Finding a rare four hour break in the wettest April on record – which had already claimed Round 2 of the 2012 programme – Reading Track League resumed with Round 3 on Monday.

The evening would incorporate the heats of the League’s Individual Pursuit Championship but, as usual, kicked off with the VIA International 10 Lap Scratch. Stephen Bradbury of AW Cycles – who leaves shortly for a summer of road racing in Belgian – was in fine form and took the opening event from team mate Joe Crolla – who effectively took Bradbury’s place on the Junior Team when Stephen moved up to the Senior squad - with World Masters Champion Martyn Harris taking third place for Banjo Cycles.

In the Senior B scratch a fine move from Simon Drewell of Mid Oxon Racing Team caught the bunch napping. Coming from the back end of the field he swept round the outside and opened up a 10 bike length lead that the chasing pack never managed to close. Stuart Stow of Hounslow and District Wheelers led the chasing pack with Phil Watts of North Hants RC taking third. Node 4-Giordana rider Harriet Owen was the first of the Ladies, ahead of Abigail Dentus of Welwyn Wheelers.

Stop watches weren’t really required for the Individual Pursuit heats with Nick English of AW Cycles and Ian Greenstreet of Newbury RC dominating their heats and catching two of their three opponents in their four-up heats. Greenstreet clocked a respectable 5:21.56 in very blustery conditions but English’s 5:16.65 makes him a strong favourite for the Final in two weeks’ time. Just missing out on the Final was Frazier Carr of the AW Cycles Junior Team whose 5:30.37 followed on the heels of a superb 2nd place in a Belgian Junior road race the day before.

Greenstreet’s performance in the Individual Pursuit was no surprise, but he probably wouldn’t have been most people’s first choice for a win in the Keirin. Win it he did, though, edging out young sprinter and BMX rider Cameron Howard of Spirit Racing Team with Crolla again taking third. The B Keirin went more to form with Team Terminator sprinter Paul Davidoff dominating and with Kevin Holloway of VC10 in 2nd and Watts taking 3rd. Dentus – a first year Under 16 rider who will be competing in the UK School Games at the London Olympic Velodrome next week – turned the tables on Owen to win the Ladies’ Final.

Bradbury led home an AW Cycles clean sweep in the Unknown Distance with English 2nd and George Withers – another newcomer to the Junior Team – in third place.

The final event of the evening, the AW Cycles 20k Endurance – shortened to 30 laps because of the time taken to run the 9-lap Individual Pursuit heats - saw another early break involving young Max Stedman of Palmer Park Velo. This week the bunch wasn’t going to let them go, though, and the race was altogether at the end with Bradbury taking another win from Crolla and Greenstreet, with Jason Pitt of AW Cycles taking the B win from team mate Trevor Bradbury and Nick Stagg of Hounslow and District Wheelers.

There’s no Track League on Monday because of the Bank Holiday but the gap is more than filled by the traditional Bordeaux-Paris scratch and Derny race meeting on Sunday the 6th of May.

Results

Senior Individual Pursuit Championship Heats

1 Nick ENGLISH AW Cycles 5:16.65
2 Ian GREENSTREET Newbury RC 5:21.56

3 Frazier CARR AW Cycles 5:30.37
4 Nick STAGG Hounslow & District Wheelers 5:30.70
5 Sean GORVY GS Henley 5:45.05
6 Joseph CROLLA AW Cycles 5:46.16
7 Max STEDMAN Palmer Park Velo 5:55.00
8 Cam SWARBRICK AW Cycles 6:00.82
9 Callum ROBERTSON Maidenhead & District CC 6:01.51
10 Phil WATTS North Hants RC 6:05.59
11 Kevin HOLLOWAY VC10 6:12.82
12 Paul CLARKSON Kingston Wheelers 6:27.02
13 Kevin EASTERBROOK RAF 6:44.47
DNF Oliver KEMP BC Private Member

Senior A

VIA International 10 Lap Scratch
1 Stephen BRADBURY AW Cycles
2 Joseph CROLLA AW Cycles
3 Martyn HARRIS Banjo Cycles

Keirin
1 Ian GREENSTREET Newbury RC
2 Cameron HOWARD Spirit
3 Joseph CROLLA AW Cycles

Unknown Distance
1 Stephen BRADBURY AW Cycles
2 Nick ENGLISH AW Cycles
3 George WITHERS AW Cycles

AW Cycles 20k Endurance
1 Stephen BRADBURY AW Cycles
2 Joseph CROLLA AW Cycles
3 Ian GREENSTREET Newbury RC

Senior B

VIA International 10 Lap Scratch
1 Simon DREWELL Mid Oxon Racing Team
2 Stuart STOW Hounslow & District Wheelers
3 Phil WATTS North Hants RC

Keirin
1 Paul DAVIDOFF Team Terminator
2 Kevin HOLLOWAY VC10
3 Phil WATTS North Hants RC

AW Cycles 20k Endurance
1 Jason PITT AW Cycles
2 Trevor BRADBURY AW Cycles
3 Nick STAGG Hounslow & District Wheelers

Ladies

VIA International 10 Lap Scratch
1 Harriet OWEN Node 4 – Giordana
2 Abbie DENTUS Welwyn Wheelers

Keirin
1 Abbie DENTUS Welwyn Wheelers
2 Harriet OWEN Node 4 – Giordana

AW Cycles 20k Endurance
1 Abbie DENTUS Welwyn Wheelers

Under 16

AW Cycles 20k Endurance
1 Dan LANSLEY Palmer Park Velo
2 Matt LANSLEY Palmer Park Velo
3 Tom SEFTON Palmer Park Velo