Report/Result: TLI Cycling Dave Astles Memorial Races

Paul Thursfield and Tom Ashcroft winners at the Dave Astles Memorial races at Shrewsbury Sports Village on Sunday

Report/Result: TLI Cycling Dave Astles Memorial Races
by Michael Bell

Promoted by Pocomotion RC with support from G&B cycles of Northwich.

The TLI calendar is well under way now on ‘the mainland’, following several races on the Isle of Man, with as we all know by now, one event having the most successful Grand Tour sprinter of all time when Mark Cavendish in the field, providing every other rider with an “I’ve raced with Cav” anecdote.

The first two rounds of ten at UCLAN have also taken place, both events being held in torrential rain.

At last, it was a dry day and the sun even shone for both Dave Astles Memorial races, though it remained cool. The race organisers: Chris Quinn and Mark Astles had taken the decision, following difficulties in securing the preferred Lower Withington road race circuit due to residents’ complaints and traffic concerns, to move this year’s races to the closed 1km purpose-built track at Shrewsbury Sports Village.

Following a pre-race rider briefing by Mark, who gave a short but meaningful speech remembering his father before the usual description of expectations, requests to ride safely, to respect others, it was time for the category D,E,F,G’s to start their race. In addition to the pre-race brief, there was also mention of the lack of riders, both of today’s events having fields of around 20 competitors.

A steady first lap was followed by a flurry of attacks, all coming to nought though until Team Echelon rider Carl Dee launched an effort and established a decent lead for a number of laps. Once he was brought back the multiple attacks started again, the meagre bunch stretching into a long line before the inevitable easing and acceptance that it would be a bunch sprint with current TLI Circuit Race Champion Paul Thursfield being the outstanding favourite, especially since he’d taken the mid race prime with ease. The last lap saw a brief easing of the pace as riders became cagier before the race for the sweeping, ever tightening bend into the finish straight.

Dolan Ellesse rider Paul Molloy won that race within a race, followed by fast finishing first year E rider John Crook but neither were a match for Thursfield as he passed both to cross the line well clear.

Final Results D/E/F/G
1st Paul Thursfield – Graham Weigh RT (D Cat)
2nd Paul Molloy – Ellesse (D Cat)
3rd John Crook – Bott Cycling Team (E Cat)
4th Mike Bell – New Brighton CC ( D Cat)
5th Steve Davies Bioracer RT (C Cat)

Other category winners were
Ian Moore – Ruthin CC was F Cat winner
Tony Carter – SDL Wonga was G Cat winner

Race 2 lined up a couple of hours later, the field consisting of senior (18-39) and A/B/C veterans and one solitary F rider in Nick Giles of the promoting Pocomotion RC, deciding to ride out of category to support a rider he coaches.

There was a similar steady start before the race split roughly in half with the pace being forced by Chris Quinn with Weaver Valley rider Jeff Wood, Barry Murphy, the Graham Weigh Racing Team’s Irish rider and Liverpool Braveheart’s Robbie Lawton ever present near the front.

The mid race prime was won by Tom Ashcroft as the front runners lapped the remnants of the bunch it became clear that this race too was going to come down to a group sprint, that nagging headwind along the finish straight was deterring any lone raiders, many realising this after making their efforts.

With 200 metres to go it looked like a win for co-organiser Quinn before he was overhauled by Ashcroft and Lawton. That coaching from Nick Giles clearly paying off for his young charge, Giles also finished comfortably in the main group after closing down some gaps earlier in the race.

The lack of riders in both races should not take anything away from the quality of the racing, which was fast and aggressive throughout.

Final Results S/A/B/C
1st Tom Ashcroft – Pocomotion RT (S Cat)
2nd Robbie Lawton – Liverpool Braveheart (B Cat)
3rd Chris Quin – Bioracer RT (C Cat)
4th Barry Murphy – Graham Weigh RT (B Cat)
5th Luke Hall – Team Wheelguru (S Cat)

Other category winners were
Chris Shuker – won the A Category