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Report: Didcot Phoenix 'Cross

Wessex League Round 2
Newbury Showground, Sunday 11th October 2009
Images & Report: Graham Robins

Round 2 of the Wessex Cyclo-Cross League saw a second win of the season for Adrain Lansley (Pedal On), on a wet afternoon where bike handling skills were needed to complete the course. The course skirted along the edge of the M4, along a twisty wooded section and across the grass of the showground. After the morning's U12 race and the youth race the course became very slippery when the rain increased as the seniors set off.

Images: Graham Robins (http://www.grahamrobins.net/ & grahamrobins.net@googlemail.com)

The long loop of the run out soon turned off onto a single track section, followed by a trip into the woods. As the leaders emerged there was a leading group of ten riders with eventual winner Adrain at the front tapping out a good rhythm. The first couple of laps ticked by and the group of ten was slowly being reduced, until Adrian and Tim Dunford (Team Torq) were well clear of third placed rider Matt Macdonald.

These two riders rode around shadowing each other, and when they took the bell they were almost side by side. The large crowd of spectators on the finish knew that we were in for a sprint finish, and we weren't disappointed. As Adrian and Tim came into view there was nothing between them, they rounded the last bend a straightened up a sprinted for the line. As the photo shows they were together on the line with Adrain taking the spoils.

Provisional Results

1st Adrain Lansley (Pedal On)
2nd Tim Dunford (Team Torq)
3rd Matt Macdonald (Hargroves Cycles)
First Junior Lewis King Beeline Cycles)
First Vet Adrain Wells (Pedal On)
First women Andrea Halman Swindon RC)