Report: Scottish Vets Road Race Championships

Article By: Duncan Warwick | Photos:  Emma Parsons

Posted On: 10 August 2010

The Scottish Veterans Road Race Championships were held on Sunday 8th August on a 70mile course comprising 3 laps of a 23.3mile circuit starting and finishing just outside Alford, Aberdeenshire. Although the course, with it's combination of open roads and hilly farm road sections, was expected to pose the riders a tough challenge, the almost perfect weather conditions made it a day for the bunch to stay in control of things. No breaks built up enough of a lead to shake off the bunch and the what head wind there was came on the climbs at the end of the circuit making it even harder for lone riders to escape the grasp of the peleton.

So as the race descended from the Glacks climb on the last lap the bunch were closing on the last 2 escapee's, Ali Watt (Granite City RT) and Jeremy Greengrass (Vortex RT), from a group which opened a small gap at the start of the last lap and doggedly held off the bunch until the last time over the Glacks.

On the fast run in to the finish Watt and Greengrass managed to hold off the bunch, with Greengrass opening up enough of of a gap on the line to take the win in a time of 2:56:17 just 1 sec ahead of Watt with Alan Quinn (Glasgow United) taking the bunch sprint for 3rd only another 1 sec behind. So gold, silver and bronze in the V40 category went to Greengrass, Watt and Quinn.

The V50 title was taken by Brendan Roe (Team Leslie Bike Shop/Right Move) in an excellent 5th place with last years V50 champion and this years silver medallist Steve Hazlett (Ivy CC) just a bike length back in 7th place. The V50 bronze medal went to Bob Cowie (Aberdeen Wheelers CC) also battling out the bunch sprint in 9th place overall.

The V60 title went to Steve Beech (Sandy Wallace Cycles) with George Findlater (Elgin CC) taking the silver and David Lang (Glasgow Wheelers CC) taking the bronze. As a testment to their skill and fitness Beech and Findlater were only a few wheels back in the bunch sprint coming in 25th and 29th, respectively.

Big thanks to the riders, everyone involved and also the NEG moto guys, who all done a fantastic job at sheepherding the bunch round the big main roads and small farm roads.

Full results from the event can be viewed here

More photos -taken by Emma Parsons- from the event, can be seen on the Granite City RT website here