Follow britishcycling.org.uk on 
Eric Biddulph Memorial Road Race
Story posted July 5, 2010, thanks to Ivan Boyes |
Get involved with fellow British Cycling members and send your race report to editor@britishcycling.org.uk
The Two Karls Dominate Yorkshire Race
The Eric Biddulph Memorial Road Race for category 3/4 club riders was promoted by Huddersfield Star Wheelers on Sunday with 54 riders lining up for the race. Run over a distance of 53km, the riders had extremely strong winds to contend with but thankfully no rain. The riders observed a minute's silence for Lewis Barry (Aire Valley Cycles) who died last week aged just 15. Our thoughts are with his parents Mark and Carol at this difficult time.
The race was eventful to say the least. The riders hadn’t gone far when the race had to be stopped on the first lap as a JCB blocked the course just as Craig Gath (York Cycleworks) broke clear of the main bunch. After a minute or so, the race was on again but there were further incidents which made life challenging for the commissaries and marshals as the bunch encountered horses and also a running race that was using some of the same roads as the cycle race.
Ben Page (VS Cycles) was on the attack early on and took the first prime with five laps to go but a lone break was never going to make any headway with the strong winds keeping the speeds down to 10mph on the long drag up to the finish line. With four laps to go, Karl Denton (Yorkshire Velo) and Karl Downes (Star Bikes) broke clear and worked well together to get a gap of 30 seconds on the chasers.
The two Karls never looked like being caught and it was a great effort, especially from Denton, as he had raced the previous day. On the last lap of the event, five riders jumped clear of what was left of the bunch but never looked like catching the leaders.
Denton and Downes continued to share the work until about 50 yards from the line when Downes kicked for the line but it wasn’t enough as Denton came out on top, claiming the victory as well as the Eric Biddulph Memorial Trophy presented at the HQ by Eric's widow, Mary. Robert Blackburn (JE James) completed the podium places, winning the sprint from the second group on the road.
RESULT
1. Karl Denton Yorkshire Velo
2. Karl Downes Star Bikes
3. Robert Blackburn J E James
4. David Furness Doncaster Wheelers
5. Craig Gath York Cycleworks
6. Ben Page VS Cycles
7. Giles Dumont Moonglu RT
8. Sean Smith Halifax Imperial Wheelers
9. Mike Clark Wheel Guru
10. Tony Grassby Peak RC
11. Alex Wallis Sportscover
12. Richard Siddle Wakefield CC
13. Oliver Pearce Boneshakersbikes.com
14. Jaime Hyde Macclesfield Wheelers
15. Dan Shoreman Yorkshire Velo
16. Michael Tomlinson Wheel Guru
17. Matthew Bulmer Dirtwheels
18. Andrew Pearson Huddersfield Star Wheelers
19. Nicholas Armistead Dirtwheels
20. Adrian Rudd Dirtwheels
21. John Wright Wakefield CC
22. Phil Valentine Wakefield CC
23. Dominic Turner VS Cycles
24. Tom Broadbent Huddersfield Star Wheelers
25. Gareth Owen Team Swift
26. Steve Gibson Peak RC
