Results and Reports for July 1-2Great BritainNote : these pages are often updated, please hit "refresh" or "reload" on your browser for the latest version Stars of Tomorrow Road Race Stars of Tomorrow Road Race (Rd. 4, National U23 Road Race Series)Wellington, Dorset, July 2, 2000 House’s Happy Homecoming The only national series event this weekend was for under 23 (Espoirs) and at the finish, it was name that has not featured so far in the series. Kristian House, a tall slim rider who speaks with an American accent, has British parents and lives in Belgium where he has won a number of races already this year. Despite being virtually unknown in the UK, Christian House won the fourth round of the National Under 23 Road Race Series, the Stars of Tomorrow Road Race, and with it booked his place in the GB team for the World and European Championships. GB selection rules guaranteed the winner of the race a place in the World and European teams and, not surprisingly, competition for the coveted places was fierce. House, who was brought up in the USA, but who has English parents and an English passport, made the trip from Belgium, where he is based, with the sole aim of qualifying and carried out his plan admirably. From the start in Wellington, the event took in four undulating laps of the beautiful Somerset countryside, with a 3mile climb to the finish ridden only once. With so much at stake, not surprisingly the race was very animated from the off, with attacks coming thick and fast. However, with the main contenders closely marked, no break got more than 20 seconds in the first three laps. At times the high speed of the race strung the bunch out in a long line and a couple of notable riders found the pace too hot, including Yanto Barker and Lee Finch, who both pulled out before the last lap. There were different problems for Series contenders James Griffiths and Jamie Alberts, who both had to work hard to get back on after bike and wheel changes respectively. Finally, on the last lap, significant splits began to appear at the front. With 16km to go, Dan Bridges (Alsager/Addidas) Christian House (Kvc Vlug En Virj-Midera Cycling Team), Tim Morley (Team Y2K), and Paul Shepherd (Linda McCartney) got clear and were joined a couple of miles later by Steve Cummings (Alsager/Addidas). When their lead reached almost a minute, the leaders began to attack each other and Dan Bridges was the first to drop back. Shepherd also lost touch briefly, before clawing his way back to the front. Steve Cummings then attacked, was brought back and blew spectacularly with about 3km to go. GB Mountain Biker Tim Morley also managed to get away briefly, but Christian House brought him back and counter-attacked decisively to win by a clear 3 seconds at the line. Morley was second, Shepherd third, a further 10 seconds back and Cummings fourth at 23 seconds, just in front of the main bunch. Sixth placed Tom Southam increased his lead in the series by two points over seventh placed James Griffiths. As the leader of the series after four events, Southam also booked his place at the European championships. Christian House will be joined in the five-man Under-23 Worlds team by the National Under-23 Champion, the winner of the National Under-23 Series and two discretionary selections. Special mention to the Somerset and Avon Police Force for their help (4 outriders provided). Also special mention to South Somerset District Council and also Mendip District Council and the to people who turned out to watch the riders battle it out in this prestigious series event. Thankyou to organiser Jayne Parsons for her help in getting these results. Courtesy of the BCF amd Larry Hickmott at www.echelon-velo.co.uk Results - 94 mi/150km(provisional) 1 Christian House (GBr) KVC-Vlug-En-Vrij/Midera 2 Tim Morely (GBr) Team Y2K 3 Paul Shepherd (GBr) Linda McCartney 4 Steve Cummings (GBr) Alsager/Addidas 5 Bill Nickson (GBr) Paul Moy Associates 6 Tom Southam (GBr) Alsager/Addidas 7 James Griffiths (GBr) Linda McCartney 8 Rob Wood (GBr) ISCA Team Laarne 9 Michael Cotty (GBr) Gios Primera 10 Ross Muir (GBr) Atom Prickett Elite 11 James Shaw (GBr) Western Division 12 Robin Sharman (GBr) Alsys-Bradgate CRT 13 Tom Wood (GBr) Dataphonics RT 14 Justin Hoy (GBr) 15 Gary Willis (GBr) 16 David Clarke (GBr) 17 Ian Wilkinson (GBr) Y2K Trek 18 Tom Barras (GBr) Linda McCartney 19 James McCallum (GBr) Active Office 20 Richard Smith (GBr) Alsys Bradgate CRT Series Standings After 4 of 6 Rounds (Provisional) 1. Tom Southam (GBr) Alsager-Adidas MRT 61 2. James Griffiths (GBr) Linda McCartney-WCU 58 3. Robin Sharman (Gbr) Alsys-Bradgate CRT 48 4. Jamie Alberts (Gbr) Alsager-Adidas MRT 36 5. Bill Nickson (Gbr) Paul Moy Associates 35 5. Steve Cummings (GBr) Alsager-Adidas MRT 35 7. Neil Swithenbank (GBr) Alsager-Adidas MRT 31 8. Lee Finch (Gbr) Arctic 2000 RT 21 9. Daniel Lloyd (Gbr) Raleigh Factory RT 21 10. Christian House (GBr) KVC-Vlug-En-Vrij 20 Wheel Shop Senior Road RaceSeagrave, Leicestershire, UK Season's Number five for Heffs Paul Crook The race for Echelon-Velo today was the Wheel Shop senior event in Leicestershire. Mostly this year, I have taken to standing on the side of the road and doing a report from there but even though this was a far classier field than any other race I have entered this year, I thought I would give it a go to see what developed. The course, 14km around on what I would call a sporting circuit, was an interesting mixture. Out of the 14km, 10 of it I guess were flat and very quick. On the first lap, the speeds were between 50 and 60kph and the 70 strong peloton, strung out in a long line most of the time. Then you reached the "starter". A short hill as you came in the village of Burton. After a descent came the main course, a 1km climb that was big ring but bound to hurt a few legs by the end, and then after that, another hill (deserts) which took you up the road leading to the start finish. The race, which had among its hitters, Rod Ellingworth (Team McEll), Arron McCaffrey (Heffs), Gary Baker (Condor) and a host of other riders who have picked up points in this year's Premier Calendar, started fast and the first time over the starter climb, I knew I was in for a hard time. The computer read 37kph and over the main climb, it was almost as fast and then by the time we had come around to finish a lap, almost 30 riders were gone from the bunch, me included. For me, it wasn't that the climbs were bad, but what did the damage was not being able to recover quick enough from a maximum effort. And the fact despite just getting back on, the attacking started again! Still, always ready, I had the camera handy and rode around with Aarron McCaffrey who had also pulled out after missing the move and feeling the effects of the national road race the week before where he had finished 13th. Up front, the race at the mid point was split 20/20 with those dropped having pulled out. In the lead group were Gary Baker, Paul Crook and first year super vet, Neil Martin (On the Edge RT). The lead group slowly pulled away from the chasing 20 and then with 2 laps to go, split again to leave only 7 in front with Martin among those to have missed the move which he put down to the longer distances. On the final lap, with the heavens opening and thunder rumbling, the lead group shed a couple of riders and on the line it was Paul Crook from Heffs who took his fifth win of the year, the 2nd of the big weekenders as he put it. Baker was second a few lengths adrift but definitely the winner of the smartest presented team with their immaculate Condor bikes (his and Jason Streather's) and team cars for each rider. Third was the evergreen Richard Edwards who put in a great race but was not match for the fast finishing Crook. Congratulations to David Wilkes and his team for a well marshalled sporting course that has now convinced me to lay off the food and continue the training I started last week. Results1. Paul Crook (GBr) Heffs Bike Shop/Jackson Print 2. Gary Baker (GBr) Anglia Sport/Condor/Campagnolo/Reynolds 3. Richard Edwards (GBr) CC Luton/Bandon Cleaning 4. Julian Grommet (GBr) Terry Wright Cycles 5. Jason Stollery (GBr) Robert Grinsell Travel 6. Jon Kris Mason (GBr) UVCA Troyes/Peugeot 0.06 7. Mark Botteley (GBr) Letchworth Velo/Letchworth Signs 1.28 8. Brendan Curry (GBr) JE James RT/Daccordi 2.42 9. Yoldas Askan (GBr) Letchworth Velo/Letchworth Signs 10. C Zanattachi (GBr) Unknown Ian Walker Memorial Road RaceMiddleton, Northants, July 2, 2000 (Incororating the South East Midlands Division Veteran's Championship & Central Region Junor Championships) Held on a circuit that includes what is locally known as the "Devils Staircase" which was also the finish, this 5 full lap race in warm weather included the first ever Regional Junior Championship with Team Keyne entering 4 riders and the Rockingham Forest Wheeters, 1 rider. 55 riders started the rce and first time of the 'Staircase' 9 were left trailing with a further three losing contact on the next lap. The speed was up with the first lap covered in 24 mph. Midway through the race four riders got away consisting of veteran Martin Bunker (Nene Valley RT), Junior James Flanagan (Team Keyne), Keith Middleton (VC Lincoln) and Tom Ireland (Durnham University) and they gained a lead of 1 minute 10 seconds. This gap was to hover around that mark for the rest of the race and down to 1 minute 4 seconds by the finish when Flanagan proved the strongest up the hill to take the Ian Walker Cup and the first ever Central Region Champions Jersey, Martin Bunker was next over the line to claim the Veterans Division title. Report by Jon Miles Result1. James Flanagan (GBr) Team Keyne 2.00.04 2. Martin Bunker (GBr) Nene Valley RT 3. Keith Middleton (GBr) VC Lincoln 0.09 4. Tom Ireland (GBr) Durham University 0.20 5. John Freeman (GBr) Rockingham Forest 1.04 6. Dave Berwick (GBr) Beeston CC 7. Greg Ashley (GBr) Nene Valley RT 8. Tom Kirk (GBr) Royal Sutton CC 9. Roy Bellamy (GBr) Kettering CC 10. Paul Freeman (GBr) Alpha RC 1.09 |