Dean Robson wins this classic Beacon Roads Cycling Club promotion at Great Witley, Worcestershire, on Sunday (29th April)
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The threat of appalling weather conditions hung ominously over everyone concerned with this year’s ‘Little Mountain TT’ promoted by Beacon Roads CC.
By the evening of the day before, about a quarter of the field had already given their apologies and the organiser’s mobile rang non-stop from 5am onwards on the day. By 7.30am, all the helpers and marshals were ready to go and a crowd of anxious riders were peering out of the windows at the HQ as the rain and wind continued after the stormy night.
After agonising deliberations and consultations with the experienced timekeepers an announcement was made that conditions were not considered dangerous for riding a bike on the roads involved the race. The event would take place but every rider was reminded that they had to decide for themselves whether they considered the conditions to be unsafe: localised conditions were likely to change throughout the morning.
In the end 63 riders started and 54 riders completed the course. Every single rider deserves congratulations for getting out there and making an event of it, riding in the cold, wet and windy conditions. There were also some very impressive performances done:
Overheard to comment before setting off that he was looking forward to racing in the tough conditions, the fastest overall was Dean Robson (Somerset RC) who flew round only a little slower than his best previous time in 1.45.52. Danny Axford (Arctic-SRAM RT) returned for his second ‘Little Mountain’ and achieved an impressive 1.51.08 on a road bike. 2011 winner Matt Clinton (MikeVaughan.co.uk) had to settle for third with 1.52.43.
The winner amongst the women was triathlete Stacey Penn (Team Jewson-MI Racing) riding her first Little Mountain TT and finishing in 2.20.03 while cyclocross expert Louise Robinson (Islabikes) was just 9 seconds behind. Completing the women’s podium was the winner in 2000, Fran Osborne of Team Echelon-Rotor in 2.25.30.
A hallmark of this event is the range of prizes on offer which includes prizes for those on roadbikes, hill-climbs prizes, best-improvement prizes, age-catgeory prizes and prizes based on the Midlands Rankings categories. Of all of these perhaps the most notable was the Best Improvement winner:
The only person to record an improved performance this year was the popular Beacon member Gary Macintosh who chopped a huge 7mins 20 sec off his previous best time. The gathered crowd had to laugh as the master of ceremonies pointed out that this big improvement was mainly because “Gary was so slow before!â€
Finally, note must be made of a rider to watch for the future, junior rider Jake Womersley (Sportscover Altura RT). Jake travelled down from Yorkshire with his family especially to take part in the event and he and his sister braved the elements with overheard warnings from his mum to take care. Riding a road bike and coming second in the Roadman competition, Jake finished a highly creditable 12th overall in 2.02.29.
RESULT
1 Dean Robson Somerset RC 01:45:52
2 Danny Axford Arctic-SRAM Racing Team 01:51:08
3 Matt Clinton MikeVaughan.co.uk 01:52:43
4 Steve Berry Team Swift 01:52:46
5 Steve Batsford Team i.ride.co.uk 01:54:22
6 Mark Corbett Worcester St John’s CC 01:57:04
7 Simon Osborne Team Echelon-Rotor 01:57:58
8 Tim Wood Team Echelon-Rotor 01:58:31
9 Stephen Bull Beacon Roads CC 01:59:50
10 Tim Goodall Stourbridge CC 02:02:09
11 Andy Convery Wyre Forest CRC 02:02:24
12 Jake Womersley Sportscover Altura RT 02:02:29
13 Giles Oakley Clevedon & District RC 02:04:51
14 John Herring Leamington C&AC 02:05:54
15 Chris Hudson Beacon Roads CC 02:06:03
16 Simon Darrall MJS Racing 02:06:44
17 Will Bamber VC Norwich 02:07:11
18 Paddy Allaway Beacon Roads CC 02:08:44
19 Edward Dursley Worcester St John’s CC 02:10:34
20 Stephen Jefferies Epic Cycles RT 02:10:41
21 Alessandro Toso Halesowen A&CC 02:11:19
22 Gary Mackintosh Beacon Roads CC 02:11:24
23 John Hitchcock Beacon Roads CC 02:13:59
24 David Briggs Wyre Forest CRC 02:14:34
25 Nicholas Vipond Beacon Roads CC 02:15:34
26 Gavin Oag Epic Cycles RT 02:16:15
27 Gawain Young Sotonia CC 02:16:56
28 Dave Preece Worcester St John’s CC 02:17:01
29 Roger Allen Stourbridge CC 02:17:47
30 Kevin Payton Stourbridge CC 02:18:02
31 Chris Lines Epic Cycles RT 02:20:00
32 Stacey Penn Team Jewson – MI Racing 02:20:03
33 Louise Robinson Islabikes 02:20:12
34 Julian Barnard Dulwich Paragon 02:22:15
35 Mark Prosser Abergavenny RC 02:23:12
36 Fran Osborne Team Echelon-Rotor 02:25:30
37 Adrian Clifton Bromsgrove Olympique CC 02:26:40
38 Penny Gardiner Clevedon & District RC 02:27:14
39 Richard Gamble Hinckley CRC 02:27:47
40 Martin Lines Worcester St John’s CC 02:28:17
41 Samuel Walmsley Islabikes 02:28:18
42 Isla Rowntree Islabikes 02:29:21
43 Rebecca Womersley Aire Valley RT 02:32:02
44 Greg Thompson Beacon Roads CC 02:34:11
45 Tim Egan Beacon Roads CC 02:34:41
46 Andre Roberts Tewkesbury Triathlon Club 02:34:44
47 Markos Janes VC Norwich 02:43:12
48 John Hassall South Pennine RC 02:45:46
49 Steve Lockwood Speedwell BC 02:46:01
50 Richard Finch Worcester St John’s CC 02:49:15
51 Teresa Roberts Tewkesbury Triathlon Club 02:50:41
52 Christopher Cox Worcester St John’s CC 03:01:48
53 Elizabeth Clayton Lichfield City CC 03:06:06
54 Martin Smith Royal Sutton CC 03:11:06
