Drea's out front

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7: Brian Drea of Team Madison extended his lead in the Bermuda Bicycle Association’s points series competition by leading home a Madison sweep of the top three places in Sunday’s race at Southside.

Bermuda’s Junior Caribbean Cycling Champion Dominic Mayho was second and Adam Harbutt third.

The 40.6-mile race started with a loop that extended down to Knapton Hill in Smith’s before returning to Southside for the remaining seven laps, and if the course wasn’t enough of a challenge, the heat added an extra dose of suffering.

From the start riders wanted to be either at the front or off the front going into Knapton Hill so riders charged full speed right from the gun charging 45 kilometres down Kindley Field Road.

There were some brief attempts at breaks, but nobody wanted to give the advantage to anyone else and it all came together at the base of the climb.

Madison’s Mayho shot up the hill first followed by Harbutt and Drea as well as former hill climb champion Mark Hatherley from Winner’s Edge with teammate Darren “Shakee” Glasford only a couple of seconds back.

The five riders established a 10 to 15 second lead over the top and worked well together from then all the way back to Southside to stretch the lead to a minute.

With five laps and 16 miles to go Madison’s Drea accelerated off the front and half a lap later teammate Mayho bridged across the gap and the two of them stayed away.

At the line Drea rode to take the win extending his lead in the points series. Harbutt rounded out the top three ahead of Hatherly and Glasford.

After seven races of the season-long 10-race points series Team Madison’s Drea has tallied 119 points ahead of Hatherley’s 106 points and Glasford is in third (101 points).

Like the A race, the 30.7-mile B race was decided on Knapton Hill.

Anthony Bartley rode home to victory ahead of Kevin Tucker and Winner’s Edge junior Justin Ferreira.

The Adult C race saw Crime Stopper’s Michael Thomas finish ahead of Jason DeCouto and Dnarte Lima over a 19.8-mile course.

In the Junior A race Rico Smith lead Fast Forward Bicycle Works’ rider Daniel Oatley and Winner’s Edge rider and Junior Caribbean Championships bronze medallist Gabriella Arnold in third.

Duncan Simons is the public relations officer for the Bermuda Bicycle Association.