Report
Billy Harding won an enthralling fifth round of the Pedalsport Summer Cyclo-Cross series in Harrogate in a final lap decider.
Harding took to the front from the start but unlike previous rounds where the eventual winner has opened up a gap on the chasers, Harding had company. By the second lap a group of three had formed and by the fourth that bunch had grown to six which consisted off Harding, Taylor, Dalton, Young, Peace and Barnes.
Young was the first to be distanced from the group followed by Dalton and Barnes, which just left the trio of Harding, Taylor and Peace to fight it out with two laps to go and it was inside the last lap that Harding managed to make the decisive move. He was on a new bike and this may have given him the edge over the other two. Taylor and Peace, both Veterans, fought it out till the last corner with Taylor coming in second finishing around five seconds behind Harding.
Former National Series winner, Victoria Wilkinson, was the first female finisher.
1 Billy Harding Paul Milnes 45.01
2 Ian Taylor Craven Energy @ 45.06
3 Andy Peace SIS @45.06
4 James Dalton Pedalsport
5 Nick Barnes Zepnat
6 Mike Young Pedalsport
7 John Hick Holme Valley Wheelers
8 Andy Johnson Yorkshire Velo
9 Josh Keep UA
10 Graeme Bird UA
Women
1 Victoria Wilkinson UA
2 Marie Jackson Paul Milnes
3 Amira Mellor Holme Valley Wheelers
In the Under 14 race, Matt Taylor led from the start and held that position to win with a small gap of about 10 seconds to his team mate Jenson Young. This was echoed further down the field with the top seven riders all holding their position from the first full lap. For Taylor that was a second win in succession and he is now beginning to close up on Young, who has lead the series since winning the first round.
Under 14
1 Matt Taylor Pedalsport
2 Jenson Young Pedalsport
3 Max Rushby Pedalsport
4 Thomas Nelson Pedalsport
Girls
1 Sophie Thackray Paul Milnes
