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Dutchman Sybrandy retains Guildford title

The Guildford Town Centre Races
Event: 6th July 2011
Event Details
Report and images: Graham Robins

Cycle racing returned to Guildford town centre for an evening of fast and frantic racing. The evening was dry and the course also, which is a good thing as part of the course is run over the cobbled stones up the high street.

The evening got underway with a race for 3rd cats, and the race was sponsored by Churchouse Accountants based in Guildford high street. The race was 20 minutes and 5 laps and soon after the start two riders Paul Hopkins (Merida UK) and Samuel Sturgeon (Team Terminator) attacked and soon got a lead over the chasing bunch.

Lap after lap the two riders extended their lead until the bell lap. As the two riders entered the narrow market street it was Paul that popped out first and attacked up the cobbles towards the finish. The two sprinted towards the line and Paul took the win by a bikes length.

Next up were the U12/U10/U8 riders, the star of the race was young Ben Tullet, who attacked the course right from the start and had the full length of the high street as a lead on the first lap. He rode every lap as fast as he could and no one in the race could get close.

Photo: Wouter Sybrandy celebrates victory after clawing his way back into the race

The U16/U14 race was won by Matt Hargroves (Hargroves Cycles) from Danny Fox (Solihull CC) with Harvey Lowe (Hargroves Cycles) third. Other class winners were Tom Franklin (B) (Hargroves Cycles), Rachel Jary (C) (VC Londres) and Henry Jarrett (E) (Charlotteville CC).

The main race of the evening saw a full field of 46 riders line up alongside last year's winner Wouter Sybrandy the tall Dutch man wearing the number one on his Sigma Sport shirt. There were many big names from the area all trying to take the win on the classic cobbled course.

Once the race got underway a group of six got away and soon opened up a gap. The group consisted of Sybrandy, Lee Smith (Felt-Colbournes), James Stuart (Team UK Youth), Jamie Newall (Team Corley Cycles), Marcel Six (Twenty3c-Obree), Chris McNamara (Team Corley Cycles), Ian Payne (London Dynamo), Alex Ray (Pasta Montegrappa), and Dave Clarke (Endura Racing).

As the leaders started to pick of the back markers they were pulled out of the race. Punctures were the order of the day with many riders coming into the pits from what looks like mainly rear wheels. In turned out that there were a couple of raised cobbles on the course which were catching some riders out.

About mid-race the leader Sybrandy, also succumbed to the cobbles and had to change his rear wheel. But once back up to speed he started to attack the leading bunch and one by one picked them off. By half distance he was one full lap up. He sat in behind the bunch but soon started to come past them again to lead a few laps before the end. After the bell he rode up high street to the applause of the large crowd that were clinging to the barriers.

Provisional Results

1. Wouter Sybrandy (Sigma Sport)
2. Dave Clarke (Endura Racing)
3. James Stuart (Team UK Youth)
4. Jake Hales (Team Corley Cycles)
5. Will Fox Frome (Impsport SamLamere CT)