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Report: East Midlands Regional Road Race Championships

Event: 22nd May 2011
Promoted by: East Midlands Regional Board
Event HQ: Walton le Wolds Cricket Club, Walton in the Wolds, Leicestershire
Report: Karen Lifford REO
Pictures: Sally Maier

Above: James Sparling (Team Raleigh) takes the win from last year's winner Dave Clarke (Endura Racing).

The East Midlands Regional RR event was held on the well established Six Hills course and was made even harder by the tough weather conditions with the eventual winner James Sparling of Team Raleigh adding to the team's success in other regions making it a great birthday present for the Team Manager, Cherie Pridham.

The wind, along with occasional showers, ensured that every one of the 37 riders starting race had to work for their final position, with five Team Raleigh riders in the bunch along with last year's winner Dave Clarke. The bunch stayed mainly together on the first couple of laps apart from an early breakaway of two riders, Matt Jennings (Team iOptix) and Duncan Putman (Derby Mercury) who were caught on lap three. Shortly after this a break of nine formed containing all of the Team Raleigh riders, Dave Clarke (Endura Racing) James Cambridge (i-ride.co.uk), Jon Mozley (Pendragon) and Carl Dyson (Clay Cross RT).

Behind this group the bunch was slowly being whittled down by the ever present wind. With one additional rider, Carl Sturgeon (Lutterworth CC) making it across the gap to form a 10 man leading group, the breakaway settled down to build a significant lead.

This group then split with a break of three going off the front with three laps to go containing all the eventual medalists. In the uphill finish, James Sparling managed to get past Dave Clarke to take the title for 2011 with Philip Mooney third.

This year's regional championship event was organised by the RCA on behalf of the regional board as no club came forward to put their name to the event. The generous support of prizes from Specialized, iOptix and Today's Cyclist allowed any profits from the event to support the region's Youth Development Squad fund. Marshals and volunteers from the VC Nottingham, Ashfield CC, Zenith CC, Hargroves Cycles, Langdale Lightweights, Derby Mercury CC, Nottingham Clarion and Chesterfield Coureurs ensured that the race went ahead and resulted in a friendly event with many old acquaintances renewed whilst enjoying the sunshine and the post race banter at the race HQ at Walton le Wolds Cricket club.

Above: The East Midland Regional RR medallists for 2011 (L to R): Dave Clarke (Endura Racing), James Sparling (Team Raleigh) and Phillip Mooney (Team Raleigh).

RESULT

1. James Sparling - Team Raleigh
2. Dave Carke - Endura Racing
3. Philip Mooney - Team Raleigh
4. Jeroen Janssen - Team Raleigh
5. Gael le Bellac - Team Raleigh
6. Ryan Parnes - Team Raleigh
7. James Cambridge - i-ride.co.uk
8. Jon Mozley - Pendragon
9. Carl Dyson - Clay Cross RT
10. Carl Sturgeon - Lutterworth CC
11. David Weir - CyclingBargains.com
12. Matthew Foston - Langdale Lightweights
13. Alistair Slater - Hargroves Cycles
14. Stuart Murfin - Ashfield RC
15. Paul Foston - Langdale Lightweights
16. Duncan Putman - Derby Mercury
17. Matt Jennings - Team iOptix
18. Mark Botteley - Bourne Wheelers
19. Edward Pickard - Derby Mercury
20. Gavin Daley - VC Lincoln
21. Tom Neale - Spalding CC
22. Neil Beasley - Beeston RC
23. Gareth Whittall - Clay Cross RT
24. Oliver Davis - Dinnington RC
25. Phil Malt - VC Lincoln
26. Mark Wakeling - RVO Racing
27. Jack Taylor - VC Lincoln
28. Paul Prince - Planet X
29. Paul Bennett - CyclingBargains.com

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British Cycling would like to thank the organising team, officials and everyone else who helped promote this event. Our sport could not exist without the hundreds of people, many of them unpaid volunteers, who put in many hours of hard work running events, activities and clubs.