Wessex Cyclocross League Round 9

Graham Robins

Wessex Cyclocross League Round 9 Sunday 9th November 2014

Steven James (Hargroves Cycles) run out winner of the latest round of the Wessex League held at the Brooks Uni in Oxford. After the first couple of laps where he was challenged by Dan Guest (Performance Cycles) Steven broke clear mid race to open up a big lead which he never looked loosing as he soloed in 2mins clear.

 
Despite heavy overnight rain the course in Oxford held up really well with just the wooded section causing riders problems with mud clogging the mechanicals, not a problem for riders with a spare bike or a pit crew. The course set over two large flat grassed fields and a technical wooded section making for a very long lap which soon sorted out the riders as after a couple of laps there were riders spread all around the lap.
 
James made the early running along with Joe Andrews (Eden Verdana), Guest and Tim O’Regan (Team Quest) as the three started to pull away from a chasing group of five riders lead by Sam Allen (UC Nantes) and Joe Hickerton (Charlotteville). It was the third lap that James applied the pressure and dropped Guest with Allen 40secs back with O’Regan for company.
 
Behind the leaders were Chris Pedder (Team Quest), Hickerton, Danny Bell (Ellmore Factory Racing) and Richard Lewis (CC Basingstoke) although these were now between two and three minutes down on James.
 
Steven James rolled through the finish line while we had to wait for two minutes for Guest in second and O’Regan third at 2minutes 11secs.
 
The earlier combined vet/junior/ women’s race saw another league win for Crispin Doyle (Hargroves Cycles ahead of Tim Hyde (GS Henley) by 53secs with Simon Sheridan (Cadence RT) third. Steve Davis (Hargroves Cycles) continued the Hargroves success by winning the +50 category ahead of Dave McMullen (Cotswold Veldrijden) and another Hargroves rider Malcolm Cross continuing his fine run of form following a lay off due to injury last season.
 
Chris Rothwell (Ride 24/7) won the junior section ahead of Tom Sewell (Cotswold Veldrijden). Tamina Oliver rounded out the Hargroves success this weekend by overcoming a dropped chain on the first lap to catch and pass Sarah Barber (North Hants RC).
 
Provisional Results
 
Seniors
1st Steven James Hargroves Cycles 52mins 40secs
2nd Dan Guest Performance Cycles @2mins
3rd Tim O’Regan Team Quest @2mins 11secs
4th Sam Allen UC Nantes Atlantique @2mins 16secs
5th Christopher Minter PedalOn @2mins 27secs
6th Peter Kench Banjo Cycles @2mins 39secs
7th Chris Pedder Team Quest @2mins 55secs
8th Jo Hickerton Charlotteville @3mins
9th Daniel Bell Ellmore Factory Racing @3mins 46secs
10th Richard Lewis CC Basingstoke @3mins 59secs
 
Vet 40
1st Crispin Doyle Hargroves cycles 44mins 23secs
2nd Tim Hyde GS Henley @50secs
3rd Simon Snowdon Cadence RT @54secs
4th Keith Sheridan Cotswold Veldrijden @58secs
5th Chris Rothwell Ride 24/7 and first junior @1mins 23secs
 
Vet +50
1st Steve Davis Hargroves Cycles
2nd Dave McMullen Cotswold Veldrijden
3rd Malcolm Cross Hargroves Cycles
4th Tim Stowe Team Jewson
5th Neil Simpson London Phoenix
 
Women
1st Tamina Oliver Hargroves Cycles
2nd Sarah Barber North Hants RC
3rd Rachel Felton North Hants RC
4th Lydia Gould Torq
5th Susan Parker North Hants RC

 
Wessex Cyclocross League
 
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