Lewis Askey finally claimed a road win at the Lloyds Tour of Britain, dispelling fears of being the nearly-man after a season of close calls. The 25-year-old from Cannock triumphed on stage one in Lincoln, finishing nine seconds ahead of the field at the top of Michaelgate.
First win of the season
Askey, riding for NSN Cycling Team, was part of an 11-strong lead group through four laps of the iconic climb before bursting away on the final lap. His victory came in the shadow of Lincoln Cathedral, with his grandparents watching from the finish line.
“It feels amazing, especially to have my grandparents there at the finish line. It was super special,” said Askey. “I ride my bike to win races. It’s great when you come second, come third and do good performances, but nothing matches managing to put your hands up in the air.”
Turning seconds into firsts
Earlier this season, Askey finished second at the National Championships and recorded his best-ever Grand Tour stage finish on stage 17 of the Tour de France. “I’ve been pretty close. I’ve had plenty of second places again. If I can do a year where I turn those seconds into firsts then it will change quite a lot for me,” he said before the race.
Against leading European riders, including Filippo Ganna and Matteo Trentin in the lead group, Askey had no team support on the cobbled climbs. He relied on home crowds to help him up Lincoln’s steep ascent. “I didn’t really believe over the last two laps because I knew there were teams with multiple riders which is a really hard situation to manage,” he reflected. “But I knew it was my chance to push for a chance at general classification and leadership. That performance grants me that opportunity.”
British success continues
Askey will wear the green leader’s jersey as the tour continues in Lincolnshire. British success also continued as Walsall’s Adam Lewis won the combativity award, while Aberdeen’s Elliot Rowe collected the young rider jersey.
