Halfords Tour Series 2012 Oxford Photos

Tues evening was the first edition of the Halfords Tour Series to be held in Oxford.

It was based around a twisty circuit on St Giles with several sharp hairpins, and two long straights up and down St Giles. It was quite a scenic criterium circuit with St John’s and some other colleges providing an unlikely backdrop for this bike race. The racing was fast and furious with the peleton splitting early on. There were groups all over the circuit. It was quite a spectacle to watch. There were many spectators and live commentary. Usually when you’re watching cycling on TV, you only see the lead group. But, watching the race, I was intrigued as much with all the different groups and back-markers. I knew quite a few of the riders in the race, including several local riders from Team Zappi who were racing.

Provisional Results
1)    Scott Thwaites, Endura Racing
2)    Marcel Six, Metaltek Scott
3)    Dean Windsor, Endura Racing
4)    Chris Opie, Team UK Youth
5)    Jonny McEvoy, Endura Racing
6)    Mike Northey, Node4 – Giordana Racing
7)    James McCallum, Rapha Condor Sharp
8)    James Stewart, Team UK Youth
9)    Niklas Gustavsson, Team UK Youth
10)    Bernard Sulzberger, Team Raleigh – GAC

.

The ironic thing is that I was in town to help give a meditation class, just next door to the race on St Giles. I was torn between two worlds of exciting cycle event and trying to meditate. I watched first half of race and got a lot of photos, then went for start of meditation class, but the music and commentary were so loud it was a strange meditation class.

.

.

.

.

.

Report at Halfords Tour Series

Highlights on ITV4 at 20:00 on Wednesday 23rd May.