Gullen comes within a whisker of Motorpoint Spring Cup glory

James Gullen toasted an impressive Motorpoint Spring Cup after clinching joint-second in the series at the Lincoln Grand Prix on Sunday.
James Gullen, left. Picture: Ellen IsherwoodJames Gullen, left. Picture: Ellen Isherwood
James Gullen, left. Picture: Ellen Isherwood

But the 26-year-old, who rides for UCI Continental outfit Pedal Heaven, admitted a tinge of frustration after coming within a whisker of overall glory.

Lancaster-based Gullen went into the fifth and final round of the campaign in third spot, one place and one point behind Raleigh GAC’s Adria Moreno.

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Jonathan McEvoy, of NFTO, headed the standings but when he was distanced on the picturesque course it became a two-way battle for the overall crown.

And despite Gullen’s best efforts, he was unable to drop Moreno who marked the Pedal Heaven man before easing clear in the finale to take seventh place and clinch the title.

Tom Stewart, of Madison Genesis, won the race, while Ian Bibby finished third to rise to level second in the final reckoning.

Nonetheless, Gullen was delighted with his efforts over the campaign, which saw him finish in the top 10 in each of the five contests.

He said: “I am really pleased.

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“I have been really consistent throughout the series, so I can’t complain.

“But because I got so close, there is that little disappointment. It literally came down to the last climb on Sunday.

“Adria and I were together and whoever crossed the line first was going to take it. So with it being that close, it makes it more disappointing.

“But it is good. When you look back on the series as a whole, you realise it was actually really good. I have to be happy with it.2

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Gullen was ninth in the Chorley Grand Prix, eighth in the Manx International, 10th in the general classification at the Tour of the Reservoir and fourth at Cycle Wiltshire before the Lincoln finale.

His Pedal Heaven outfit notched third place in the Spring Cup team standings, with Bolton-le-Sands’ Jack Pullar completing a superb campaign of his own with 10th place.

Gullen will return to action as part of Pedal Heaven’s five-man team for the eight-day An Post Rás, which begins in Dublin on Sunday.

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