Jake Kelly, a 17 year old participant in the British National Junior Road Race Championship representing Team Microgaming-Isle of Man, won the bronze medal over a testing 125m course close to the Brecon Beacons in New South Wales on Sunday, 12th May, 2012. Jake finished in the same time as the silver medalist.
The winner of the British National Junior Road Race Championship, Same Lowe who represented Hargroves Cycles, finished only two seconds ahead of Sebastian Baylis, representing Mid Devon CC and third placed Kelly. Baylis recently won stage two of the Sleepwell Hotels Isle of Man Youth Tour.
During the race there were eight riders who were five minutes ahead of the main field of riders in the road at the 20 km mark but the bunch speeded up at this point and rode out in a long line that was separating due to the wind.
Kelly was successful in clipping off the front with 11 other riders and left his team mates as well as several pre-race favorites to try and regroup behind them.
After attacking 15 km from the finish Kelly and three others had a 20 sec lead at the foot of the final 4 km climb and were joined there by six others. The race then came down to a 10 man sprint. Lowe finished first and left the others to fight it out for silver and bronze.
Team Microgaming riders Nick Corlett and Alex Haddock finished in 48th and 60th places respectively.
Gary Mazzone, Team Microgaming’s junior team manager, revealed that it was a very mature and aggressive ride by Jake and that it is a sign that there is a lot more to come from him with this being his first year as a junior.
