Report: Wessex CX League Round 8

Wins today for Katie Scott (Hargroves Montezuma’s) and Adrian Lansley on a tricky course made harder by a heavy shower during the women’s race.

Report: Wessex CX League Round 8

Sunday 4th November | by Graham Robins

Wins today for Katie Scott (Hargroves Montezuma’s) and Adrian Lansley (PedalOn) on a tricky course made harder by a heavy shower during the women’s race.

Today’s racing held at Abingdon Airfield was a mixture of off road course, tarmac and scrub grass which with the rain soon cut up and produced some very slippery patches with many riders finding the ground as they scrabbled for grip. Those without a pit crew and spare bike also had trouble with clogging brakes and gear mechanisms. Today’s race was promoted by take3tri.co.uk.

Following on from last week’s success National Trophy win in Scotland Adrian Lansley was soon finding the conditions to his liking and quickly built up a lead as he and team mate a podium finisher last week Callum Macleod pulled clear of Matthew Wakefield (Team Wakies). It would have been a PedalOn trio had Sam Allen not shipped his chain soon after the start. Allen was soon back on his bike but back in tenth and had a fight back on his hands.

After the opening laps Lansley led Macleod by 12secs, Tom Budden (Sotonia CC) by 30secs with Wakefield on his wheel. Alexander Forrester (Zepnat.com) and David Bone (RC Revenna) had a couple of second’s gap over a charging Allen who was now up to seventh.

The mid race saw very few changes in the order apart from Allen who was now third and closing in quickly on Macleod. Forrester was fourth at 1min 11secs and Wakefield fifth at 1min 20secs.
The PedalOn trio were now in control of the race but Allen was still not finished, he got past Macleod at the bell and tried to close the gap to our leader. Over the remaining lap Allen did manage to close the gap but Lansley had enough and finished 11secs ahead. Macleod took third, Forrester fourth and Wakefield fifth.

The women’s race was lead from start to finish by Katie Scott (Hargroves Montezuma’s), another rider fresh from success last weekend. The race started in the worst of the rain and saw many riders finding the mud.

Katie opened a big lead on the opening lap with the closest rider to her was team mate Abbie Manley but the former was dropped on the next lap. Taking up the challenge to chase down Katie was Jennifer Forrester (Zepnat.com) and Jess Connor (Cotswold Veldrijden). Also in close contention were Lindy Brazier-Larkin (Sarum Velo) and Caroline Goward (Farnborough and Camberley CC).

On the next lap Jess had a heavy fall going over her bars a couple of times allowing Brazier-Larkin a run at Scott. Forrester, Alison Rothnie (Spokes BPC Racing) and Amber Lansley (PedalOn) were next up but by now Scott was over a minute clear.

At the bell Scott led Brazier-Larkin by 1min 9secs, Rothnie was 1min 37secs, Lansley at 1min 47secs, Melanie Smith (Cotswold Veldrijden) just inside the two minute gap.
In the women’s vet 50+race Lydia Gould (VC Venta) won from Alison Ford (GS Vecchi) and Catherine Pascoe (New Forest CC)

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The combined vet 40+ and junior race saw junior Tom Couzens (Zappi Racing Team) and Paul Lloyd (Banjo Cycles) locked together for much of the race with Matthew Coulson (PPV) holding a comfortable third.

In the vet category Lloyd led Jamie Norfolk (PedalOn) by 40secs with James Allaway taking third step on the podium. In the junior race Couzens led Harry Dridge (Hargroves Montezuma’s) who had got past Matthew Coulson.

The vet 50+ race saw Kevin Holloway (GS Vecchi) win comfortably from Steve Jones (Banjo Cycles). The opening lap Holloway and Jones quickly pulled away and built up a gap whilst Andrew Cracknell (PedalOn) and Martyn Dymond (C&N Cycles RT) were together. The rain from the earlier women’s race was still hanging around and wheels and tyres were clogging and changes were happening throughout the race.

At the mid race point Holloway held a lead of 28secs over Jones, then came a foursome all locked together as Cracknell, Shaun Green (Stonehenge Triathlon and Road Club), Tim Costello (GS Vecchi) and Dymond were at 56secs.

At the bell Holloway led Jones by nearly a minute; Costello had eased a few seconds out over Cracknell who in turn had 5secs on Green and 8secs on Chris Hutchings (VC Venta).

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Provisional Results

Seniors
1st Adrian Lansley PedalOn 56mins 29secs
2nd Sam Allen PedalOn @11secs
3rd Callum Macleod PedalOn @1min 14secs
4th Alex Forrester Zepnat.com
5th Matthew Wakefield Team Wakies
6th Tom Budden Sotonia CC
7th David Bone RC Revenna
8th Christopher Minter PedalOn
9th Karl Norfolk PedalOn
10th Ash Appella PedalOn

Women Race Combined
1st Katie Scott Hargroves Montezuma’s 1st junior
2nd Lindy Brazier- Larkin Sarum Velo 1st senior
3rd Amber Lansley PedalOn 1st vet
4th Alison Rothnie Spokes BPC Racing 2nd senior
5th Melanie Smith Cotswold Veldrijden 3rd senior
6th Tracy Bremner NHRC 2nd vet
7th Jennifer Forrester Zepnat.com
8th Sarah Barber NHRC
9th Lauren Cracknell PedalOn
10th Caroline Goward Farnborough &Camberley CC 3rd vet

Vet 50+
1st Lydia Gould VC Venta
2nd Alison Ford GS Vecchi
3rd Catherine Pascoe New Forest CC

Juniors
1st Katie Scott Hargroves Montezuma’s
2nd Emily Conn Banjo Cycles
3rd Connie Stevens PPV
4TH Abbie Manley Hargroves Montezuma’s

Vet 40+
1st Paul Lloyd Banjo Cycles
2nd Jamie Norfolk PedalOn
3rd James Allaway
4th Anthony Turner Cotswold Veldrijden
5th Graham Stent Banjo Cycles

Juniors
1st Tom Couzens Zappi Racing Team
2nd Harry Dridge Hargroves Montezuma’s
3rd Matthew Coulson PPV
4th Sam Bishop Charlottville CC
5th Arthur Bolton Banjo Cycles