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UK Premier MTB Series #5 - NE
Sherwood Pines, Nottinghamshire, UK, August 7, 2005
Copnall wins again as Killeen makes a rare home appearence count
By Joolze Dymond, British Cycling
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The final round of the Premier Mountain Bike Series was contested on the dry dusty trails of Sherwood Pines Forest Park. With many of the overall series wins still to be decided the racing proved hotter than the weather itself, with a few surprise results.
In the Elite Men's race, with Oli Beckingsale already confirmed as series winner, the main interest centred on Specialized rider Liam Killeen, making his first appearance in the 2005 series. He duly confirmed his class by ripping the field apart. At the start of the last lap, only Beckingsale was still holding onto his wheel, but a final burst snapped the elastic and Liam was able to come in a clear winner. Beckingsale duly took second, whilst Steven Roach held off a late attack by Phil Spencer to take third.
The racing in the Elite Women's class was also electric, with Katy Simcock, series winner Jenny Copnall, Jenn O'Connor, national Marathon Champ Caroline Jackson and Hazel Murray forming into an aggressive leading group. On the final lap it was Jenn O'Connor who attacked and made the break with only Copnall able to stick to her wheel. O'Connor pushed all the way to the line, but Copnall won the sprint, squeezing a disappointed O'Connor into second place. Katy Simcock was third.
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Luke Smith picked up his third win in the Expert series to confirm his overall position as series winner. Jules Toone continued her recent run of success with another win in the expert women's category. Gemma Carter took second, with overall series winner Paula Moseley coming home in third. Kate George, confirmed Sports category winner and surprise medal winner at the recent national champs, rode well in her first expert race to take fourth.
Earlier in the day, the first race was headed out by the Junior Men and, with the series title still up for grabs, the pace was tremendous. National junior champ Alex Atkins, fresh from the European Championships, was the pre-race favourite, however, a bad decision at the start, when he joined the race outside the start area, meant he was disqualified and pulled out of the race. A disappointed Atkins had to sit it out and watch his main rivals fight for the series. Andy McCullough managed to make a significant break on the last lap to take the win and with it the overall series title. Sam Thompson took second spot and second in the series. The disqualified Atkins was left to pick up third in the series.
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David Fletcher was once again the dominant rider in the Youth race, underlining his overall series lead with his fourth win. Tom Skubala was second and Alex Paton third. The Juvenile race turned into the familiar battle between William Verney and Micheal Butler. Although the series had already been sewn up by Butler, Verney has been pushing him all season and he duly took the win, with Butler close behind.
The youth women's race was dominated by Raleigh, with Marie Stuart taking the win from teammate Annabel Simpson, whose second place gave her just enough points to claim the overall series victory over Stuart.
Geoff Beetham once again dominated the Masters' Category and claimed a remarkable five-race clean sweep and the series win. Ben Dale and Paul Hopkins were second and third respectively on the day and in the final standings. Another Master to dominate this season has been Michelle Bergstrand, who virtually went unchallenged in her blast to first spot, also making it five wins from five starts.
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In contrast, the Veteran Men's race had seven potential series winners. Pre-race favourite was probably the consistent Mark Chadbourne. However, he had to give best on the day to Paul Ashby, whose win wasn't quite enough to prevent second-placed Chadbourne adding the series to the National title he claimed two weeks ago.
John Galaway gave previously dominant Roy Hunt a hard race in the Grand Vets, to take his first win of the series. Hunt settled for second, happy in the knowledge that the series win was once again his.
The Veteran women's race was won by seasoned campaigner Lydia Gould. It was her third win of the series, but only her third finish, and with the title decided on best four results out of five, the overall win went to Tracey Miles, who finished second on the day.
At the end of what has been a well-attended and thoroughly exciting series, XC racing in the UK is thriving again. Entries throughout the series have been excellent and the effects of the support of sponsors such as Trek and the competence of the organising team should not underestimated
Results
Elite Men 1 Liam Killeen (Specialized) 2 Oli Beckingsale (Team Mbuk/Scott) 3 Steven Roach (Trek UK) 4 Phil Spencer (Team Trek UK) 5 Dave Collins (Scott UK) 6 Stuart Bowers (Hargroves/Trant/Next/Scott UK) 7 William Bjergfelt (Team Saracen) 8 Philip Cooper (Blueskycycles.Com) 9 Lewis Ferguson (Team Bmb) 10 Jamie Norfolk (Giant Racing) Expert Men 1 Luke Smith (Marin UK) 2 Simon Burgess (Team Torq Bar) 3 Nick Collins (Vc Deal/Activ) 4 Adam Broyad (Climb On Bikes Rt) 5 Phil Smith (Ga Cycles) 6 Adam Turner (Sherwood Pines) 7 Dan Hunt (Scienceinsport.Com) 8 Charlie Evans (Krt) 9 Scott O'neil (Gwilliams Team Torq Bar) 10 Paul Beales (Orange Monkey) Sport Men 1 Andrew Cockburn (Cambridge Uni CC) 2 Daniel Troitino (Evans Cycles Rt) 3 Nathan Wilson (Hull Thursday Rc) 4 Robert Smail (Bigpeaks.Com) 5 Steve Heading 6 Chris Aucote (Plan B Racing) 7 Rob Oakes 8 Patrick Cobb (University Of Bath Mtb) 9 Stephen Kaye (Vc Lincoln/Impsport) 10 Will Thomas (Vinerbikes.Com/Agisko) Elite Women 1 Jenny Copnall (Subaru/Gary Fisher) 2 Jenn O'Connor (Starlets Specialized) 3 Katy Simcock (Giant Racing) 4 Caroline Jackson (Massi-Abarth) 5 Hazel Wakefield (Raleigh/Erv) 6 Kate Potter (Starlets Specialized) 7 Genevieve Whitson (Vic Uni Mtb Club) 8 Ruth McGavigan (Raleigh/Erv) 9 Rebecca Webb (Justridingalong.Com) Expert Women 1 Jules Toone (Climb On Bikes Rt) 2 Gemma Carter (Hammonds/Vc Deal/Activ Folkestone) 3 Paula Moseley (Climb On Bikes Rt) 4 Kate George (Specialized) 5 Nicky Hughes (Trek/Activ) Sport Women 1 Verity Appleyard 2 Fran Moore 3 Ivy Berkshire (Vario Co-Factory) Master Men 1 Geoff Beetham (Shokwave) 2 Ben Dale (Climb On Bikes Rt) 3 Paul Hopkins (Wheels/Hambledons) 4 Greg Simcock (Xrt/Elmy Cycles Rt) 5 Richard John (Trek UK) 6 Scott Forbes (Pedalon.Co.UK) 7 David Miller (Api/Metrow) 8 Andrew Claridge (Liphook Cycles/Michelin) 9 Phil Rayner (Halfords Bike Hut) 10 Paul Priestley (Team Milton Keynes) Veteran Men 1 Paul Ashby (Api Metrow) 2 Mark Chadbourne (Ride Cycleworks) 3 Roland Tilley (Ride Cycleworks) 4 Ian Wright (Pearce Cycles Rt) 5 Peter Harris (Pearce Cycles Rt) 6 David Nelson (Beyond Mountain Bikes/West Drayton Mbc) 7 Steve Jones (Awcycles.Co.UK) 8 Mark Cracknell (Awcycles.Co.UK) 9 John Wilkinson (Tri Extreme) 10 Andy Weaving (Climb On Bikes Rt) Grand Veteran Men 1 John Galway 2 Roy Hunt (Rock Lobster) 3 Norman Butler (Bikeguatemala.Com) 4 Victor Barnett (Welland Valley CC) 5 Kim Marks (Leisure Lakes Rt) 6 Trevor Patey (Didcot Phoenix) 7 David Hamilton (Mid Devon CC) 8 Steve Collen (Nwmba/The Bike Factory) 9 Stuart Hocknell (St Ives CC/Richardsond) 10 Anton Florek (Bike Factory/Specialized) Master Women 1 Michelle Bergstrand (Raleigh/Erv) 2 Deborah Wilkins (Nationwide CC) 3 Jean Limpitlaw (Team Milton Keynes) 4 Theresa Jackson (CC Luton) 5 Jane Steele (Port Sunlight Wheelers) 6 Gaynor Lea (Climb On Bikes Rt) 7 Helen Findlay (Erc/Thebicycleworks.Com) 8 Sarah Arnold 9 Fiona Walker (Sandy Wallace Cycles) 10 Michelle Sharp Veteran Women 1 Lydia Gould (Hargroves/Trant/Next) 2 Tracy Miles (Climb On Bikes) 3 Carol Tilley (Ride Cycleworks) 4 Karen Howard Grand Veteran Women 1 Lisa Hill Open Men 1 Daniel Winn 2 Michael Dunabie 3 Philip Dougall (Ashfield Rc) 4 Damien Corrigan (Pedalon.Co.UK) 5 David Ambler 6 Martin Jones (Horwich CC) 7 Andrew Hunter 8 Frazer Mackay (Muddy Funsters) 9 Neil Taylor 10 Charles Singh Junior Men 1 Andrew McCullough (Xmtb) 2 Sam Thompson (Kinesis UK) 3 Mark Thwaites (Kinesis UK) 4 Ross Creber (Sandy Wallace Cycles) 5 Jamie Harris (Pearce Cycles Rt) 6 Robert Whenman (Team Corridori) 7 Tom Hooper (All Terrain Cycles) 8 Anthony O'boyle (Newport Pheonix) 9 Matthew Ferguson (Cycling Ulster) 10 Josh Ibbett (Team Synergy) Youth Men 1 David Fletcher (Sherwood Pines Cycles) 2 Tomas Skubala (Giant Racing) 3 Alex Paton (V C Deal/Activ/Hammonds) 4 Matthew Hill (Primera/Bourenmouth Arrows) 5 Andrew Hunter (Xmtb) 6 Lewis Marsh (Inter Bike Rt) 7 Jay Spetch (Team Torq) 8 Billy Joe (Whenman Marin UK) 9 Shaun Hurrell (Maldon & District CC) 10 Ben Roach (Shokwave) Juvenile Men 1 William Verney (Shokwave ) 2 Michael Butler (V C Deal/Hammonds/Activ) 3 Luke Gray (Dorset Rough Riders ) 4 Jonny Beers (Ulster Dev Squad ) 5 Dean Martin (Classic Walls Crt ) 6 James Ashby 7 Thomas Walker 8 William Boyd (Xmtb) 9 Bruce Dalton (Matlock CC) 10 Joseph Franklin Youth Women 1 Marie Stuart (Raleigh/Erv) 2 Annabel Simpson (Raleigh/Erv) 3 Kim Robinson (Marie Curie) Juvenile Women 1 Samantha Bryant (Team Darenth) 2 Rebecca James (Abergavenny CC ) 3 Jessica Laird (Ci Xmtb)
