2007: Blythe Wins Major Dutch Stage Race
Updated with a reaction from Adam on his big win. See end of report.
What a load of trophies! Adam with his haul of trophies after winning no less than four jerseys in Holland. Picture courtesy of the race website -- check it out for lots of shots of the Brits in action!
Olympic Development Rider, Adam Blythe, led the Great Britain Junior squad to a historic overall win in the team and individual categories at the UCI 2.1 ranked three day ‘Axel Tour' based round the Dutch\Belgian Border between the 18th and 20th of May.
It was a dominant display by the young British team with the riders in the GB colours always prominent during the race and making their presence felt at the head of the race with impressive displays of team riding that left other continental and national teams scratching their heads as the lads took a firm grip on the racing and defended a hatful of seconds brilliantly.
It was also a far from a defensive strategy as well as as the team were always ready to go on the attack and force the pace and this was not without drama as both Peter Kennaugh and Rhys LLoyd ‘slapped off' on stage 4 but were quickly up and running showing great determination and commitment.
Kennaugh, winner of two stage races recently, featured prominently in the biggest break of the final stage and despite being reeled in late on in the stage, was still active in making sure the team delivered the goods at the end of the race.
Final stage and a win while wearing yellow -- doesn't get any sweeter than that!
Such was the presence of GB in the race that the final results were a testament to all concerned including Darren Tudor and the support staff looking after the riders in the usual professional manner that we associate with everything in GB these days. Blythe meanwhile, a stage winner in stage races here in the UK but finding more success in Europe this year, was loving the full on continental racing as usual winning the Yellow Jersey overall after holding it from stage 1and being at the forefront of the racing and other event categories throughout the 3 days.
His placings in the 4 stages were 1st, 8th(TT), 2nd and 1st. These placings also meant he won the Points, Sprints,and Combined jerseys and he was also placed 2nd in the Pave category and was 3rd in the Climber category. Peter Kennaugh finished an impressive 5th on GC despite his ‘offs', 7th in the Points, 3rd in the Sprints, 3rd in Pave, 4th in the Combined and 6th in the Climber category.
Andy Fenn was 5th in the young rider category and 9th in the Pave. Mark McNally, Jonny McEvoy and Rhys LLoyd were always in the thick of the action ensuring Great Britain never lost hold on the race. An indication of the respect for the team was demonstrated by the event commentator on the final circuit of stage 3 on Saturday when he announced the GB squad name by name - in the order that they were driving the race flat out to the finish !
Reaction...
Adam Blythe won so many jerseys in Holland (four), he has difficult remembering what they were all for but the key ones were the Yellow (overall) and Points. "I think that is my best road win and I'm dead happy with it" he told us today as he recovered on a rest day with sore legs. "You look at some of the past winners and Tom Boonen was 3rd once so it I'm pleased" he added.
"I went into the race aiming to do well and looking for a top 5 overall so I was amazed to come away with yellow and two stage wins." Adam though was so dominate in the race his record over the four stages is quite amazing -- 2 stage wins, a 2nd and 8th but then I guess everyone has a bad day!
Day 1 and a stage win and the yellow jersey which Adam was to hold for the rest of the race.
"I like the continental races a lot more" he explained to British Cycling. "There is something about the racing there where everyone is racing. There are a lot more riders able to make the race. The race was dead hard but wasn't as hard for me as it has been before. I go into a stage and try to stay near the front and just watch what happens. If I can get into a move then great, if not, I'm happy to see what happens at the end."
He was full of praise for his teammates in the GB team. "I could not have been able to get anywhere without their support in the race. On the first day I was away by myself for a while and Peter (Kennaugh) got across with another break which was I happy about as I know Pete is a strong rider. At the finish it was small group sprint and Pete gave me a lead out for that. On another stage, the whole team got on the front with 20k to go, doing through and off and gave me a big lead out again and I just missed out, finishing second in that."
GB team manager was Darren Tudor who before the race would give them a race plan and Adam says that he feels the team did pretty much everything he asked. GB went into the race with six riders, no radios as these are not allowed in Junior races. Because of this Adam says "there were always three or four of us near the front so we were able to keep in good contact with each other. They were amazing chasing breaks down and so on." Adam added the team also made sure they got riders in breaks as well.
"We were a bit nervous on day 1 and wary of crashes and that but on the second day, we were all well up for it." Adam went on to explain that he enjoyed the last stage which he won when the race went over a lot of cobbled climbs. "We did quite a lot of cobbled stuff in the race and although the wind wasn't that strong, there was plenty of echelons and that."
The riders in the GB team now travel to Sussex for a stage race there competing for their clubs and teams..
