Kevin Chambers (ApiBikes.com/Specialized/Metrow Foods) led Api team-mates Martin Meades and Chris Brooking to a clean sweep of the podium places in the Southend Wheelers promotion. Chambers and Brooking were at the front of the race from the third lap of 8, with Richard Whitehorn (Glendene CC), Nic Hastler (Essex Roads CC) and Dan Fentiman (PCA Orbea). With a lead of only 50 seconds for the majority of the race, the leaders were joined by another five riders with two laps to go, as Meades, Jeff Kapp (Shaftesbury CC), Simon Oliver & John Bartram (both Interbike) and Ben Lewis (Finsbury Park CC).
By now, the strong winds and the climb of Mill Hill were taking their toll. On the last lap, Chambers and Kapp briefly escaped, before being caught, and Brooking tried his hand with 4 miles to go. Chambers timed his attack to perfection, going just as the group reeled Brooking back, with a mile to go. Chambers hung on up the last climb of Mill Hill to take the chequered flag, and Meades and Brooking mopped up the minor placings.
Result
1. Kevin Chambers ApiBikes.com 2hrs 48mins 27s 2. Martin Meades ApiBikes.com @ 3s 3. Chris Brooking ApiBikes.com 4. Richard Whitehorn Glendene 5. Simon Oliver Interbike RT 6. Jeff Kapp Shaftesbury 7. John Bartram Interbike RT 8. Ben Lewis Finsbury Park all s.t. 9. Dan Fentiman PCA Orbea @ 15s 10. Nic Hastler Essex Roads CC @ 25s 11. Scott Bonnel Valley Stove&Cycle@ 1min 12. Sean Sumner Cambridge CC 13. Vince Devine CC Luton 14. Nigel Brooks Essex Roads CC 15. Nat Spurling Finsbury Park 16. Bob Rouse Dataphonics R.T. 17. Dave Wright Finsbury Park C.C. 18. Bruce Hodges API Bikes.com 19. Ben Davey Glendene C.C. 20. Glen Smith Dataphonics R.T. 21. Matt Pullen Crest C.C. 22. John Ireland Interbike R.T. Boyer/E.Merckx 23. Dan Woodcock Interbike R.T. Boyer/E.Merckx 24. Steve Murrell PCA/Orbea 25. Sean Wright Shaftesbury C.C. 26. Gary Poole Maldon & Dist C.C. 27. Frank Rawlings Herts Wheelers 28. Dean Wakeling API Bikes.com 29. Bruce Robinson Shaftesbury C.C. @1min 05secs 30. Michael Inder Thames Velo @1min 07secs 31. Benjamin Nicholson Eastern Region Velo 32. Andrew Elderfield Glendene C.C. @1min 40secs