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Location: Boggart Hole Clough, Charlestown Road, Blackley, Manchester
Event: 9 August 2012

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The Midweek Mountain Bike Madness Series concluded in sunny conditions at Boggart Hole Clough on Thursday 9 August.

Mountain bike riders from all over the North West and beyond came together for an evening of racing.

For the first time there was an under 12, juvenile and youth race supporting the main Midweek Madness race. Tom Clarke, Red Rose Olympic CC, dominated the juvenile category and took the overall victory. Team mate Caroline Humphreys raced well to become the first female rider.

Tom Wilkinson of Eastland’s Velo had looked close in the opening stages to Clarke, but had to settle behind but still took the prize for the first youth rider. Tom Wood, pulled out all the stops in the under 12’s category to take victory from an impressive Aidan Lawrence (Eastland’s Velo).

With over 50 riders taking part in the main race and with overall series points still extremely close, it promised to be an exciting evening of racing. Despite the sunshine conditions on the lower part of the course remained extremely muddy making the area more technical than first presumed.

At the front of the bunch it quickly looked like a two horse race between Giles Drake and Jack Humphreys. Junior, Humphreys set an electric pace and the fastest lap time of the evening but Team Elite rider Drake calmly pulled him back and progressed ahead looking like the odds on favourite.

However, Team Wheelbase.co.uk rider Humphreys reeled in Drake and forced the senior rider to sprint all the way to the line for the night’s honours. Adrian Lawrence, Team bglobal rounded up the top three having pulled away from first Masters rider David Powell and fellow Vet Pete Middleton. The third place sealed the overall series prize for Lawrence in the closely fought Veterans Category.

The race to be first female rider was exciting with Becky Preece who has recently been selected for the mountain bike world championships riding against Israel’s Meaghan Beltzer. Beltzer herself riding her final preparation races for the European Championships In Graz, Austria. Both riders fielded well sitting towards the front end of the main field with Beltzer proving stronger on the day and looking confident in the muddy conditions.

A fellow young rider looking in excellent from was Youth Robert Rogers, taking the prize for his category and finishing a superb sixth overall.

The series always sees a mixture of riders of all abilities, some riding their first race, some having already raced at a high level. Most riders completed at least five laps of the undulating 2.5km race loop, with many internal races taking place within the bunch.

A special thanks for all those who showed their support. Thanks must also go out to all those who volunteered their time to help with the event.

Results

1. Giles Drake

2. Jack Humphreys

3. Adrian Lawrence

4. David Powell

5. Pete Middleton

6. Robert Rogers

7. Anthony Morris

8. Joseph Heywood

9. Dave Headon

10. Jason Tonge

Mark Ferguson

James Tudor

Meaghan Beltzer

Mick Style

Simon Vasquez

Sean Beswick

Stuart Ormes

Scott Wilson

Steven Wood

Tom Frater

Becky Preece

Des Thorpe

G Collom

Darren O'Toole

Andy King

Rob Allen

Keith Bailey

Gus French

Colin Humphreys

Michael Briggs

Rachael Walker

Mark Spittlehouse

Craig Bunnel

Javan Maidment

David Eastham

Steve Simpson

David Ryder

Dunc Astle

Mike Cleary

Peter Maidment

Matthew Bates

Chris Haley

Ewan Wentworth

Stephen Collen

Julie Morrissey

Ian Shapiro

Glyn Hopkins

Phill Sheen

Louis Mehr