Result: PDQ Odd Down Series 1

Andy Hoskins and Michael Taylor winners at round 1 of the PDQ Odd Down Series on May 25 (Wed)

Result: PDQ Odd Down Series 1

Wednesday night was the 1st round of our PDQ Race Series. This year we are running 6 races, 3 will be at Odd Down and 3 at Castle Combe. There are 6 races in the Series for the Masters Men and 3 race in the Series for Masters Women, and support 4th or 3/4 races on each night.

With a wet start to the day we were a little nervous that we would have a wet race, but we thankfully we were blessed with the sun coming out. However, with the sun the wind also made an appearance and made for some tough racing.

The evening started off with the 4th cat support race sponsored by 73 Degrees Bike Shop and it was great to see some really strong riding and a safe race. From the start there were attacks as riders tried to escape the bunch. First to attack was Felix Koninx but he was brought back by the chasing bunch. It was then Sebastien Tyrie of University of Exeter CC that also made a solo attempt to get away and managed to quickly get a lead of over 10 seconds over the bunch. He was soon joined by Michael Taylor of Bath CC. A valiant attempt was made by Felix to also get across to this break but he never quite made contact and was again caught by the bunch.

The break of 2 riders worked well together to stay away from the bunch and build a healthy lead. It was then Michael Taylor that rode away from Sebastien Tyrie to take the win, Sebastien holding on for 2nd place. Felix Koninx led in the bunch to take 3rd place ahead of Adrian Thompson of PDQ Cycle Coaching in 4th place.

The top 3 riders took home gift vouchers to spend at our sponsors of the race 73 degrees bike shop.

4th Cat Results:
1 Michael Taylor Bath Cycling Club
2 Sebastien Tyrie University of Exeter Cycling Club
3 Felix Koninx
4 Adrian Thompson PDQ Cycle Coaching
5 Danny Puig Nieves Bath Cycling Club
6 Benedict Wallis Bristol RC
7 Guy Trevor-Jones
8 George Magner Bath Cycling Club
9 Michael Gray Reading CC
10 Tom Wall Bristol RC
11 Jonathan Wiggins PDQ Cycle Coaching
12 Jonathan Reilly Bristol South CC
13 Christopher George
14 Peter Bains Bristol RC
15 Alex Higuera PDQ Cycle Coaching
16 Oliver Clayton
17 Jonathan Morris Chepstow Cycling Club
18 Matthew Dean Portishead Cycling Club
19 Gavin Darke Army Cycling Union
20 James Miller
21 Thomas Constantine
22 Charlie Bird Clash Racing
23 David Tomkins Dirty Wknd
24 Ashley Dunn Velo Club Bristol
25 Malcolm Treby Bath Cycling Club
26 William Lezard
27 James Burrows
28 Lee Douglas
29 Claire Law Chepstow Cycling Club
30 Angie Simpson PDQ Cycle Coaching

The Masters Mens race had a full start sheet, just 36 actually taking to the start line. As race organisers we like to mix things up a bit each year and this year we drop the team prize and add a Sprinters Competition sponsored by Carbotech Ltd, with on the night prize money as well as overall sprints series prize money and the coveted Green Stimulus Sports Sprints Jersey. There is all to play for in the Overall Individual Series standings too with the winner taking home a Bespoke Rocker Plates Rocker Board worth £395, the Fantastic Finds Annual Shield and the Stimulus Sports Winners Jersey.

Gerry Bowditch from Pontypool RCC laid his cards on the table by attacking from the start. The next lap he was joined by Neil Dunnage of PDQ Cycle Coaching and they built up a 10 second gap over the bunch. It would be another 2 laps before there were 10 riders in the front group.

At 15 minutes into the race we had the first intermediate sprint, this was won by Andy Edwards of FTP-Fulfil the potential-Racing, followed closely by Gerry Bowditch, Justin Hoy of Pronto Bikes and Rob Pears of Bath CC. By this point the front group were just 15 seconds ahead of the bunch, but the bunch just didn’t seem to have an organised chase going. Several solo attempts were made to bridge the gap but they didn’t succeed, in particular Antony Neads of PDQ Cycle Coaching who seemed in no-mans-land in between the bunch and the front group.

At 30 minutes in the race we had our second intermediate sprint. When the whistle blew to indicate that the sprint was the next lap it was Gerry Bowditch who attacked to get away from the bunch and stayed away to take maximum points this time across the line. Andy Edwards crossed the line to take second in the sprint, followed by Rob Pears and Andy Hoskins of Cardiff JIF. That left Andy Edwards and Gerry Bowditch tied on Sprint point for the evening and it would come down to who placed highest at the end of the race to decide the Carbotech Sprints Winner on the night.

The front group did split after the second intermediate sprint but with 3 laps to go they were all back together as 10 riders. They didn’t look in danger of being caught as Antony Neads was at 40 seconds and the bunch a further 5 seconds back.

On the bell with a lap to go it was Andy Hoskins who attacked and got a gap and managed to hold on to win the race. Justin Hoy won the sprint for 2nd place followed by Rob Pears and Grant Leavy of Velo Club Bristol. Gerry Bowditch just edged out Andy Edwards for 5th place and to clinch the win of the Carbotech Sprints Competition on the night.

The leaders in the verall standing and in the Sprint points competition will wear the series leaders jerseys in the next round on the 8th June. So Gerry Bowditch will don the Stimulus Sports Green Sprinters Leaders Jersey and Andy Hoskins the Stimulus Sports Red Overall Leaders Jersey.

Master Men Sprints Points:

1 Gerry Bowditch – 8pts (winner on the night based on finish position)
1 Andy Edwards – 8pts
3 Rob Pears – 3pts
4 Justin Hoy – 2pts
5 Andy Hoskins – 1pts

Master Men Overall Finish Results:

1 Andy Hoskins Cardiff JIF
2 Justin Hoy Pronto Bikes
3 Robert Pears Bath Cycling Club
4 Grant Leavy Velo Club Bristol
5 Gerry Bowditch Pontypool RCC
6 Andy Edwards FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing
7 Steve Thomas Steele Davis Via Roma Racing Team
8 Niel Dunnage PDQ Cycle Coaching
9 Steven Whitehurst Reflex Racing
10 Christopher Hill A403 Rogue
11 Antony Neads PDQ Cycle Coaching
12 Dennis Randell Chepstow Cycling Club
13 Rupert Beale Abingdon Race Team
14 Adrian Warren Nopinz Motip Development Team
15 Tristan Stevens PDQ Cycle Coaching
16 Dave Turton Cinnamon Cafe-Oriel Finance SDRT
17 Spencer Hardman Salt & Sham Cycle Club
18 David Rutty Velo Club Bristol
19 Jason Streather PDQ Cycle Coaching
20 Robbie Powell Abergavenny Road Club
21 Nicholas Beale Abingdon Race Team
22 Paul Walsingham Bath Cycling Club
23 Kenneth Knight
24 Joe Loader Reflex Racing
25 Steven Cottington Bath Cycling Club
26 Jamie Woodward Gloucester City Cycling Club
27 Peter Phillips Bath Cycling Club
28 Simon Burgess Ben Thomas Coaching Club
29 Nick Bunyard Pronto Bikes
30 Mark Valentine Poole Wheelers CC
31 Neil White Velo Club Bristol
32 Lee Howarth

Next races in the Series:
– 8th June at Odd Down
– 22nd June Odd Down
– 7th July Castle Combe
– 21st July Castle Combe
– 4th August Castle Combe

Thank you to our volunteers and officials, without volunteers we could not run these races: Diane and Stephen Marshall, Paul Cann, Jill Pearce, Chris Streather, Ian White, Paul Rogoll, Martin Harris.

And a huge thank you to our Sponsors of this years race series who we couldn’t do this without.

Bespoke Rocker Plates
Pronto Bikes
Stimulus Sports
Aerocoach
Fantastic Finds
Styrkr
Carbotech Ltd
Tru-Tension
73 Degrees Bike Shop

Thanks to Sam Andrews for the photos on the night.