Wessex Cyclocross League 7
Wessex Cyclocross League 7
By Graham Robins
Wessex Cyclocross League 7
The Wessex Cyclocross League Round 7 event took place on Sunday 19th October 2014.
Adrian Lansley (PedalOn) carried on from last week’s round by winning today’s round in Prospect Park, Reading, beating Matt Macdonald (Hargroves Cycles), whom he had been with for most of the race.
The early stages of the race saw four riders form up on the front but as the laps ticked away it just left Lansley and Macdonald locked together at the bell.
A surprisingly warm day greeted the riders for the racing, although the course was very damp from previous day’s rain. The event was promoted by Reading CC in the park to the west of the city and close to the M4. There was another large turnout, and riders and families arrived early for sign on and to try out the course. Parts of the course did cut up, but on the whole it remained firm under tyre.
After the first lap sort out Lansley, Macdonald, Dan Guest (Performance Cycles) and Tim O’Regan (Team Quest) had pulled out a strong lead with the next rider up Jamie Norfolk (PedalOn) nearly 20secs down. The four leaders remained together for a couple of laps before first Guest dropped back and then O’Regan slipped away, off the pace, leaving just the two up front at the bell.
Lansley seemed to have the better of the long arduous run-up, mid-lap and this is where he made his move on Macdonald and got clear to finish 15secs clear at the line. Tim O’Regan was a further 1min 10secs back and Guest rolled in 11secs behind him. Jamie Norfolk completed the top five but was well over two minutes down on the winner.
After last week’s second place in the combined vet/junior/women’s league, Tim Hyde (GS Henley) finally broke his duck and took his first race win. He was with junior Tom Sewell (Cotswold Veldrijden) and Keith Sheridan (Cotswold Veldrijden), until Keith got passed. Robin Wilmott (Cotswold Veldrijden) was a further minute back and he held of Simon Snowdon (Cadence RT) to complete the top five.
Tamina Oliver (Cotswold Veldrijden) continued her dominance of the women’s races, winning again from Sarah Barber (North Hants RC) by over three minutes. Tom Sewell (Cotswold Veldrijden) once again was the winner of the junior section and he finished third overall securing his position in the league.
Ed Gronbech (Oxford City RC) was the winner in the youth race with a fine solo race win from Archie Scott (Cotswold Veldrijden) and Charlie Cooper (Chapel Tri Star). Emily Ashwood (Sutton CC) was the first girl in the junior section. There were also wins for Jed Smithson (Hillingdon Slip Streamers), Alexa Hawkins (PPV), Niamh Murphy (Cotswold Veldrijden) and Jamie Gostick (PPV) in the under 10 and under 12’s races respectively.
Provisional Results
Seniors
1st Adrian Lansley PedalOn 50mins 54secs
2nd Matt Macdonald Hargroves Cycles @15secs
3rd Tim O’Regan Team Quest @1min 25secs
4th Dan Guest Performance Cycles @1min 36secs
5th Jamie Norfolk PedalOn
Vet 40+
1st Tim Hyde GS Henley 36mins 26secs
2nd Keith Sheridan Cotswold Veldrijden @28secs
3rd Tom Sewell Cotswold Veldrijden @30secs and first junior
4th Robin Wilmott Cotswold Veldrijden @1min 16secs
5th Simon Snowdon Cadence RT @1min 28secs
Women
1st Tamina Oliver Cotswold Veldrijden 39mins 49secs
2nd Sarah Barber North Hants RC @3mins 5secs
3rd Helen Pattinson Solent Pirates @4mins 6secs
