Felix English Wins The Otley GP

Rapha Condor JLT’s Felix English won the first round of the Elite National Series in Otley, last night.

The Otley town centre race, which has been running since 1985, is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious criteriums in the UK, and the Men In Black were keen to capitalize on their current run of good form.

After an aggressive display by the whole team throughout the race, it was 20 year-old English who slipped into the winning six-man move with twenty minutes of action remaining.

English explained,

“Once we got away the group worked well. We got up to nearly a minute and, I knew that we should make it to the line. We started to look at each other a little towards the end and that meant the bunch came back quickly. ”

English however, showed great maturity in letting the whole group close the gap before jumping clear himself for the win; something that team manager John Herety was particularly pleased to see.

“Felix has come on a great deal in this past year, and is one of the guys really getting the most out of this development program. Last year he was always too eager, and he just didn’t have it in the big crits.”

“This year at the Tour Series he was much stronger, but he still made a few small tactical errors here and there. Tonight though he showed that he is learning, taking things on board, and that he can win big races. I’m made up for him.”

English too was delighted to take his first National Series race win,

“I’m really happy to get this win tonight. I was close at the start of the Tour Series, and I wanted to get a win there, but my form sort of tailed off. This is a great event though, and to win in front of that crowd was just awesome.”

English is now in his second year with the team and following several strong showings at the Tour Series, and his win in the Milk Race in June, the Irishman looks to be one of the development team’s first real success stories.

English now leads the Elite Circuit Series, which resumes in two days time at the Stockton GP this Friday.

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