Adrian Lansley (PedalOn) got the new Wessex League of to a winning start on a warm dry day at the Mary Hare School near Newbury which once again was promoted by the local Newbury Road Club. As is the norm down here in the Wessex League the first round always is a busy one and this new season was no exception. We started with a huge entry for the under 12’s and the riders kept coming throughout the day all 445 of them.
Race Report by Graham Robins
Photo gallery by Graham Robins HERE
Results will be on Newbury Bike Website HERE
The senior race got underway with reigning Wessex champion Sam Allen (PedalOn) and former champion Michael Cotty (Cannondale Racing) making his first appearance in the league for a couple of seasons. Also making his senior league debut outing was Tom Sewell (Cotswold Veldrijden). The remainder of the front row was made up of the top finishers from last season.
In the opening lap Allen took full advantage of his front row gridding by pulling away taking team mate Lansley with him. Close behind were Alex Forester (Zapnet.com RT) and Cotty, the rest were strung out behind this leading group.
Around the opening lap Allen broke his rear mech hanger and was forced to head to the pits leaving Lansley and Forester locked together on the front, Cotty had Sewell for company on the early laps with Joe Hickerton (Eden Veranda Racing) closing out the lead positions.
While you could not separate the two leader’s gaps were forming behind with Cotty and Sewell back at 35secs and Hickerton over a minute down. Climbing slowly up the leader board were team mates Chris Minter and Jamie Norfolk from PedalOn and Ryan Smith (HR Owen RT) Lansley finally dropped Forester on the fifth lap and quickly started putting time into him and soon he had a clear gap approaching 30secs.
On lap six the front of the race was Lansley, Forrester@30secs, Cotty and Sewell @48secs, Hickerton @2mins 17secs and Joe Andrews (Primera Team Jobs) @2mins 26secs. On the next lap Cotty shook off Sewell and managed to get past Forester but had left himself little time to catch Lansley whose lead was now 40secs. The bell did not produce any changes with Lansley taking the win from Cotty and Forrester closing out the podium positions.
The women started their season much how it finished with Helen Pattinson (Solent Pirates) and Sarah Barber (North Hants RC) neck and neck in the opening laps along with Harriet Guest (Cotswold Veldrijden) showing off her new kit following a team change in the off season. Kara Perryman (Montezuma’s Hargroves Cycling Team) was the first junior female followed by Susan Parker closing out the lead group.
Pattinson held the lead for couple of laps but Barber was on a charge and soon made her pass and set about putting a gap between them. Guest was @37secs, Parker @1min and then team mates Jessica Connor and Claire Smith (Cotswold Veldrijden) @1min 30.
Steven Davies (Hargroves Cycles) was the winner of the Vet50+ from Keith Sheridan (Cotswold Veldrijden) who got past Tim Costello (GS Vecchi) in the closing stages of their race.
Dan Guest (Cotswold Veldrijden) last year’s vet 40+ winner had to settle for second place in his race behind Callum Macleod (Palmer Park) as the junior rider led the race throughout.
The usual frantic start in the Youth race saw Euan Macleod (Palmer Park Velo) bolt out of the traps followed by Aran Martin (Team Corley Cycles), Tom Couzens (Zappi Cycling Club), Barney Clacy (Eden Veranda) and Matt Coulson (Palmer Park Velo) with Sam Bishop (Charlottesville CC) in hot pursuit. Within a couple of laps, a lead trio of Couzens, Clacy and Coulson had gapped the rest of the field forging ahead to set themselves up for the podium positions. As the race entered the final lap, Couzens made his move putting daylight between himself and Clacy with Coulson working hard to stay in touch. Couzens took a fine win with Clacy and Coulson holding station for 2nd and 3rd.
A formidable group of U16 girls were upstaged by a fabulous ride from the slight framed U14, Millie Couzens (Zappi Cycling Club), sister of boys U16 winner Tom. Katie Scott (Cotswold Veldrijden) rode a fine race beating Maddie Wadsworth (Beeline Bicycles RT) into 2nd and Abbie Manley (Solent Pirates) 3rd. 1st U14 boy was Joel Corbishley (Team Milton Keynes).
Provisional Results
Seniors
1st Adrian Lansley Pedal On
2nd Michael Cotty Cannondale Racing @40secs
3rd Alex Forrester Zapnet.com
4th Tom Sewell Cotswold Veldrijden
5th Chris Minter PedalOn
6th Jamie Norfolk PedalOn
7th Ryan Smith HR Owens RT
8th Joseph Andrews Primera Team Jobs
9th Tom Budden Sotonia CC
10th Kean Wytrykowski PedalOn
Women
1st Sarah Barber North Hants RC
2nd Helen Pattinson Solent Pirates 1st Vet
3rd Harriet Guest Cotswold Veldrijden
4th Susan Parker North Hants RC
5th Claire Smith Cotswold Veldrijden
6th Jessica Connor Cotswold Veldrijden
7th Kara Perryman Montezuma’s Hargroves Cycling Team 1st Junior
Vet 40+
1st Dan Guest Cotswold Veldrijden
2nd Crispin Doyle Hargroves Cycles
3rd Owen Pattinson Alton CC
Juniors
1st Callum Macleod Palmer Park
2nd Edward Gronbech Oxford City RC
3rd Archie Scott Cotswold Veldrijden
Vet 50+
1st Steven Davies Hargroves Cycles
2nd Keith Sheridan Cotswold Veldrijden
3rd Tim Costello GS Vecchi