|
Location: Basingstoke, Hampshire
Event: 27 October 2013
Adrian Lansley (Pedal On) was the winner at the latest round of the Wessex League staged at the War Memorial Park in Basingstoke, Hampshire.
Along with Michael Cotty (Wheelbase Cannondale) he made a quick start and between them they opened out a good lead. The course was laid out in a park around a couple of football pitches and a wooded section and a BMX track just for good measure. The course remained dry and did not cut up, however it was very windy which caused problems with the marking tape breaking.
Soon after the start Lansley and Cotty stretched a lead out but the chase was on between Crispin Doyle (Hargroves Cycles), Richard Lewis (CC Basingstoke), James Cotty (i-ride.co.uk) and Richard Griffiths (Strada).
Once the first lap was sorted the order became clearer with Danny Bell (Ellmore factory Racing) trying to join in the action at the front along with Lewis and James Cotty.
Crispin Doyle was making his move through the field and at half way he had eased his way to third. At this point in the race Lansley made his move and attacked the course pulling away from Cotty, and by the end of the lap Doyle and Cotty were locked together 33 secs down on the leader. Griffiths was now fourth at 51secs, Lewis at 1min 04secs and James Cotty at 1min 32secs.
With a lap to go Lansley was clear of Cotty and Doyle by 28secs, Griffiths was at 1min 47secs and last week’s winner Chris Minter (Pedal On) was now in the top five at 2mins 02secs and Lewis slipping back now at 2mins 15secs.
So Lansley took the win and it was left to Cotty and Doyle to scrap it out for second and third. They entered the park section locked together with Cotty just in front giving him the advantage of the quickest line.
With back markers staying out of the way Cotty threaded his way through and just added a little sprint just to ensure he beat Doyle on the line. Griffiths was fourth, Minter fifth and Richard Lewis sixth.
The combined Vet/Junior/Women’s race attracted a large field of riders and with the course dry it was a fast lap. Crispin Doyle (Hargroves Cycles) continued his winning streak and lead almost from start to finish despite a tangle with the course marking tape.
The usual strong few riders came to the fore with Doyle there was Mike Simpson (GS Henley), Sean Williams (Wightlink Offshore), Will Girvan (NHRC). Behind this tussle were teammates Robin Wilmott) and Dave McMullen (Cotswold Veldrijden).
Joe Andrews (Fareham Wheelers) also continued his form by not only leading the junior race but running in the top ten of the overall race. Spanish rider Merce Pacios (Bike Tech) was leading the women’ race ahead of Claire Smith (Cotswold Veldrijden) and Sarah Barber (HRC) and this order remained throughout the race.
After a couple of laps Doyle lead Simpson by 10secs, Williams was at 20secs along with Girvan and Wilmott was at 36secs. Doyle looked like he had the measure of the course and the other riders when a gust of wind blew marking tape onto the course which wrapped itself around Crispin’s rear wheel dropout forcing him to stop and affect a repair.
At this point Simpson and Williams got past but once he got going again Doyle set about reclaiming his lead. He soon caught Williams and then Simpson where upon these two remained locked together for a couple of laps.
At the bell the two leaders were still locked together and it wasn’t until they arrived into the park section with its twists and turns Doyle was in front and held on into the last corner before the line
Edward Gronbech (Oxford City RC) won the youth race finding the fast conditions to his liking as he soon built up a good lead over Elliott Lassiter (Cotswold Veldrijden), Alex Cross (NHRC) and Tom Sewell (Cotswold Veldrijden). Emily Wadsworth (Beeline Cycles) was first girl just ahead of Charlie Cooper (Chapel Tri Stars).
Ed opened his lead to 7secs over Elliott and Tom was a distant 1min 13secs, Alex was fourth at 2mins 10secs. Towards the end of the race Elliott started to close the gap and on the line was just a couple of seconds behind Ed.
There was a very large entry of under 12s again and the young riders soon filled the course. There were close to forty youngsters riding around the parkland course and all finished smiling and looking forward to their next race. The results were unclear for the race and will be sorted later in the week.
Provisional Results
Seniors
1st Adrian Lansley Pedal On
2nd Michael Cotty Wheelbase Cannondale @14secs
3rd Crispin Doyle Hargroves Cycles @17secs
4th Joe Griffiths Strada @1min 56secs
5th Chris Minter PedalOn @2mins 05secs
6th Richard Lewis CC Basingstoke @2mins 30secs
7th Danny Bell Ellmore Factory Racing
Vets
1st Crispin Doyle Hargroves Cycles
2nd Mike Simpson GS Henley @st
3rd Sean Williams Wightlink Offshore
4th Will Girvan NHRC
5th Robin Wilmott Cotswold Veldrijden
Women
1st Merce Pacios Bike Tech
2nd Claire Smith Cotswold Veldrijden
3rd Sarah Barber NHRC
Juniors
1st Joe Andrews Fareham Wheelers
2nd Mike Ponzo SRC
3rd Daniel Tuley Chapel Tri Stars
Please credit www.britishcycling.org.uk and link back if you use any of our race results.
British Cycling would like to thank the organising team, officials and everyone else who helped promote this event. Our sport could not exist without the hundreds of people, many of them unpaid volunteers, who put in many hours of hard work running events, activities and clubs.
