Wiggins gives wet weather demo to a cautious Clinton

Last Thursday saw Kenilworth’s Matt Clinton take his place among the best time trial riders in the country for the British Championships at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport.
By The Newsroom
Published 3rd Jul 2014, 12:13 BST
Matt Clinton battles through the wet weather on his way to 15th position at the British Time Trial Championships. Picture: Larry Hickmott/VeloUK.netMatt Clinton battles through the wet weather on his way to 15th position at the British Time Trial Championships. Picture: Larry Hickmott/VeloUK.net
Matt Clinton battles through the wet weather on his way to 15th position at the British Time Trial Championships. Picture: Larry Hickmott/VeloUK.net

Former Tour de France winner Sir Bradley Wiggins, Sky Procycling teammate Geraint Thomas and Movistar rider Alex Dowsett headed a stellar line-up and would fill the first three positions, but Clinton went into the 26-mile race with high hopes of a top-ten finish following an impressive few weeks on the road.

However, heavy rain mid-afternoon changed the course conditions, with technical turns becoming slick and treacherous.

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Playing it safer rather than taking risks, Clinton would lose significant time through these bends on the demanding two-lap course.

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His power numbers were significantly down due to the treacherous conditions - he recorded his lowest in any race this year - to finish a disappointing 15th place.

Clinton clocked 1hr 1min 23 sec to concede 7:27 to Wiggins and he admitted the Pro-Tour riders held an advantage on the wet thanks to their superior bike-handling skills.

“Really kicking myself how badly I rode, just didn’t want to make tarmac contact,” said Clinton on Twitter.

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“No amount of form could account for the fact I’m rubbish in the rain and got a full-time job.

“Safe mode definitely came into play last night.”

The Mike Vaughan Cycles rider bounced back to claim victory in the Warwickshire Road Club 10-mile time trial near Alcester.

A last-minute change of course meant riders managed to avoid Saturday’s heavy downpours and as it was a much less technical course, Clinton was in familiar territory.

However, expectations were low due to Clinton still feeling the effects of his Time Trial Championship effort 48 hours previously.

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Last man off, he pushed it hard on the slight uphill, headwind leg before fading with the return tailwind.

Crossing the line in 19:05 (31.44mph), he would clock his second fastest time for a ten-mile time trial, beating second-placed Jon Simpkins (drag2zero.com) by 45 seconds, breaking the course record in the process.

 The MI Racing-hosted Battle of Edge Hill was won by Lutterworth rider Matt Jennings.

The 90-mile race for veteran riders was the biggest held in the area for several decades and Jennings dropped breakaway rival Simon Brooks with 200 yards to go.

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MI Racing rider Mike Twelves won the Jewson-sponsored sprint competition and finished eighth overall,one place behind Warwick-based teammate John Stevenson.

 Richard Merrell won Leamington C&AC’s ten-mile time trial on course K10.

In the absence of the inf-form Richard Shephard - winner of six of his seven club races this season- Merrell recorded his first victory of 2014 with a time of 21min 21sec.

Gavin Fowler was 21 seconds back in second, with Mark Thomas (21:55) third.