House hunting down a repeat in Abergavenny (From Free Press Series)

House hunting down a repeat in Abergavenny

1:30pm Wednesday 7th July 2010

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KRISTIAN House will return to the scene of his greatest triumph on Friday when he roars around Abergavenny as one of the Get Connected Welsh Open Town Centre Crits star entries.

It may not be National Championships course, which riders will tackle in the Iron Mountain Sportif on Saturday week, but the tight town centre race is a huge challenge.

This year's Get Connected races are part of the National Elite Circuit Series and House is part of an in-form Rapha Condor Sharp team.

Enduro Racing's Ian Wilkinson leads the series after two rounds, having secured victories in Dumfries and Otley but Rapha are clogging up the next three places with 30-year-old House and team-mate Graham Briggs in joint second and Dean Downing fourth.

But these aces are not likely to have it all their own way as Beijing Olympic star Ed Clancy, World Championships silver medalist Andy Tennant and Olympic track bronze medalist Steven Burke have all entered.

House failed to defend his National Road Race Championships crown when Cardiff's Geraint Thomas took the title and Team Sky completed the podium.

But the Manchester-based rider was not too upset at having to hand the multi-coloured jersey to Thomas in Pendle, Lancashire.

“I'm not disappointed in the slightest," said House. “I did what I could on the day given the course and the preparation I had.

“I knew I could not compete with the field in the climbs and I had to ride to my strengths.”

House said he had a great year after beating Thomas and some of the country's other big names, like Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish, over the line in Abergavenny 12 months ago.

Now, though, it is a priority to get Elite Circuit Series points at the Get Connected Crits.

"The Crits are bike racing and that's what I love doing,” he said.

“It does not matter if it is a road race or crits, but I do love to ride crits on a tight course."

The Get Connected event, which also includes a traders race and youth races, has a mixture of twists, turns and straights which tests the riders all round abilities.

Points in the Elite Series will be vital at Abergavenny as it marks the half way point of the competition and Wilkinson could make great strides in the race for the title.

The fun starts beforehand with the youngsters riding the circuit and the traders race, backed by local company FR Ball, which has been entered by 15 teams.

l Entries and details about the Iron Mountain Sportif on Saturday week, which includes entry to Bailey Park for the Abergavenny Carnival festivities, are at abergavennyfestivalofcycling.com

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