Dan Bridges gave the World Class Performance Programme Under-23 team their
biggest win of the year by taking the fourth stage of the Mainfranken-Tour,
based in Schweinfurt, Germany. The race was a 2.7.1UCI Under-23 World
Challenge event.

Bridges began the day by signing on in his England football shirt and as the
fourth stage progressed he announced to his manager John Herety that he had
good legs and that he and team-mate, Neil Swithenbank, would attack on the
final lap of the 9km finishing circuit. With 4km to go, Swithenbank and
Bridges attacked and once a gap had been established, Swithenbank sat up, as
planned, and Bridges surged past him. With a 200-metre lead, Bridges put his
head down and went for the line. John Herety picks up the story:
„Dan kept the field at about 200 metres and his legs began to go about 500
metres out, but the effect of turning into the finishing straight and seeing
the banner so close revitalised him. He got going in his 11 tooth sprocket
and won with a bit to spare. He really couldn‚t believe it – he had his
hands in the air as he crossed the line and still had them up when he
reached Richard, our masseur, 300 metres later. He wanted to go on the
podium in his England football shirt, but we didn‚t think it was a good
idea!‰

After the race, Bridges paid tribute to the work done for him by the team
and by Neil Swithenbank in particular: „Neil kept me going and worked really
hard for me. Our plan worked perfectly.‰

In a race which featured many of the best Under-23s in Europe, Tom Southam
continued with his recent good form, finished 15th overall. David McGowan
was 25th, Robin Sharman (standing in for the unwell Steve Cummings) 28th,
Dan Bridges 36th and Neil Swithenbank 59th. Jamie Alberts retired during
stage three feeling the effects of a serious crash on the first stage. John
Herety saw what happened: „they were riding in an echelon in cross winds,
when two riders touched wheels and went down and Jamie was forced into a
ditch. His injuries included a nasty knock to his shin, which was operated
on last year. He did well to get going again, but we pulled him out on the
third stage. He had a very nasty lump on his shin.‰