On Friday the 22nd august 4 Evesham Wheelers travelled to Wales to compete in the International Junior Tour of Wales.

Tom Stockdale, Scott Law, Michael Thelwell and a guest rider Ewen McDonald. With Paul Stockdale, Clive Brookes, John Jenkins, Pete Hutchinson and John James also travelling there to help.

Stage 1 was a time trial, the course was 4.5 miles with the last 0.5 miles going up the shallow side of the Tumble Mountain, with Tom being given the honours to start the 2008 Tour of Wales with 80 starters in the race. Tom recorded a time of 13:23 which was 26th place. Scott was next to start for the wheelers recording a time of 14:48 which was 72nd place, next off was Ewen who recorded a time of 14:04 which was 45th place, and then last off for the wheelers was Mikey who was on for a very good time off about 14 minutes but then got blown off by the wind going up the tumble and lost lots of time getting back on and carried on to finish so he could to start the stage in the afternoon.

Stage 2 this was the first road stage, 45 miles long finishing at the top off the Llangynidr Mountain. The race set off and the wheelers just sat in the bunch until the mountain in the last 3 miles and then the bunch completely split and it was every man climbing the pace at their own speed. Tom came 45th, Scott came 66th, Ewen came 63rd and this race being Mikey’s first ever road race he found it a bit too hard so didn’t start the next day. But he went home learning a lot about racing and is eager to train hard for the next race he has.

Stage 3 this was a circuit race of 1 mile per lap and the race was 45 minutes + 3 laps. None of us wheelers were circuit racers so we all really struggled on this course Tom came 60th Ewen came 58th and Scott came 61st.

Stage 4 this was another road race of 45 miles again finishing at the top of a huge 3 mile climb. We all kept up in the bunch comfortably with Ewen trying to get in a few breakaways half way threw the race and then a couple of miles before the hill top trying to get in a breakaway. Once we hit the hill yet again it all completely split too pieces. Tom came in 34th place, Scott came in 51st and Ewen came in 65th.

Stage 5 This was the final stage and was a 60 mile road race with a mountain in it after 30 miles and then going up the famous tumble for the finish off the race. After 30 miles at the top off the first mountain there was a massive split in the bunch and Tom just managed to make it after doing some speedy descending but Scott and Ewen just missed the split. The next 30 miles the pace was hot in both of the groups for the last 30 miles of the race 2 screws had came out of the cleat of toms shoes so he had to do the last 30 miles in the bunch in the saddle and the tumble mountain in the saddle. Tom came 38th, Scott came 58th and Ewen came 55th. Just to make it to the top of this climb was a massive achievement, to know you had finished the tour. Overall Tom came 43rd, Scott came 62nd and Ewen came 59th.

We all really enjoyed the racing and we were the youngest team in the race and for 3 of our 4 members it was their first road races.

Hopefully we will all be back next year more experienced and ready to do a lot better.

Team Evesham Wheelers would just like to thank John Jenkins and John James and there wives for coming along to help with the racing.