Tim Allen wins the memorial race to CC Luton’s Neil Gardner at the race on the Cublington circuit in Buckinghamshire
CC Luton’s promotion of the 11th edition of this race in memory of former GB Team Manager and club founder, Neil Gardner, took place over four and a half laps of the undulating course around Stewkley and Cublington in Buckinghamshire.
Taking a slight step back from last year’s event which formed the Central Division Championship, the race attracted a good entry of 2nd, 3rd and 4th category riders with 75 riders making the start. With a hill-top prime located at the finish line in Cublington on each lap, the peloton remained attentive to any breaks forming, and 20-year-old Tim Allen (Cyclesport / Pygott & Crone) showed his hand early on by taking the 1st and 3rd primes.
Team Corley Cycles’ rider Jack Waller was also in the early action taking the 2nd prime. Despite the stiff breeze affecting the more exposed parts of the course, it wasn’t until the penultimate lap that a break managed to get any leeway from the bunch, with eight riders forging a 10-20 second advantage, including the promoting club’s own James Fox who duly took the last prime on lap four.
However the break were unable or unwilling to commit, and the race came back together for a hill-top bunch sprint between the remaining 51 riders. Tim Allen once again showed clear intent by leading for the final 100 metres and taking the win by a couple of lengths from CC Luton’s Mike Jackson who was unable to give himself an early birthday present.
With one prime and 2nd place already in the bag, CC Luton also did well in the minor prizes taking both 1st Third Category rider (Gavin Rumbles in 19th place) and 1st Fourth Category rider (former GB squad rider Martin Badell on the comeback trail in 12th place). Gray Turnock (Finsbury Park CC) rounded out the prize winnings as First Veteran.
Richard Mead, Race Organiser – Cycle Club Luton
Result
1   Tim Allen   Cyclesport / Pygott & Crone
2   Mike Jackson   CC Luton
3   Mark Baines   Spirit Racing Team
4   Phil Starr   Python RT
5   Jack Waller   Team Corley Cycles
6   David Palmer   Renault Rotor Colbert RT
7   Michael Cowland   St Ives CC
8   Gray Turnock   Finsbury Park CC
9   Christopher Dredge   Team Milton Keynes
10   Daniel Crawley   PCH UK Racing Team
11   Rhys Howells   CC Hackney
12   Martin Badell   CC Luton
13   James Fox   CC Luton
14   Tim Carter   Team Virgin Active
15   James Norris   High Wycombe CC
16   Oliver Glackin   East London Velo
17   Matthew Connet   Banjos Cycles
18   Edward Ashby   None
19   Gavin Rumbles   CC Luton
20   Roger Prior   Team Zappi
21   Justin Belcher   Banbury Star CC
22   Adam Brittain   High Wycombe CC
23   Andrew Brown   VC Peloton
24   Rob Yeatman   Team Jewson
25   Neil Edwards   None
26   Douglas Coleman   Anders TMG
27   Richard Price   London Phoenix CC
28   Mike Ward   Ride 24/7
29   Henry Latimer   Zappi’s Cycling Club
30   Robert Samuel   Crest CC Ilford
31   Nigel Williams   Python RT
32   Chris Grange   Hemel Hempstead CC
33   Luke Souter   Banbury Star CC
34   Mark Williams   Python RT
35   Jonathan Shubert   Ystwyth CC
36   Liam Stones   45 Road Club
37   Wayne Maguire   PCH UK Racing Team
38   Gregg Payne   Rockingham Forest Wheelers
39   Ross Mallen   Royal Air Force CC
40   Simon Henley   Team Corley Cycles
41   Ian Samuel   Crest CC Ilford
42   James Foster   Team Quest
43   Jamie Scott   Renault Rotor Colbert RT
44   Sean Dines   Team Virgin Active
45   Paul Brown   CC Luton
46   Robert Stimpson   Python RT
47   Sam Lawson   Team Virgin Active
48   Ian Franklin   PCH UK Racing Team
49   John Peters   CC Luton
50   Mark Porter   Glade CC
51   Darren Cainey   East London Velo
52   Glenn O’Brien   CC Luton
