Victory for Briggs was made even more special, by doing so in the British Circuit Race Champions jersey, emulating the feat achieved by only Dean Downing and Ed Clancy in the Series’ four year history.
“I had a good ride at Durham, I was fourth there and I was third on Tuesday so to win tonight in the jersey is really special,” said Briggs afterwards.
“I was feeling good tonight and I could see they were coming back to us with a lap to go so I took a breather and was quite confident in the sprint. I maybe celebrated a bit too early, it was close but I got it.
Briggs outsprinted Redditch winner Niklas Gustavsson by the narrowest of margins from a six rider breakaway to take victory, as once again the speed of the racing in The Halfords Tour Series caused the field to split apart.
Behind the leading two was Marcel Six in third, with leading teams Rapha Condor Sharp, Node4 – Giordana Racing and leader’s Endura all represented, by Andy Tennant, Matt Cronshaw and Ian Bibby respectively.
With a large crash in the opening laps on the drying circuit the pace was initially slow, but with wind drying the roads once racing was back underway the speed soon picked up, snaking the peloton out into a long line around Colchester’s town centre.
Breaks came and went, until Bibby pulled clear, being joined by the British champion’s jersey of Briggs. With riders from UK Youth, Rapha Condor Sharp, Node4 – Giordana and Metaltek Scott joining them, the Series’ top five teams were all represented, slackening the pace behind.
The six worked well together to break clear of the main field, establishing that the win would be fought out between them, with Briggs, the fastest finisher from the group coming out on top. It was a close run contest however, with Gustavsson and Six to the outside nearly pipping the Raleigh man to the line.







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