Bordeaux-Paris  Track Meeting

24 May 2009, Palmer Park Velodrome (Reading)
Photos from Guy Swarbrick (www.trackcycling.me.uk)
Report: Thanks to David Jack (Active Life Logistics)

Summer arrived by the bucket full on Sunday for this annual Bank Holiday event and with a Sprint competition, a round of the National Endurance track league and a range of Senior and Youth races, it was a full on, action packed day in the sun. The Bordeaux-Paris 50 km event is run as a two part competition, with a 20km scratch race where the top eight finishers going through to the second phase which is a 30km Derny race. With 51 starters, this was going to be quite a tussle, especially with teams Planet X and Agisko-Viner fielding 4 or 5 riders, it was fairly tactical too!

No early attacks were made as the heat and the usual late charge to the line deterred any of the journeymen in the field but with 15 laps to go the real action blew the field apart. A good field of top domestic track racers can cause much pain to the rest and eventually the eight though to the next round were a deserving group. Riders like multi Derny National champ Bryan Taylor, his team mate Simon Lewis, the ever powerful Steve Legg, Agiskoviner rider John McClelland, Planet X fast men Richard Prince and Ian Cooper plus local rider Neil Cooper were just some of the talent.

The Derny Final, incorporating the Bill Bannister Memorial Trophy, saw a race dominated by Taylor and Lewis as they held fast tempo on the front, slowly and imperceptably winding up the pace, causing rider after rider to fall by the wayside and eventually with 5 laps to go, it was Simon Lewis who put the hammer down, distancing himself from Taylor and a chasing Ian Cooper. Lewis kept up the pace winning comfortably from Taylor with Ian Cooper third.


Above: Victory for Simon Lewis of VC Londres in the Paris-Bordeaux endurance race

The Youth and Womens Event, although slightly shorter, still produced a battle royal and sadly a twist in the tail. With 20 of  40 laps gone it was Stephen Bradbury and William Macke who applied pressure to the pack, and they blew the field to bits as the group of eight became just two. Current National Womens Derny Champ Janet Birkmyre was one of these casualties as a continuing lung infection has been causing her breathing difficulties and she sat up after chasing hard. Back to the front of the race where Bradbury put in a huge attack, opening a half lap advantage over the chasing Macke and as they came to the bell lap it looked all over.

That was until Bradburys’ derny developed a fault, cutting out on the back straight leaving him to try and maintain enough speed to stay ahead of the derny paced Macke. Bradbury was out of the saddle sprinting as he hit the home straight but no amount of strength would save him from being overtaken, with a paltry 80 metres to go, by Macke and his 40 mile an hour derny pacer. Bradbury was gutted but could suitably feel like the moral victor. Third across the line was also first woman, Emma Patterson, as she had kept a steady fast pace to maintain her field position throughout the race.

Above: Un-paced rider Stephen Bradbury is passed with 80 metres to go by William Macke, being paced by George Gilbert.

Sprint competition – as with the Monday night track league format it was heats and then a single 5 up final with the heats producing some excellent battles and producing a fine group of finalists. The final was controlled early on by top youth rider John Paul and his awareness skills showed as riders looked to make a move on the 200m to go line. First Eddy Sobieralski attacked but riding a bit wide he left a gap for Sam Serruya and Rob Drinkwater to charge through, and they did, leaving Sobieralski too much to do. Paul by this time had the pedal to the metal with Drinkwater and Serruya chasing hard. Paul tho’, had too much pace and crossed the line comfortably ahead of Serruya with Drinkwater third.
 

Above: Close tussle in the Sprint heats where Eddy Sobieralski (on the outside) pips David Jack by a few centimetres.

The Womens Sprint competition was a closely fought affair with Cassie Gledhill setting a torrid pace all the way to the line but being pipped by the fast finishing Janet Birkmyre. Support events saw William Macke win the Under 16’s Youth Devil and the 10 lap Scratch race whilst Luke Drummond won the Youth Sprint competition. George Withers took a clean sweep in the Under 14s Devil/Sprint & Scratch events whilst Matthew Lansley won two of three events in the Under 10/12’s, firstly the Devil and then the Scratch race. George Needham finished top spot in the U12/10’s Sprint Comp.

The Senior support races saw Neil Cooper win the 10 lap A’s Scratch race, with Bob Moore winning the B’s race and the final race, the 20 Lap Scratch was won by a hard charging Dominic Jelfs.

 
Above: A huge field of over 80 senior riders turned up for racing on this beautiful sunny day.

This is the first time in three years that the league haven’t had to postpone this event till later in the year and long may the good weather continue. Thanks to our volunteer officials, Sean and sister Jane Bannister for providing the trophy and prize money  and to everyone for attending.

Photos from the Day by Guy Swarbrick (results below)

Results Bordeaux Paris Meeting 24 May 2009

Senior A
10 lap Scratch
1 Neil COOPER AW Cycles
2 Karl FREEMAN Team Corley Cycles
3 Dominic JELFS Wyre Forest CRC

Sprint
1 John PAUL Team Terminator
2 Sam SERRUYA BC Private Member
3 Rob DRINKWATER sports-coaching.com

20 lap Scratch
1 Dominic JELFS Wyre Forest CRC
2 Adrian ADGAR Go Sports Spex
3 Tom SKUBALA Planet X

Senior B
10 lap Scratch
1 Bob MOORE VC Meuden
2 Jake MARTIN Rapha Condor
3 David GILHAM Bournemouth Arrow

Sprint
1 Simon CROUCH Planet X
2 Cameron SWARBRICK Royal Navy & Royal Marines CA
3 Jake MARTIN Rapha Condor

20 lap Scratch
1 Bob MOORE VC Meuden

Senior A & B Bordeaux-Paris Qualifying Race
1 John PAUL Team Terminator
2 Matt BAILEY Halesowen A&CC
3 Richard PRINCE Planet X

Senior A & B Bordeaux-Paris Derny Paced Race (National Endurance 20km Series)
1 Simon LEWIS VC Londres - George GILBERT
2 Bryan TAYLOR VC Londres - Colin DENMAN
3 Ian COOPER Planet X - Doug PINKERTON

Ladies
10 Lap Scratch
1 Cassie GLEDHILL dna Cycles
2 Jayne PAINE Willesden CC
3 Cheryl OWENS GS Metro

Sprint
1 Janet BIRKMYRE XRT Elmy Cycles
2 Cassie GLEDHILL dna Cycles
3 Cheryl OWENS GS Metro

20 lap Scratch
1 Cassie GLEDHILL dna Cycles

Under 16 & Ladies Bordeaux-Paris Qualifying Race
1 Luke DRUMMOND Palmer Park Velo
2 Harry STRUDLEY Palmer Park Velo
3 Max STEADMAN Palmer Park Velo

Under 16 & Ladies Bordeaux-Paris Derny Paced Race
1 Will MACKE Palmer Park Velo - George GILBERT
2 Stephen BRADBURY Palmer Park Velo - Clive STURGEON
3 Emma PATTERSON London Dynamo - Malcolm FREEMAN

Youth

Devil
Under 16
1 William MACKE Palmer Park Velo
2 Luke DRUMMOND Palmer Park Velo
3 Harry STRUDLEY Palmer Park Velo

Under 14 Boys
1 George WITHERS Palmer Park Velo
2 Jason PITT Palmer Park Velo
3 Max STEADMAN Reading CC

Under 14 Girls
1 Zoe LEWIS VC Londres
2 Ellie GILHAM Bournemouth Arrow

Under 12
1 Matthew LANSLEY Palmer Park Velo
2 Abbie DENTUS Palmer Park Velo
3 George NEEDHAM Palmer Park Velo

Under 10
1 Carl JOLLEY Hillingdon Slipstreamers
2 Luis HINDMAN Palmer Park Velo
3 Damon KING Palmer Park Velo

Under 8
1 Niall DAWKINS Hillingdon Slipstreamers
2 Euan MacLEOD Palmer Park Velo

Sprint
Under 16
1 Luke DRUMMOND Palmer Park Velo
2 William MACKE Palmer Park Velo
3 Harry STRUDLEY Palmer Park Velo

Under 14 Boys
1 George WITHERS Palmer Park Velo
2 Jason PITT Palmer Park Velo
3 Duncan LAWRENCE Palmer Park Velo

Under 14 Girls
1 Ellie GILHAM Bournemouth Arrow
2 Zoe LEWIS VC Londres

Under 12
1 George NEEDHAM Palmer Park Velo
2 Abbie DENTUS Palmer Park Velo
3 Matthew LANSLEY Palmer Park Velo

Under 10
1 Carl JOLLEY Hillingdon Slipstreamers
2 Callum MacLEOD Palmer Park Velo
3 Damon KING Palmer Park Velo

Under 8
1 Niall DAWKINS Hillingdon Slipstreamers
2 Euan MacLEOD Palmer Park Velo

Scratch
Under 16
1 William MACKE Palmer Park Velo
2 Harry STRUDLEY Palmer Park Velo
3 Luke DRUMMOND Palmer Park Velo

Under 14 Boys
1 George WITHERS Palmer Park Velo
2 Jason PITT Palmer Park Velo
3 Daniel LANSLEY Palmer Park Velo

Under 14 Girls
1 Ellie GILHAM Bournemouth Arrow
2 Zoe LEWIS VC Londres

Under 12
1 Matthew LANSLEY Palmer Park Velo
2 Abbie DENTUS Palmer Park Velo
3 George NEEDHAM Palmer Park Velo

Under 10
1 Carl JOLLEY Hillingdon Slipstreamers
2 Damon KING Palmer Park Velo
3 Callum MacLEOD Palmer Park Velo

Under 8
1 Niall DAWKINS Hillingdon Slipstreamers
2 Euan MacLEOD Palmer Park Velo