Action Aplenty in Brentwood Town Centre Races
June 8, 2008; Brentwood
Report & Images: Larry Hickmott
Best of British Comes to Brentwood
On a glorious sunny day that brought big crowds of people to the city of Brentwood to see some top bike racing, there were some really great races to keep them ooohing and ahhhing at the speed of the riders as they rocketed around the tight circuit.
Listening to parents and offspring discuss just how fast the riders raced around the city centre, it’s easy to see why this sort of racing attracts the spectators. From 9.45 in the morning to late afternoon, the programme of races kept on coming one after the other with the best British riders in many categories competing from Juniors to Ladies to Elite professionals.
The day is promoted by the Glendene Cycling Club on behalf of the local council and various sponsors and you can see why this club is such a strong one as you walked the circuit and saw all the volunteers manning the crossing points and being ever so helpful to one and all as they raced across the road and opportune moments between groups of speeding cyclists. It is in my experience one of the most professionally run days of racing on the calendar and all are to be applauded for their efforts.
| Elite Circuit Race Series |
The second Elite Men’s Circuit race in as many days saw many of the stars from the night before come to Brentwood for the race around the centre of the Essex town.
After such a late night the evening before, there were some rather tired eyes heading for the start line at Brentwood but that didn’t affect the racing which was as ever, very very punishing. Dean Downing was though the man of the moment and the Yorkshire rider made some very very good riders look ordinary as he punished the field severely, winning alone after an attacking race.
| Women's National Road Race Series |
Winner of this was a feisty Pinarello rider Alex Greenfield who won alone after she managed to make her final break stick and only a lone Katie Colclough was threatening her pursuit of victory as the Halfords Bikehut rider started to chase her down alone over the closing laps.
| Junior National Road Race Series |
It was an early start in Brentwood with the first race for Juniors starting at 9.45. Looking round the car park, it was good to see series leader Erick Rowsell was indeed on the start sheet. Very quickly it became clear that two of the strong riders in the race were going to be series leader Erick Rowsell in his leader’s jersey and Joe Perrett, but it was to be Perrett's day as first Rowsell and then Peter Dibben and George Atkins who had to succumb to his form as he won the race his club promotes.
| Youth Races |
Jonathan Dibben and Tom Moses dominated this very aggressive race which like all the events on the day, was very punishing and only the very best survived the constant attacking and pace around the twisty circuit. Once Dibben and Moses got away, it was the chase behind them that did all the damage and the pace of that saw the group split into pieces with the strongest coming to the fore.
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