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LVRC King of the Bowl Race 6
Milton Keynes, June 25, 2002
Bob Varney takes best race of the season
By Dick Selley & Dave Atkinson (North Bucks RC)
On another warm and sunny evening at the Milton Keynes Bowl, a large turnout of riders produced perhaps the most exciting race of the season so far, in this the sixth race of the LVRC King of the Bowl Summer series. Making a welcome return to the peloton was John Fretwell, a former Secretary of the Milton Keynes Cycling Club, resuming his racing career after a long and complicated knee injury.
A slower than usual start to the racing was brutally interrupted by the first breakaway of the evening from Paul Freeman (Alpha RC-Phil Corley Cycles) and Joe Quill (Team Milton Keynes). The duo set about building up a lead whilst the peloton meandered along behind enjoying the mid summer sunshine. As the time gap started to grow the counter attacks came in quick succession from Jeremy Mulkern (Mountain Mania RT), Ben Justin (Nene Valley RT), Jeremy Burke (Stevenage) and Kevin Farmer (Team Milton Keynes). Eventually a chasing group formed with Farmer, Justin and Bob Varney (Alpha RC-Phil Corley Cycles).
The flying trio soon bridged across to Freeman and Quill and the five then set about catching the remaining two breakaways from the DEF Race, Dave Benger (Aylesbury CC) and Bob Richards (Solihull CC). Justin found the pace too hard over the climb and slipped off the back, nearly taking Quill with him. But with twenty minutes remaining the remaining four 'youngsters' swept up the two 'golden oldies' to make a front group of six riders.
As the Judges showed the five laps to go board the attacks started to flow, first Varney and then Freeman, and then Farmer all chanced there arm off of the front whilst sprinters Quill and Benger waited there chance. But with two laps to go it was all back together at the front, and as Richards shaped for a long one, it was Freeman who beat him to it and launched a vicious attack at the foot of the hill to the finish.
The string was at breaking point as Farmer chased down Freeman one more time, but as they approached the bell it was Varney who immediately counter attacked over the top of the climb to forge a small but sustainable lead. A moment's hesitation by the remaining quartet saw Varney stretch his lead around the back of the course before he climbed the hill for the last time to secure his third win of the series.
Freeman sprinted home strongly for second, just edging out Benger by a whisker, who had the consolation of winning the DEF race from the tiring Richards. Quill out-sprinted Farmer for third place in the ABC race whilst last week's victor Jeremy Mulkern sprinted in ahead of race one winner Jeremy Burke for fifth and sixth place respectively. Dave Stockley (Merseyside Wheelers) finally got the better of Murray Kirton (A5 Rangers CC) in the sprint for third place in the DEF race.
Long standing LVRC organiser Ron Day (North Bucks RC) continued his rehabilitation from his recent serious racing accident with a short ride to watch the evening's racing. His condition continues to improve on a weekly basis and all of the riders in the series were pleased to see Ron out on his bike once again.
Results
ABC Race 1 Bob Varney (Alpha RC-Phil Corley Cycles) 2 Paul Freeman (Alpha RC-Phil Corley Cycles) 0.05 3 Joe Quill (Team Milton Keynes) 4 Kevin Farmer (Team Milton Keynes) 5 Jeremy Mulkern (Mountain Mania RT) 0.50 6 Jeremy Burke (Stevenage) 7 Carl Stuckenbrook (Team Milton Keynes) 2.10 8 Mike Day (Nene Valley RT) 9 Steve Rice (Team Milton Keynes) 10 Ben Justin (Nene Valley RT) DEF Race 1 Dave Benger (Aylesbury CC) 2 Bob Richards (Solihull CC) 0.20 3 Dave Stockley (Merseyside Wheelers) 2.05 4 Murray Kirton (A5 Rangers CC) 5 Clive Faine (Team Milton Keynes) 6 Gordon Batcock (North Bucks RC)
