The new season arrived with a bang and we had ‘two firsts’, a separate women’s race which had 54 entries and a dead heat for the win in the senior race.

In the senior race the commissaries could not split Phil Pearce (Hope Factory Racing) and Adrian Lansley (Pedal On) after nine full laps where to two were inseparable throughout.

Today’s racing was promoted by Newbury RC and Palmer Park and held at the race course in the centre of Newbury. It was a mainly flat course on the infield with some very long straights and some twisty sections. The grass was short firm and very fast.

Pearce and Lansley made a quick start pulling out a lead of six seconds on third placed Sam Allen (Pedal On) and 26seconds on fourth place group of four riders Oscar Hutchings (VC Venta), Joe Hickerton (BPC Spokes Racing), Karl Norfolk (Pedal On) and Tom Budden (Sotonia CC).

By the mid race distance Lansley and Pearce led Allen by 24secs with Hutchings at 1min 14secs and Budden, Hickerton and Matthew Wakefield (Team Wakies) at 1min 20secs and then Norfolk, Chris Minter and Scott Chappell (Pedal On).

At the bell our two leaders were clear of third placed Allen by 24secs and fourth to eighth now two minutes down. As both came into view leading to the finish line they were locked together and on the line both riders lunged but could not be separated and the result called a dead heat.

Following a restructure of the race day Wessex League was able to run a separate women’s race and 54 proved we were right to do it. The very quick start from grass to gravel and back onto the grass helped in spreading out the riders and it was the fast starting Emily Wadsworth (Beeline Cycles RT)  followed by a trio Hargroves Ridley-Montezuma’s riders Abbie Manley, Katie Scott and Poppy Pattinson making the most of the conditions.

Helen Pattinson (Hargroves Ridley-Montezuma’s) was our first vet whilst Alison Rothnie (Spokes BPC Racing) was second senior but her race was over quickly as she jarred her back on the planks and retired. As the five laps ticked away Emily extended her lead over juniors Abbie and Katie before the former finally succumbed to the pace and lost her wheel and slipped back. In the latter stages of the race Lauren Cracknell (Pedal On) was holding a steady fifth place but she soon found a hard charging Sarah Barber (NHRC) for company and soon Sarah was clear and heading for a podium spot.

At the bell Wadsworth lead by 37secs from Scott with Manley now at 1min 31secs and first place Pattinson now at 1min 52secs. Barber was the second vet and Cracknell our second senior. Completing the podiums was Lindy Brazier-Larkin (Sarum Velo) in the seniors and Tracy Bremner (NHRC) for the vets.

In the vet 40+ race it was Paul Lloyd (Worx Factory Racing) from Crispin Doyle (Hargroves Ridley-Montezuma’s) and Jamie Norfolk in his first season as a vet after riding seniors for the last few seasons finishing third

In the combined race with the vets the junior’s race was won by Tom Couzens (Zappi’s Racing) after a race long tussle with Barney Clacy (Hargroves Ridley-Montezuma’s) with Palmer Park rider Matthew Coulson nearly a minute down.

The vet 50+ race saw a return to racing for Keith Sheridan and he held onto a lead from Phillip Boarer (GS Vecchi) right to the line with a winning margin of a single second. There was a close race behind the two leaders as Kevin Holloway (GS Vecchi), Dave McMullen (Cotswold Veldrijden) and Chris Hutchings (VC Venta) locked at around 25secs.

Provisional Results

(full results here)

Seniors

1^st Phillip Pearce Hope Factory Racing 57mins 43secs

1^st Adrian Lansley Pedal On st

3^rd Sam Allen Pedal On @47secs

4^th Joe Hickerton Spokes BPC Racing

5^th Oscar Hutchings VC Venta

6^th Karl Norfolk Pedal On

7^th Tom Budden Sotonia CC

8^th Matthew Wakefield Team Wakies

9^th Scott Chappell Pedal On

Women’s

1^st Emily Wadsworth Beeline Cycles RT 1^st senior

2^nd Katie Scott Hargroves Ridley-Montezuma’s 1^st jun

3^rd Abbie Manley Hargroves Ridley-Montezuma’s 2^nd jun

4^th Helen Pattinson Hargroves Ridley-Montezuma’s 1^st vet

5^th Sarah Barber   North Hants RC 2^nd vet

6^th Lauren Cracknell Pedal On 2^nd senior

7^th Lindy Brazier-Larkin Sarum Velo 3^rd senior

8^th Lydia Brookes Les Filles RT   

9^th Kate Robson Pedal On

10^th Melanie Smith Cotswold Veldrijden

Tracy Bremner North Hants RC was 3^rd vet

Vet 40+

1^st Paul Lloyd Worx Factory Racing

2^nd Crispin Doyle Hargroves Ridley-Montezuma’s

3^rd Jamie Norfolk Pedal On

4^th Dan Guest Cotswold Veldrijden

5^th David Spencer VC Venta

Junior

1^st Tom Couzens Zappi’s RT 

2^nd Barney Clacy Hargroves Ridley-Montezuma’s

3^rd Matthew Coulson PPV

4^th Pedal On

5^th Euan Macleod Pedal On

Vet 50+

1^st Keith Sheridan PM

2^nd Phillip Boarer GS Vecchi

3^rd Kevin Holloway GS Vecchi

4^th Dave McMullen Cotswold Veldrijden

5^th Chris Hutchings VC Venta