was passed by Beckett and eventually finished sixth, in the same time as the winner, but his performance bodes well for the rest of the season.

High Wycombe CC junior Cormac Nisbet was a clear winner of the sprint for the 3rd/4th Category (48m) race, from NOPINZ Motip duo Harvey Lawson and Bradley Perkins.

Mid-Devon riders Martin Smith finished 10th, Jack Wilson 19th, Henry Howell 30th and Karl Dobson 34th.

Before the meeting riders and officials bowed their heads in a minute’s silence to remember the late Ken Robertson and Colin Lewis, two giants of the Mid-Devon club and South-West cycling who have died recently.

Leading placings: Elite/1/2/3 – Sam Beckett 2.08.35, 2 Angus Hawkins (Spirit BSS), 3 Joseph Rees (BIKESTRONG- KTM), 4 Jordan Retallick (Saint Piran), 5 William Truelove (Wales RA), 6 Ewan Warren (Mid-Devon CC) all st; 3rd/4th Cat – 1 Cormac Nisbet (High Wycombe CC), 1.48.07, 2 Harvey Lawson (Nopinz Motip), 3 Bradley Perkins (Nopinz Motip), 4 Joe O’Brien (FlandersColor Galloo), 5 Felix Skelton (Avid Sport), 6 Thomas Munn (Avid Sport) all st.

Words Dave Thomas, Images Chris Godfrey