Boss praises '˜racing perfection' as Watson charges to victory

A masterful display of racecraft earned Watson the prized place on the podium in the Bodytorq Criterium Race Series at Lancaster, aided by fellow squad members Andy Bishop, Aaron Chambers-Smith and Steve Paterson for the Andy Moore Autocentres/J.E.James outfit.

“Deano put on a class act,” said manager Andy Moore. “His confidence and sheer dominance of the race were just sublime.

“His wingmen, Bish and Smiffy, did a sterling job, strangling the peloton with some fine riding, neutralising every attack, and Deano produced racing perfection, creating the break and winning in such great atyle that he even managed to lap the peloton. That’s some achievement!

“The lads just keep getting better, They are a joy to behold and there is much more to come, including the big city-centre stuff later in the season.”

Watson was keen to take top spot from the outset and an aggressive early move split the bunch and created a useful-looking trio of brekaway riders, who quickly established a meaningful gap between themselves and the main peloton.

Bishop and Chambers-Smith cast an iron grip over the chasing group and, within a few laps, the advantage in front had increased to a comfortable margin.

Meanwhile Watson motivated the leading trio with a relentless drive, pushing the pace ever upwards as the race neared its final stages.

As the peloton was lapped, he then initiated a tantalising game of cat and mouse on the final two laps, teasing his two rivals with clever positioning and the occasional dummy-attack.

On the penultimate curcuit, Watson attacked hard and then launched a fierce final sprint to finish in front with a couple of bikes to spare.