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Ex-Wheeler first in Junior Paris-Roubaix |
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Written by Graeme Anderson
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Tuesday, 15 April 2008 |
Ex-Wheeler first in Junior Paris-Roubaix
Olympic Development rider and ex-Welwyn Wheeler, Andrew Fenn, has won the Junior version of the classic road race, Paris-Roubaix. Fenn joins fellow Great Britain rider Geraint Thomas who won this race a few years ago before going on to becoming a professional and multi world champion on the track. The race was 122 kilometres long and finished on the velodrome the same as the pros did later on when Tom Boonen won the pro version. After the presentation, British Cycling spoke to second year junior Andy who said it was his biggest victory by far and one he hopes to use as a springboard to become a professional on the road and track in the coming years.
The race began with a small break of four or five riders getting away and the main field, with all the Great Britain riders in it, remained together until around 30 kilometres to go when the splits, in the bunch and break, started to happen. Fenn awaited his moment as the gap to the break was coming down and when he chose his moment, he was able to launch himself up the road alone and stay away all the way to the finish.
"It was awesome" Andy told British Cycling afterwards as he described the moment he entered the velodrome on his own. "I went on one of the cobbled sections and started to pick off the riders one by one in front of me. I got to the second last rider with 6k to go and caught the final rider in the last kilometre. I attacked him straight away as he had been out front all day and I knew he was going to be tired."
Andy admitted there wasn't a great deal he did different on his bike for this cobbled classic but added that riding it last year helped a lot. Despite the prestigious victory, he wasn't getting over confident of his form in his last year in the ODP saying it was still early season and there is more hard work to be done before other season goals on road and track.
RESULT
1. FENN Andrew GBR
2. SAGAN Peter SVK
3. FEDRIGO Etienne FRA
4. HOUMAND Emil DEN
5. HUMBERT Michael GER
6. MARKUS Barry NED
13. ROWSELL Erick GBR
15. MEADOWS Toby GBR
19. ATKINS George GBR
22. ROWE Luke GBR |
