The latest round of the Wessex league brought us down to the YMCA site but not on the course used in previous years. The organising club Fareham Wheelers made good use of the adjacent disused golf course along with a small wooded copse and the usual golf course obstacles. The course was twisty as it switched back on its self and included many short sharp climbs for the riders to negotiate. Despite a chilly start the sun did appear and the courses remained firm and very ride able.

Race Report by Graham Robins

Race Results will be on the results website HERE

All queries about results should be emailed to blacksheepsportsltd@gmail.com

Photo Gallery by Graham Robins HERE

 

Adrian Lansley (PedalOn) returned to league action after missing last week and resumed his good early season form with another commanding win. Once Lansley got his nose in front he was able to control his ride on the twisty rolling course at the YMCA facility just outside of Southampton.  He was pushed along by team mate Sam Allen for more than half the race before the Overton rider was held up in the wooded section by backmarkers, more on this later.

The uphill start which then followed onto the infield was led by Sam Allen (PedalOn) followed closely by Tom Budden (Sotonia CC), Lansley and Alex Forrester (Zepnat.com), and once the opening lap was completed the strong group on the front started to pull away. The first full lap saw Allen lead Lansley, Budden, Forrester and last week’s winner Michael Cotty (Col Collective).

After three laps Lansley and Allen had pulled out a 20secs lead over Joe Hickerton (Eden Veranda Racing), Forrester and Cotty, whilst Budden had slipped back and was now in a three way battle with PedalOn riders Jamie Norfolk and Chris Minter.

Over the next three laps the order at the front did not change apart from the time gaps as Lansley had a lead over Allen by 15secs, Forrester, Hickerton and Cotty were locked together at 44secs, followed by the trio of Budden, Norfolk and Minter were a minute down on the leader.

Just after the bell is when the race was about to change as Allen trying to chase down Lansley caught back markers in the woods and was temporally held up and this was all Forrester and Cotty needed as on the exit of the woods the three were together. Cotty was the first to pass the stricken Allen followed closely by Forrester. As the remainder of the lap ticked away the two escapees distanced their self’s from Allen and set up for the sprint from the podium. With Lansley already finished the attentions were turned back on the infield to see Forrester just ahead of Cotty and Allen a distant fourth.

The women’s race was won with another commanding performance from Sarah Barber (North Hants RC) but it seemed the course suited the veteran ladies as Claire Smith (Cotswold Veldrijden) forced her way through on the third lap once she got past Carly Hughes (Fareham Wheelers) and all this on just under two hours sleep in the van on the way to the race after a gruelling night shift. Whilst Hughes was second in the senior women’s race she was slipping back as she was passed by veteran riders Jessica Connor (Cotswold Veldrijden) and Cam Powell (PedalOn). Behind this group were Jennifer Forrester (Zepnat.com) and Tracey Cornell fighting for one podium spot. The only change to the order was Powell managed to pass Connor on the last lap.

Following a mid week race in Belgium the Vet50+ GS Vecchi pair of Kevin Holloway and Tim Costello soon built up a strong lead over Gary Barlow (Reading CC) and Dave McMullen (Cotswold Veldrijden by nearly a minute and this was the final result with all the action coming from riders behind in little races of their own.

The combined Vet40+ and junior race was initially led by junior riders Ed Gronbech (Oxford City RC) and Liam Sewell (Cotswold Veldrijden) with Will Mc Donald (Take3 TRI) the first vet closely followed by Graham Rogerson (Cotswold Veldrijden). Playing catch up behind was Owen Pattinson (Owens Cycles) who in his own words had a “bad start” as he went from front row on the grid to tenth place on the opening stretch uphill.

On the third lap the vet riders had resumed control of the race from the juniors when Pattinson led Rogerson and McDonald with Gronbech leading from Sewell and a fast charging Archie Scott (Cotswold Veldrijden). However the juniors were soon to wrestle back the places as Scott, Sewell and Gronbech got past McDonald in the closing stages of the race.

below: start of the Under 10s race

Provisional Results

Seniors

1^st Adrian Lansley PedalOn 55mins35secs

2^nd Alex Forrester Zepnat.com @27secs

3^rd Michael Cotty Col Collective @29secs

4^th Sam Allen PedalOn @33secs

5^th Joe Hickerton Eden Veranda Racing

6^th Jamie Norfolk PedalOn

7^th Chris Minter PedalOn

8^th Tom Budden Sotonia CC

9^th Ryan Smith HR Owens

10^th Kean Wytrykowski PedalOn

Women’s Senior

1^st Sarah Barber North Hants RC

2^nd Carly Hughes Fareham Wheelers

3^rd Jennifer Forrester Zepnat.com

Women Vets

1^st Claire Smith Cotswold Veldrijden

2^nd Cam Powell PedalOn

3^rd Jessica Connor Cotswold Veldrijden

 

 

Vet 50+

1^st Kevin Holloway GS Vecchi 40mins 53secs

2^nd Tim Costello GS Vecchi @16secs

3^rd Gary Barlow Reading CC @1min 33secs

4^th Dave McMullen Cotswold Veldrijden

5^th Chris Hutchings VC Venta

6^th Malcolm Cross VC Venta

Vet 40+

1^st Owen Pattinson Owens Cycles 39mins 14secs

2^nd Graham Rogerson Cotswold Veldrijden

3^rd William McDonald Take3 Tri

4^th Jonathan Hall Sotonia CC

5^th Nick Onslow PedalOn

Juniors

1^st Archie Scott Cotswold Veldrijden

2^nd Liam Sewell Cotswold Veldrijden

3^rd Edward Gronbech Oxford City RC