National Cyclo-Cross Trophy: Mallory Park

 

Wales Cyclo-cross stars were in action again at the 4th round of the National Trophy being held at the the Mallory Park motoracing circuit in perfect conditions.

Sam Harrison, Ruby Miller, Ben Roach and Anthony O'Boyle were all looking to continue their excellent performances in the series and maintain their overall positions.

For Harrison and Miller the event would be made even tougher by the fact they would still have their excellent performances in the Future Revolution 21 Track meeting fresh in their legs with and not much recovery time.

Roach and O'Boyle would be locked head to head in the battle for the top spot in the U23's.

 

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Report and Pictures: Larry Hickmott

Link: Series Results & Standings

With an uphill start, the big fields through out the day were soon strung out around the course in single file, criss-crossing the hill overlooking Mallory Park with its slippery off camber corners ready to catch out the unwary rider.

 

After rain in previous editions, the weather for the 2008 Mallory Park National Trophy stayed dry, although that didn’t stop the course being like a muddy skating rink, causing the downfall of many an experienced competitor.

 

With assistance from the East Midlands Development Agency, there were five continental professionals contracted to ride this Trophy round, including 2004 and 2006 winner, David Willemsens from Belgium. David had also won round two of this year's Trophy, held in Devon and went into the Elite men’s race as one of the favourites.

 

The course was slightly different to previous years but was still based mostly on the side of a hill overlooking the Mallory Park motor racing circuit with lots of off-camber riding to be done and, with the rain from previous days and weeks, there was still a lot of sticky mud around to make things slippery.

 

The mud however was not as bad as at Ipswich which was just as well as the race showers were quite a distance away after the Park decided they were not letting riders into the showers at the circuit due to some inconsiderate riders blocking the shower drains the year before with some bike washing!

 

The weather started grey and damp but soon the skies brightened up. With the smell of burgers and coffee wafting across to the finish line, the familiar sound of Hugh Porter echoing across the course, and the crowds of people visible on the hill, there was no mistaking this was a quality ‘cross event.

 

Mallory is often a hard race to call, and once again more than one leader’s jersey ended up in the mud as the course caught out some of the best. However, if there was one major misfortune to pick out, it would have to be Noel Clough, whose gears imploded within sight of the finish line and a near certain win went with them. But the main memory I’m left with was the sight of the series leaders crossing the line and tugging on their jersey to show what it means to be the wearer of the prestigious garment in a  sport that is growing in popularity as each season goes by.

 

Note: Photo galleries from the day's event will be posted Tuesday.

 

ELITE MEN/UNDER 23'S

French winner Nicholas Bazin (centre) has his arms full with the engraved trophy supplied by Shore Design (www.shore-design.com) and a big bottle of High 5 (www.highfive.co.uk). Second was Jody Crawforth (left) and third, Marius Gil (right).

 

The Elite men's event was the final race of the afternoon and you could sense the excitement in the air as spectators started to dash over the course to get to the best spots as the riders lined up and Hugh Porter went through the riders names.

 

It was probably the best line up so far in the trophy series this year, hence the long line of spectators on top of the hill where they could see the riders a number of times as the course came back and forth past the pits. And being on a hill, they could then look down on the finish straight and see the riders race past the podium as well. All it needed was a set of steps over the fences!

 

Delayed by 15 minutes, so the presentation to the Women and Juniors could be completed, at 2.30pm the race commenced and it was a group of riders six or seven wide which sprinted up the hill and towards the entrance to the off road section. Local rider Ben Roach got a good start and on top of the hill led the race from Jody Crawforth and Ian Wilkinson, with Nicolas Bazin already well up in fourth place.

 

Onto the side of the hill, with its off camber twists and muddy bends, Roach continued to lead from Crawforth and Mariusz Gil with yellow jersey Ian Field in 5th place. Crawforth soon took the lead though and Gil was on his wheel as the selection at the front started to form with the main players being Crawforth, Gil, Bazin, Field, Dave Collins, David Willemsens, Paul Oldham and Stuart Bowers.

The contenders for the victory in the back and forth section near the finish line.

 

With so many riders in contention, it was a battle royal up front but soon one rider started to make his move: French rider Nicolas Bazin, second to David Willemsens in Devon and a regular choice for the French National Team in this year's World Cup races, worked his way to the front of the race closely followed by Ian Field and the rest of the leading contenders. Bazin though had the skill and firepower to draw clear and was soon lapping the course alone, a good 15 seconds or so ahead of the rest of the leaders with Crawforth and Field looking strong.

 

Whilst Bazin had the race to himself out front, the chase group behind was together for a long time before it started to break up and Crawforth went clear with Gil a few seconds behind him. Slowly, the gaps between all the chasers started to grow and whilst there was never much between the riders between third and sixth, series leader Field was surprisingly dropping back and right out of contention, eventually finishing seventh.

 

The victory went to French rider Nicolas Bazin, 21 seconds ahead of Jody Crawforth who had done enough to take the leader’s jersey off the back of Ian Field. 

Ben Roach, Under 23, was the early leader

Anthony 0'Boyle in action

Under 23 Podium with victor Ben Roach, Second was Anthony O'Boyle (left) and third Stephen Adams (right). Holding on to the green leader's jersey was Scott Thwaites.

 

JUNIORS & WOMEN

Sam Harrison looking comfortable on his way to 2nd spot

Dan Mclay (centre) who won the race alone ahead of Sam Harrison (left) and Tom Moses (right).

Ruby Miller making it look easy

Still looking comfortable

Ruby tackling one of the many tricky corners

 

Sue Clarke (in yellow) was ever so pleased to hold  onto the series leaders jersey after a race of mishaps where she was second to Annie Last who mastered the conditions and Gabby Day was who was third. First veteran was Louise Day (right) and Ruby Miller was first junior (left). Far left is Tracy Croft, the East Midlands coordinator for the 2012 Games.

 

After the break in proceedings for lunch, the Junior and Women riders lined up for their races at the normal time of 1.15 with the juniors first to start. After the whistle had gone, the Junior riders charged up the hill. Out of the blocks well was a rider who had been winning on the track at Manchester the night before, Sam Harrison. He was charging up the hill alongside Luke Newby with the series leader Oliver Webster back in around seventh place. Worse was to come for Webster as he got caught up in a crash as they started the top of the hill section and gaps were already started to form as a half a dozen riders broke clear led by Dan McLay.

 

Once the juniors had been racing for a few minutes, the Women riders started their race and first away was Gabby Day with Isla Rowntree just behind and series leader Sue Clarke a few places back in fourth. In the juniors meanwhile, McLay continued to lead and was being challenged by David Nichols who was showing well in the early stages. These two were a few lengths ahead of Thomas Moses and Sam Harrison but as the race went on, Nichols dropped back and it was these three riders, McLay, Moses and Harrison who would dominate the race from then onwards.

 

The women's race to was being dominated by three riders as Gabby Day and Annie Last broke clear of the field with the luckless Clarke a few seconds adrift in third place after a fall. The die had been cast in both races and for Clarke, the early fall was followed by another and then another but each time she fought back to the leaders who at times were showing little appetite to attack the other and cat and mouse tactics came into play as they watched each other on the tarmac stretch of the race.

 

In both races, the leading groups of three riders continued to ride away from their rivals but soon the distance would take its toll and first McLay got clear of his nearest rivals and then Annie Last did the same and both riders went onto win their races alone, arms aloft. Afterwards I caught up with them to get their race stories.

Annie Last wins the race alone.

Start of the Junior race

Gabby Day leads the women away in their race followed closely by Ruby Miller to her left

 

Results - (Link: Series Results & Standings)

Elite & Under-23 Men
1 Nicolas Bazin Differdange Apiflo Vacances 1h 3m 54s
2 Jody Crawforth Arctic - Premier RT @ 0:21
3 Mariusz Gil Poland @ 0:51
4 Paul Oldham Hope Factory Racing @ 1:01
5 David Collins Science in Sport - Trek @ 1:07
6 Stuart Bowers Hargroves Cycles/Trant/Next/GSI @ 1:13
7 Ian Field Hargroves Cycles/Trant/Next/GSI @ 1:47
8 David Willemsens Belgium @ 2:15
9 Stuart Wearmouth Picarsso-Pulman RT @ 2:30
10 Lewis Craven Wheelbase/Gore Bike Wear @ 3:24
11 Ian Wilkinson Science in Sport -Trek @ 3:54
12 Ian Legg Owens Cycles @ 4:00
13 Ben Roach Wyre Forest CRC/Fabricolor/DWT Legal @ 4:19 (first Under 23)
14 Rob Jebb Wheelbase/Gore Bike Wear @ 5:12
15 Anthony O'Boyle Cwmcarn Paragon RC Under 23 @ 6:06
16 Stephen Adams Pearl Izumi/Planet X/High 5 Under 23 @ 6:19
17 Bart Versscheuren Belgium @ 6:38
18 Luke Moseley Climb on Bikes RT @ 6:48
19 Lee Shunburne Matlock CC/Impsport/Farmers/Wards @ 7:01
20 Keith Murray Hope Factory Racing @ 7:20
21 Scott Thwaites Crosstrax Under 23 @ 7:44
22 Nathan Miller Lotto Olympia Team Interbike @ 7:47
23 Matthew Barrett Lutterworth Cycle Centre RT @ 8:05
24 Tim Baldwin Paul Milnes/Bradford Olympic RC Under 23 @ 8:24
25 Scott Chalmers John's Bikes RT Under 23 @ 1 lap
26 David Haygarth Wheelbase/Gore Bike Wear @ 1 lap
27 Leigh Andrews www.Zepnat.com RT/Impsport Under 23 @ 1 lap
28 Rob Parkin Heanor Clarion CC @ 1 lap
29 Daniel Lewis RAF CC @ 1 lap
30 Paul Prince Wyre Forest CRC/Fabricolor/DWT Legal @ 1 lap
31 Robert Burns Wolverhampton Whs/Fred Williams Under 23 @ 1 lap
32 Michael Groves Hargroves Cycles/Trant/Next/GSI @ 1 lap
33 Jonathan Watson UKCycleshops.com/Fat Spanner @ 1 lap
34 Michael Warner Hargroves Cycles/Trant/Next/GSI @ 1 lap
35 Tom Payton Wyre Forest CRC/Fabricolor/DWT Legal Under 23 @ 1 lap
36 Mark Leyland Wyre Forest CRC/Fabricolor/DWT Legal @ 1 lap
37 Richard Lister Thule/EAS/MI Racing @ 1 lap
38 Anthony Morris Individual Member @ 1 lap
39 Robert Wimble www.Zepnat.com RT/Impsport @ 1 lap
40 Tim Rowson Sportscover/SPIUK/JE James Under 23 @ 1 lap
41 Craig Ansell Wolverhampton Whs/Fred Williams @ 1 lap
42 Steven Halsall VC Moulin @ 1 lap
43 Craig Beech Lotto Olympia Team Interbike @ 1 lap
44 Darren Barclay Arctic - Premier RT @ 1 lap
45 Edward Sneddon www.Agiskoviner.com @ 1 lap

Women
1 Annie Last www.Zepnat.com RT/Impsport 42m 44s
2 Suzanne Clarke Science in Sport - Trek @ 0:19
3 Gabriella Day Swift Racing @ 0:36
4 Isla Rowntree Stourbridge CC/Wrap/CY Electrical @ 1:54
5 Nina Davies Ogmore Valley Whs. @ 2:49
6 Paula Moseley Climb on Bikes RT @ 3:19
7 Ruby Miller (J) Individual Member @ 5:13
8 Marie Stuart Team Chance @ 6:36
9 Louise Day (V) Fat Birds CC @ 6:40
10 Lisa Parsons Welland Valley CC @ 7:06
11 Susan Wood (V) Maldon & District CC @ 8:34
12 Melanie Williams www.Agiskoviner.com @ 9:12
13 Cath Weiss www.Agiskoviner.com @ 9:35
14 Denise Shackleton Yorkshire Velo @ 9:56
15 Noelle James VC Nottingham @ 1 lap
16 Chloe Parrington www.Agiskoviner.com @ 1 lap

Juniors
1 Daniel McLay Univega.co.uk 47m 39s
2 Sam Harrison Cwmcarn Paragon RC @ 0:10
3 Thomas Moses SSC Cyclesport/Bikes for All @ 0:25
4 Paul Young J D Cycles Ilkley @ 0:48
5 Thomas Lowe Go Sports Spex RT @ 0:48
6 Oliver Webster J D Cycles Ilkley @ 0:52
7 Robert Watson Paul Milnes/Bradford Olympic RC @ 1:3
8 Luke Newby Diss & District CC @ 2:7
9 Matthew Cook Mildenhall CC @ 2:27
10 Douglas Roberts Hambleton RC @ 2:28
11 Steven James Mountain Trax RT @ 2:53
12 David Nichols Glendene CC/Bike Trax @ 3:19
13 Peter Dibben GWR Team/Scott Wilson/Giant @ 3:36
14 Will Bushby Obricoaching RT @ 3:50
15 Lewis Burke Macclesfield Wheelers @ 3:52
16 Martin Woofindin Sport City Velo @ 4:13
17 Bradley Burbridge Kettering CC @ 4:53
18 Andrew Hargroves Hargroves Cycles/Trant/Next/GSI @ 5:2
19 Joe Peake Sherwood CC @ 5:38
20 Ben Roff Orange Monkey MTB Team @ 7:47
21 Cornelius Rijpma WRV de Peddelaars (Netherlands) @ 8:16
22 Samuel Brogan Leicestershire RC @ 8:16
23 Nat Jarvis Orange Monkey MTB Team @ 1 lap

Amy Roberts in the U14 Girls

Youths
1 Hugo Robinson Ipswich BC 30m 41s
2 Joshua Papworth Wyre Forest CRC/Fabricolor/DWT Legal @ 0:16
3 Max Sykes VC Deal/Hammonds/Activ/Rowland @ 0:18
4 Alistair Slater Bourne Wheelers CC @ 0:23
5 Hugo Humphreys Lee Valley CC @ 0:52
6 Alec Briggs VC Londres @ 1:09
7 Taylor Johnstone Team de Ver @ 1:09
8 Samuel Lowe Go Spex Sports RT @ 1:45
9 Nicholas Barnes Seacroft Wheelers @ 2:23
10 Luke Grivell-Mellor Mid Shropshire Whs. @ 3:7
11 Patrick Scarboro Citihub/Cycles Dauphin @ 3:16
12 Jack Humphreys Red Rose Olympic CC @ 3:16
13 Tom Young Leicestershire RC @ 3:16
14 John Lomas Matlock CC/Impsport/Farmers/Wards @ 3:31
15 Tom Gallacher Welwyn Wheelers @ 3:35
16 Joseph Moses Bronte Whs/Neophix Engineering @ 3:45
17 Scott Woodhead West Pennine RC @ 3:51
18 Lucy Garner Leicestershire RC Yth Girl @ 3:58
19 Luke Panton VC Lincoln/Pygott/B&O/SPS/Impsport @ 4:00
20 Thomas Armstrong Ribble Valley CRC - Juniors @ 4:19
21 Harvey Lowe GA Cycles Under 14 @ 4:23
22 Kieron Tennyson Heanor Clarion CC Under 14 @ 4:41
23 Joe Kirkham VC Long Eaton Under 14 @ 4:51
24 Thomas Warren Individual Member @ 4:57
25 Joshua Parkin Herne Hill CC Under 14 @ 5:0
26 Jordan Gell VC Lincoln/Pygott&Crone/B&O/SPS Under 14 @ 5:10
27 Daniel Murphy Team Keyne - Trek @ 5:11
28 Billy Harding East Bradford CC Under 14 @ 5:19
29 Elliot Phillips Herne Hill CC Under 14 @ 5:26
30 Joseph Fox Solihull CC @ 5:26
31 Bethany Crumpton Halesowen A & CC Yth Girl @ 5:46
32 Luke Simpson Leeds St Christopher CC @ 6:01
33 Amy Roberts Lifeforce Cervelo Yth Girl @ 6:11
34 Jake Womersley East Bradford CC Under 14 @ 6:14
35 Hannah Payton Stourbridge CC/Wrap/CY Electrical Yth Girl @ 6:17
36 Samuel Broughton Leicestershire RC @ 6:27
37 Jacob James Halesowen A & CC @ 6:32
38 Herschel Stevens Triangle RT/Bianchi @ 6:41
39 Benjamin Bailey Palmer Park Velo @ 6:41
40 Harry Franklin Herne Hill CC Under 14 @ 6:59
41 Christian Braybrooke Eastlands Velo Under 14 @ 7:07
42 Hannah Shenton Team Chance Yth Girl @ 7:49
43 Adam King Maindy Flyers CC Under 14 @ 9:00
44 George Wood Maldon & District CC Under 14 @ 9:06
45 Ben Salt Leicestershire RC @ 9:37
46 Declan Higgins Twickenham CC @ 9:44
47 Alan Trolove West Suffolk Wheelers Under 14 @ 1 lap
48 Jake Ledger Individual Member @ 1 lap
49 Alice Barnes Palmer Park Velo U14 Girl @ 1 lap
50 Daniel Fox Solihull CC Under 14 @ 1 lap
51 Jacob Kelly Lichfield City CC Under 14 @ 1 lap
52 Noah Phillips Herne Hill CC Under 14 @ 1 lap
53 Rebecca Womersley East Bradford CC Yth Girl @ 1 lap
54 Saskia Hook South Pennine RC U14 Girl @ 1 lap
55 Scott Gledhill VC Lincoln/Pygott&Crone/B&O/SPS Under 14 @ 1 lap
56 Rosie Crumpton Halesowen A & CC U14 Girl @ 1 lap

Over-50
1 Roy Hunt Colnago/Ergon 40m 26s
2 Ian Wright Wyre Forest CC/Fabricolor/DWT Legal @ 0:27
3 Peter Wilkin Fietsen Tempo/The House/Chapters @ 1:20
4 Barry Kipling MTS Cycle Sport/Inkland RT @ 1:35
5 Cliff Featherstone MTS Cycle Sport/Inkland RT @ 2:37
6 Vic Barnett Welland Valley CC @ 2:38
7 Joseph Rowe Wyre Forest CC/Fabricolor/DWT Legal @ 2:52
8 Andrew Roberts Evans Cycles RT @ 3:04
9 David Smith Derby Mercury RC @ 3:20
10 Graham Edwards Abergavenny RC/Lane/Govilon/Bikebase @ 3:21
11 Tim Stowe Thule/EAS/MI Racing @ 4:00
12 Peter Hargroves Hargroves Cycles/Trant/Next/GSI @ 5:00
13 Andrew Jones Wolverhampton Whs/Fred Williams @ 5:15
14 Barrie Mitchell Thule/EAS/MI Racing @ 5:25
15 John Ginley Condor RC @ 6:11
16 Peter Turner Derby Mercury RC @ 6:23
17 Michael Webb Royal Sutton CC @ 6:52
18 Peter Mooney Rugby Velo @ 7:19
19 Andrew Stubbs Barrow Central Wheelers/Kirkbys @ 7:51
20 Martin Hackley Thule/EAS/MI Racing @ 8:33
21 David Perry Ashfield RC @ 8:43
22 Richard Burnham Condor RC @ 1 lap
23 John Dowell Heanor Clarion CC @ 1 lap
24 Michael Parkins Bourne Wheelers CC @ 1 lap
25 Stuart Hocknell St Ives CC/Richardsons @ 1 lap
26 Geoff Wyatt Individual Member @ 1 lap
27 Michael Cooper Wyre Forest CC/Fabricolor//DWT Legal @ 1 lap

Veterans
1 Chris Young JD Cycles Ilkley 38m 26s
2 Geoff Giddings Thule/EAS/MI Racing @ same time
3 Philip Roach Rugby Velo @ 0:56
4 Matthew Denby www.Zepnat.com RT/Impsport @ 1:29
5 Noel Clough Fietsen Tempo/The House/Chapters @ 1:42
6 Andrew Shaw Thule/EAS/MI Racing @ 1:49
7 Steve Barnes www.Zepnat.com RT/Impsport @ 1:57
8 Nigel Hay Pedal Power Loughborough @ 2:21
9 Kenny Johnson Science in Sport.com @ 2:24
10 Duncan Walmsley www.Zepnat.com RT/Impsport @ 2:35
11 Mick Bell London Fire Brigade CC @ 2:54
12 David Stevens Triangle RT - Bianchi @ 2:58
13 Keith Sheridan Corinium CC @ 3:18
14 Jonathan Marshall Belper BC @ 3:20
15 Keith Sperry Welland Valley CC @ 3:28
16 Mick Rowson JD Cycles Ilkley @ 4:13
17 Garry Clark Evans Cycles RT @ 4:26
18 Duncan Stuart www.keswickbikes.co.uk @ 4:32
19 Stephen Whitehouse Lichfield City CC @ 4:39
20 Stephen Poole www.Zepnat.com RT/Impsport @ 5:02
21 Brian Tear Thule/EAS/MI Racing @ 5:04
22 Steve Barron VC Lincoln/Pygott/B&O/SPS/Impsport @ 5:15
23 Julian Gould www.Zepnat.com RT/Impsport @ 5:23
24 Mark Garrett Coventry RC/Ridecov.co.uk @ 5:39
25 Martin Eadon Hargroves Cycles/Trant/Next/GSI @ 5:48
26 Andrew Cosgrove Teesdale CRC @ 5:55
27 Chris Ledger www.Zepnat.com RT/Impsport @ 6:27
28 Trevor Holmes Diss & District CC @ 6:43
29 Robert Burns Wolverhampton Whs/Williams @ 7:12
30 Charles Warren Individual Member @ 7:23
31 Kevin Payton Stourbridge CC/Wrap/CY Electrical @ 7:36
32 Paul Gibbons Climb on Bikes RT @ 7:45
33 Paul Roberts Hambleton RC @ 9:33
34 Paul Dalton Matlock CC/Impsport/Farmers/Wards @ 9:38
35 Gary Wood Maldon & District CC @ 9:41
36 Mervyn Dudley Sherwood Pines Cycles/Polaris @ 1 lap
37 Dave Headon Horwich CC @ 1 lap