Blythe claims London-Surrey Classic

After a wet and muddy 200km race, it was NFTO's Adam Blythe who emerged victorious on The Mall as he edged friend and training partner Ben Swift (Team Sky) with a well-timed sprint.

"It's hard to say how much this means to me," Blythe said after claiming his first win of 2014. "But you could see how emotional it was as my face said it all.

"OK, it's not like I won the worlds or anything, but this is very big race for a British rider to win, especially in this setting in front of the Queen's house. I hope she was watching."

Swift was one the pre-race favourites with the event expected to finish in a bunch sprint and the 26-year-old appeared to be in a perfect position after five of his teammates, including 2012 Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins, had worked hard in the middle part of the race to get him into a breakaway group.

"It would have been nice to have won but I am really happy with second," said Swift. "I've known Adam since I was seven-years-old and we've got a lot of history, so I knew he was the one to watch.

"I knew I needed to keep an eye on him and I could see he was looking for me on the run-in. I tried to react to his move but he's a really fast sprinter and once he got the jump on me he was away."

Julian Alaphilippe took third for Omega Pharma-QuickStep ahead of BMC's Philippe Gilbert while the final member of the break, Kristijan Koren (Cannondale), came across the line three seconds down on Blythe and Swift

How it unfolded
There had been a number of early attacks from the 147-man peloton which left London bathing in the summer sunshine after a pause in the morning deluge which meant the riders were confronted with wet roads for the majority of the event.

The first significant break came in Richmond Park after 13km of racing when six riders got away and established a gap of just over a minute back to the main bunch. The break held their advantage through the early stretches out into Surrey's narrow country roads, of which many of them still smeared with rain and mud.

Wiggins and teammate Ian Stannard did much of the work to control the race as Sky took control of the peloton with their intention to close the gap and get Swift into contention for any later break.

The plan worked perfectly, and when Gilbert made his move on the approach to Box Hill, Swift was one of 10 men who leapt onto his wheel with around 70km left to race.

With Sky's work done back in the bunch, they dropped off and left the initiate to chase for other teams.

Taking up the responsibility in Sky's absence was Cannondale who were looking to Elia Viviani for a good result. With 50km left in the race, the leading break of 11 riders had built a lead of over a minute and they were looking comfortable out in front as Cannondale's efforts where having little impact on reducing the gap.

As the leaders approached Headley Heath and Leatherhead, Gilbert and Swift kept the pace high to make sure there were no passengers in the group. Gilbert then attacked the breakaway between Raynes Park and Wimbledon which caused a split and whittled down the break to five riders.

Gilbert looked intent on claiming the win on his own and another attack saw the Belgian and Alaphilippe briefly drop Swift, Blythe and Koren before it all came back together again.

When the five riders hit Putney High Street and crossed Putney Bridge for the run alongside the River Thames towards Westminster, it looked like it anyone's race to win.

Once the riders were onto The Mall, it became clear that Blythe and Swift were going to decide the 2014 victor and it was the former BMC rider who upset Swift for a confidence boosting win.

"In the last kilometre I knew I had plenty in the tank," Blythe said. "I just wanted to make sure I got everything out and didn't leave it too late to make my move.

"I knew that if I was close to Swifty I'd have a chance. I hugged close to the barriers and had a go. Now I feel like I can mix it with the big boys."

Steve Lampier of Node4 Velosure claimed the King of the Mountains title while Dutchman and Giant-Shimano stagiaire Steven Lammertin won the sprint contest.

 

Results

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Results
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Adam Blythe (GBr) NFTO4:39:53
2Ben Swift (GBr) Team SkyRow 1 - Cell 2
3Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step0:00:01
4Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 3 - Cell 2
5Kristijan Koren (Slo) Cannondale0:00:03
6Sam Bennett (Irl) Team NetApp - Endura0:00:12
7Loic Vliegen (Bel) BMC Racing Team0:00:13
8Stef Clement (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling TeamRow 7 - Cell 2
9Elia Viviani (Ita) Cannondale0:00:31
10Russell Downing (GBr) NFTORow 9 - Cell 2
11Martin Kohler (Sui) BMC Racing TeamRow 10 - Cell 2
12Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) MTN-Qhubeka p.b SamsungRow 11 - Cell 2
13Nick Van Der (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling TeamRow 12 - Cell 2
14Jerome Baugnies (Bel) Wanty-Group GobertRow 13 - Cell 2
15Kristian House (GBr) Rapha Condor JLTRow 14 - Cell 2
16Tijmen Eising (Ned) Metec - TKH ContintentalRow 15 - Cell 2
17Jack Wilson (Irl) An Post Chain Reaction0:00:32
18Dennis Bakker (Ned) Metec - TKH ContintentalRow 17 - Cell 2
19Steve Lampier (GBr) Velosure-Giordana RacingRow 18 - Cell 2
20Gregor Muhlberger (Aut) Team NetApp - EnduraRow 19 - Cell 2
21Markus Eibegger (Aut) Synergy BakuRow 20 - Cell 2
22Nathan Earle (Aus) Team SkyRow 21 - Cell 2
23Iker Camano (Esp) Team NetApp - EnduraRow 22 - Cell 2
24Clement Saint Martin (Fra) Team La Pomme Marseille 13Row 23 - Cell 2
25Thomas Damuseau (Fra) Team Giant-Shimano0:00:33
26Matthieu Boulo (Fra) Team RaleighRow 25 - Cell 2
27Edward Theuns (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 26 - Cell 2
28Mike Northey (NZl) Madison GenesisRow 27 - Cell 2
29Conor Dunne (Irl) An Post Chain ReactionRow 28 - Cell 2
30Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky0:00:34
31Christian Meier (Can) Orica GreenEdgeRow 30 - Cell 2
32Marco Minnaard (Ned) Wanty-Group Gobert0:00:35
33Michel Kreder (Ned) Wanty-Group GobertRow 32 - Cell 2
34Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 33 - Cell 2
35Scott Thwaites (GBr) Team NetApp - Endura0:00:36
36Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team0:00:37
37Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team0:00:43
38Arthur Vanoverberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise0:00:47
39James Lowsley-Williams (GBr) NFTORow 38 - Cell 2
40Thomas Stewart (GBr) Madison Genesis0:00:48
41Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Cannondale0:00:51
42Alberto Bettiol (Ita) CannondaleRow 41 - Cell 2
43Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Cannondale0:00:52
44Caleb Ewan (Aus) Orica GreenEdge0:01:44
45Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step0:06:25
46Brian Van Goethem (Ned) Metec - TKH Contintental0:06:26
47Jan Sokol (Aut) Synergy BakuRow 46 - Cell 2
48Daan Olivier (Ned) Team Giant-ShimanoRow 47 - Cell 2
49Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 48 - Cell 2
50Benjamin Giraud (Fra) Team La Pomme Marseille 130:06:27
51Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Omega Pharma - Quick-StepRow 50 - Cell 2
52Fabio Sabatini (Ita) CannondaleRow 51 - Cell 2
53Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty-Group GobertRow 52 - Cell 2
54Sebastian Lander (Den) BMC Racing TeamRow 53 - Cell 2
55Simon Yates (GBr) Orica GreenEdge0:06:28
56Tom Scully (NZl) Madison GenesisRow 55 - Cell 2
57Mark Renshaw (Aus) Omega Pharma - Quick-StepRow 56 - Cell 2
58Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-StepRow 57 - Cell 2
59Dale Appleby (GBr) NFTORow 58 - Cell 2
60Stijn Steels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise0:06:29
61Francis De Greef (Bel) Wanty-Group GobertRow 60 - Cell 2
62Brett Lancaster (Aus) Orica GreenEdgeRow 61 - Cell 2
63Luke Rowe (GBr) Team SkyRow 62 - Cell 2
64Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Team NetApp - Endura0:06:30
65Mark McNally (GBr) An Post Chain ReactionRow 64 - Cell 2
66Ian Stannard (GBr) Team SkyRow 65 - Cell 2
67Richard Handley (GBr) Rapha Condor JLT0:08:35
68Christopher Opie (GBr) Rapha Condor JLT0:11:37
69Yanto Barker (GBr) Team RaleighRow 68 - Cell 2
70Hugh Wilson (GBr) NFTO0:11:38
71Daniel Westmattelmann (Ger) Team KuotaRow 70 - Cell 2
72Aaron Gate (NZl) An Post Chain ReactionRow 71 - Cell 2
73Alex Peters (GBr) Madison GenesisRow 72 - Cell 2
74Thomas Rostollan (Fra) Team La Pomme Marseille 13Row 73 - Cell 2
75Josh Hunt (GBr) NFTO0:11:39
76Jonas Ahlstrand (Swe) Team Giant-ShimanoRow 75 - Cell 2
77Morgan Kneisky (Fra) Team Raleigh0:11:40
78Edward Fabian Diaz Cardenas (Col) Colombia0:11:42
79Tim Vanspeybroeck (Bel) Team 3M0:11:44
80Sander Helven (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise0:11:45
81Thomas Moses (GBr) Rapha Condor JLTRow 80 - Cell 2
82Andrew Fenn (GBr) Omega Pharma - Quick-StepRow 81 - Cell 2
83Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Belkin-Pro Cycling TeamRow 82 - Cell 2
84Mitch Docker (Aus) Orica GreenEdge0:15:40
85George Harper (GBr) Velosure-Giordana RacingRow 84 - Cell 2
86Youcef Reguigui (Alg) MTN-Qhubeka p.b Samsung0:19:33
87Songezo Jim (Rsa) MTN-Qhubeka p.b SamsungRow 86 - Cell 2
88Thomas Vaubourzeix (Fra) Team La Pomme Marseille 130:21:28
89Evaldus Siskevicius (Ltu) Team La Pomme Marseille 13Row 88 - Cell 2
90Jerome Gilbert (Bel) Wanty-Group GobertRow 89 - Cell 2
91Christopher Latham (GBr) Great Britain Cycling TeamRow 90 - Cell 2
92Oliver Wood (GBr) Great Britain Cycling TeamRow 91 - Cell 2
93Christopher Lawless (GBr) Great Britain Cycling TeamRow 92 - Cell 2
94George Atkins (GBr) Team RaleighRow 93 - Cell 2
95Brad Morgan (GBr) Velosure-Giordana Racing0:21:29
96Lucas Carstensen (Ger) Bike Aid - Ride for helpRow 95 - Cell 2
97Adrien Niyonshuti (Rwa) MTN-Qhubeka p.b SamsungRow 96 - Cell 2
98Tom Peterson (Usa) Team Giant-ShimanoRow 97 - Cell 2
99Nicolas Dougall (Rsa) MTN-Qhubeka p.b SamsungRow 98 - Cell 2
100Remco Te Brake (Ned) Metec - TKH ContintentalRow 99 - Cell 2
101Jelle Wolsink (Ned) Metec - TKH ContintentalRow 100 - Cell 2

 

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