Team UK Youth overhauled Team Raleigh to move in to the lead of The Pearl Izumi Tour Series in Stoke-on-Trent on Tuesday night under the watchful gaze of team owner and Formula One World Champion Nigel Mansell.
Captain Yanto Barker took his second individual victory of the season, to help Team UK Youth to their first team win of 2013 and with it the Series lead and the five red Pearl Izumi jerseys.
Barker held off Dean Downing and teammate Tobyn Horton for the win, as Madison Genesis also put in an impressive team race to take second on the night with all five of their riders finishing in the top twenty, while despite placing four riders in the top ten, Rapha Condor JLT could only come third.
Previous leaders Team Raleigh, the winners of Rounds One and Two in Kirkcaldy and Durham, were badly effected by crashes, with debutant Eric Berthou their top man in twelfth, losing the jerseys to UK Youth on countback.
Five riders had shaped the race, going clear and building a maximum lead of just under 30 seconds. Liam Holohan, Gruff Lewis, Tobyn Horton, Felix English and Lachlan Norris worked well together, but then in a frentic five-minute period were reeled in after a concerted effort from Team UK Youth and Madison Genesis as crashes split the main field.
Raleigh were the main casualties, handing the advantage to UK Youth who drew level on points thanks to the finishes of Barker, Horton and seventh placed Ian Wilkinson, taking the lead thanks to having taken team victory on the night.
Madison Genesis also moved to within two points of the lead, with 2011 Champions Rapha Condor JLT just a further two in arrears.
There was also an excellent result for Metaltek – Knights of Old’s Welsh duo of Dale Appleby and Gruff Lewis, finishing eight and eleventh to help their team to a surprise fourth on the night, with the next race coming in Lewis’ hometown of Aberystwyth.
New Zealander Tom Scully did provide some respite for Raleigh, taking over the IG Sprints Jersey from Kristian House with a six point lead, while Barker’s last lap effort ensured the Costa Express Fastest Lap went to Team UK Youth for the third successive race.
Highlights of Round Three in Durham will be shown on ITV4 at 10pm on Wednesday 22nd May, with a repeat at 12.55pm on Thursday 23rd May. Round Four of the Series takes place in Aberystwyth as a part of the Aberystwyth Cycle Fest on Friday 24th May.
The Pearl Izumi Tour Series, Round Three Stoke-on-Trent, Provisional Results
Round Three Stoke-on-Trent, Individual Result
1) Yanto Barker, GBR, Team UK Youth
2) Dean Downing, GBR, Madison Genesis
3) Tobyn Horton, GBR, Team UK Youth
4) Andy Tennant, GBR, Madison Genesis
5) Kristian House, GBR, Rapha Condor JLT
6) Felix English, IRL, Rapha Condor JLT
7) Ian Wilkinson, GBR, Team UK Youth
8) Dale Appleby, GBR, Metaltek - Knights of Old
9) James McCallum, GBR, Rapha Condor JLT
10) Ed Clancy, GBR, Rapha Condor JLT
Round Three Stoke-on-Trent, Team Result
1) Team UK Youth
2) Madison Genesis
3) Rapha Condor JLT
4) Metaltek - Knights of Old
5) Team Raleigh
6) Node4 Giordana Racing
7) Team Hope Factory Racing
8) Team IG Sigma Sport
9) MG Maxifuel
10) Spin Rotor - Primal C-Originals
Team Standings, post-Round Three
1) Team UK Youth, 26pts
2) Team Raleigh, 26pts
3) Madison Genesis, 24pts
4) Rapha Condor JLT, 22pts
5) Node4 Giordana Racing, 20pts
6) Metaltek - Knights of Old, 14pts
7) Team Hope Factory Racing, 11pts
8) MG Maxifuel, 10pts
9) Team IG Sigma Sport, 8pts
10) Spin Rotor - Primal - C-Originals, 3pts
IG Sprints winner Round Three Stoke-on-Trent: Tom Scully, NZL, Team Raleigh
Costa Express Fastest Lap Stoke-on-Trent: Yanto Barker, GBR, Team UK Youth, 1:31.0
IG Sprints standings, post-Round Three
1) Tom Scully, NZL, Team Raleigh, 24pts
2) Kristian House, GBR, Rapha Condor JLT, 18pts
3) Felix English, IRL, Rapha Condor JLT, 12pts
The Pearl Izumi Tour Series 2013
Round Four Friday 24th May Aberystwyth, Ceredigion
Round Five Tuesday 28th May Torquay, Devon
Round Six Thursday 30th May Colchester, Essex
Round Seven Tuesday 4th June Redditch, Worcestershire
Round Eight Thursday 6th June Canary Wharf, London
Round Nine Tuesday 11th June Woking, Surrey
Round Ten Thursday 13th June Aylsham, Norfolk
Round Eleven Friday 14th June Ipswich, Suffolk