D'Souza makes it a weekend double as she and Evans take third wins of HSBC UK | National Four Cross Series

D'Souza makes it a weekend double as she and Evans take third wins of HSBC UK | National Four Cross Series

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Tyde D’Souza made it a weekend double as she and Will Evans prevailed in round five of the HSBC UK | National Four Cross Series in Wales.

Following on from Saturday’s National Championships, D’Souza continued her fine form to take a third win of the series as Evans bounced back from a fourth-place finish in the championships to match her female competitor’s series record.

Luke Cryer followed a championships silver medal with another second on Sunday as Alex Metcalfe came home third, while in the women’s race Megan Wherry moved up from fourth on Saturday to second as Courtney Abbiss finished third.

D’Souza doubles up

Fresh from her National Championships victory and wearing a crisp new tri-colour jersey, the Dirtbike School rider did not put a pedal wrong.

After storming through qualifying – winning her three motos and semi-final – she hit the bottom of the start ramp in the lead and made it nigh-on impossible for anyone to pass her.

In the end she cruised to the line, with Wherry making up for her failure to finish on Saturday’s podium with a second-place finish, just edging out the sprint ahead of Abbiss and Mel Nice.

“It’s nice to take another win today,” said D’Souza. “Third of the series, which is good, and it’s great to be able to ride in the National Champions top as well.

“It’s something we all work for and just to be National Champion is such a nice feeling, but it’s getting dirty which is a bit annoying! But overall a good weekend.

“The course is ace, I’d say it’s one of the best ones of the series, after Saturday’s races it’s so much faster today, it was a bit soft at the start but its hardened out a lot, which is good.”

Evans makes amends

Carrick Riders man Evans bounced back from not winning a medal in the National Championships to ease into Sunday’s final after flying through qualifying.

And a fast start in the last race of the weekend gave him the box seat heading into the tricky opening S-bend, which he negotiated safely to leave him with a clean run to the finish line.

Cryer was left unable to make up the ground on Evans and finished second, with Metcalfe completing the top three as Connor Hudson finished off the podium.

“I’m very happy to take my third win of the series,” he said. “I’ve had a good couple of races in the motos, got good starts as I did yesterday but had a little more luck today to come away with the win.

“So it’s been a pretty good day. It was a great final, tough competition from the start. Luke had some great track speed, especially going into the first couple of corners, so I knew I had to get a solid start and commit which I managed to do and lead from the start.

“I knew from yesterday’s final I had to get a good gate, I was a bit sleepy yesterday off the gate and it’s a track where it’s quite hard to make any kind of pass.”

Willicombe takes maiden victory

In the junior race it was Declan Willicombe who dominated and took his first win of the HSBC UK | National Four Cross Series.

Leading from gun to tape, he held off Tom Bell and Fin Keogh, as Oscar Powell finished fourth and Saturday’s newly crowned junior champion Charlie Currie moved up the levels to win the B final of the senior category.

Results

Pro Elite Women

1. Tyde D’Souza

2. Megan Wherry

3. Courtney Abbiss

4. Mel Nice

Pro Elite Men

1. Will Evans

2. Luke Cryer

3. Alex Metcalfe

4. Connor Hudson

Junior

1. Declan Willicombe

2. Tom Bell

3. Fin Keogh

4. Oscar Powell

Gallery

HSBC UK 2017 | 4X Series Rnd 5 Moelfre