The 2013 Reading Track League at the Palmer Park Stadium got underway in glorious sunshine on April 15th
![]() |
Report & Photos Guy Swarbrick
After a 2012 season heavily disrupted by the weather and the coldest March on record, hopes weren’t high that the new season of Reading Track League would get under way as planned last night at Palmer Park Velodrome. In the event, the youth riders took to the track in glorious late evening sunshine, the predicted showers held off and the temperatures even stayed reasonable until the last couple of events.
The Senior racing started with the Senior A riders’ trackcycling 10 Lap Scratch which was run at a cracking pace for an early season event. The field stayed together for most of the race with Andy Shackel of Peter Hanford finally making a move on the bell lap. The gusty conditions probably doomed the long range effort and Shackel was passed by Neil Rutter of Cotswold Veldrijden and George Withers of AW Cycles, having to settle for third on the line.
George Withers bides his time before coming round Neil Rutter to win the Senior A Sprint
In the Senior Bs there was a split in the field which saw Tom Sefton of Palmer Park Velo ride away from the front group on the final lap to take the win from team mate Matthew Lansley and Hugh Knudsen of the University of Bristol.
The Senior A field was reasonably strong –especially for an opening night – but the entry for the Sprint competition was small enough for the competition to be run as a straight final. Again, it was was Rutter and Withers to the fore – well clear of third placed Nick English of AW Cycles – and it was Rutter who was ahead on the exit to turn 4. Withers had the momentum though and eased passed his opponent to take the win.
Neil Rutter leads the trackcycling Scratch
By contrast, the Senior Bs needed three heats to seed the six-up final and it was Sam Grant of West Drayton Mountain Bike Club who made the jump, shadowed by Josh Mitchell of Bicester Millenium. The experienced Grant held the youngster off to take the win with Knudsen third, some way back.
Martyn Harris of Banjo Cycles took the win in a longer than usual Unknown distance race with Sefton the first Senior B rider home. Nick Abraham and Mitchell took fairly comfortable wins in their respective Senior A and B Devils and then it was time for the AW Cycles 20k Endurance race.
Like the earlier scratch races, the 20k was ridden at a high tempo from start to finish and, apart from a few tentative forays off the front – and a lot of people blown out of the back – the main contenders were still together at the bell when the charge finally came. Rutter ran him close, but it was Abraham that took his second win of the night with Rob King of AW Cycles taking third. Matt Lansley of Lower Earley was the first of the Senior B riders home, just ahead of Sefton who battled valiantly to get back to the main field in the closing stages.
Nick Abraham wins the AW Cycles 20k
Senior A
trackcycling Scratch
1 Neil RUTTER Cotswold Veldrijden
2 George WITHERS AW Cycles
3 Andy SHACKEL Peter Hanford
Devil
1 Nick ABRAHAM – BC Private member
2 George WITHERS – AW Cycles
3 Neil RUTTER – Cotswold Veldrijden
Unknown Distance
1 Martyn HARRIS Banjo Cycles
2 Neil RUTTER Cotswold Veldrijden
3 George WITHERS AW Cycles
Sprint Final
1 George WITHERS AW Cycles
2 Neil RUTTER Cotswold Veldrijden
3 Nick ENGLISH AW Cycles
AW Cycles 20K Endurance
1 Nick ABRAHAM BC Private member
2 Neil RUTTER Cotswold Veldrijden
3 Rob KING AW Cycles
Senior B
trackcycling Scratch
1 Tom SEFTON Palmer Park Velo
2 Mattew LANSLEY Palmer Park Velo
3 Hugh KNUDSEN University of Bristol CC
Devil
1 Josh MITCHELL – Bicester Millenium
2 Sam GRANT – WDMBC
3 Matthew LANSLEY Palmer Park Velo
Unknown Distance
1 Tom SEFTON Palmer Park Velo
2 Hugh KNUDSEN University of Bristol CC
3 James PILGRIM Morris GS Henley
Sprint Final
1 Sam GRANT – WDMBC
2 Josh MITCHELL – Bicester Millenium
3 Hugh KNUDSEN University of Bristol CC
AW Cycles 20K Endurance
1 Matthew LANSLEY Palmer Park Velo
2 Tom SEFTON Palmer Park Velo
Ladies
trackcycling Scratch
1 Emily MELLOR VO2 Development
Devil
1 Emily MELLOR VO2 Development
Unknown Distance
1 Emily MELLOR VO2 Development
Sprint
1 Emily MELLOR VO2 Development
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- Features, Reports, Results
- TT Result: Kent CA 10m Time Trial
- TT Result: Southern Counties CU 25m TT
- HC Result: Elevate RT Hill Climb
- Result: Welsh Road Race Championships 2024
- Result: Will Houghton Circuit Race (Hillingdon)
- STARTLIST: National Youth (GHS) Championship Final
- TT Result: Barnesbury CC 25m TT
- TT Result: Rutland CC 10m Time Trial
- TT Result: VC Glasgow South 22m TT
- BMCR Result: E/F/G/H/W Stallard Finale (Darley Moor)
- Crit Result: Melton Olympic CC Summer Crit 4
- Youth Result: The ‘Back to School’ Youth Races
- HC Result: Dursley Road Club Hill Climb
- TT Report: VTTA 100 Mile Championship
- Tour of Britain: Provisional Startlist
- RR Result: Nick Clayton Memorial RR
- RR Result: Jef Schils Memorial Road Race (Nat B)
- TT Result: Northampton & District CA 10m TT
- Crit Result: YBC & No Nonsense Circuit races
- RTTC 10 Mile Time Trial Championship (Women)
- RTTC 10 mile Time Trial Championships (Youth/Junior)
- RTTC 10 Mile Time Trial Championship
- Sunday: Jef Schils Memorial (National B)
- REPORT: Victor Berlemont Trophy Race
- RR Result: Junior Tour of Wales
- BMCR RESULT: Dulwich Paragon Road Race
- BMCR Result: Dinosaurs at the Palace
- This Weekend: RTTC National 10 mile Championship
- Crit Result: Mountbatten Summer Circuit Series #10
- Crit Result: Full Gas Summer Circuit Series #25
- RR Result: Victor Berlemont Trophy Road Race
- Youth Results: RL360 Isle of Man Youth League 19
- Youth Result: 360 Cycling North West Youth Tour (Girls)
- Youth Result: 360 Cycling North West Youth Tour (Boys)
- Crit Result: 360 Cycling Open Circuit Race
- Q&A: Killian O’Brien – third in the Junior Tour of Wales
- TT Result: Sussex CA 25m TT
- TT Result: Coalville Wheelers 19.8m TT
- Crit Result: Cliff Pratt Deca Community Crits 9
- Youth Result: Scottish National Youth Circuit Series 4
Other News on VeloUK
- STARTLIST: National Youth (GHS) Championship Final
- Tour of Britain: Provisional Startlist
- Sunday: Jef Schils Memorial (National B)
- This Weekend: RTTC National 10 mile Championship
- Q&A: Killian O’Brien – third in the Junior Tour of Wales
- TOM PIDCOCK CONFIRMED FOR LLOYDS BANK TOUR OF BRITAIN MEN
- Startlist: 42nd Junior Tour of Wales
- Startlist: 360 North West Youth Tour
- Tour of Britain: Evenepoel/Alaphilippe To Race National Tour
- GB Juniors for Track Worlds in China
- THIS WEEKEND: CYCLOCROSS (Leicestershire)
- Startlist: Men’s National B (Worcestershire)
- Startlists: Fenwicks Tour of Mendip 2024
- Startlists: 19th Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix Road Races
- Men’s Tour of Britain News: Teams for 2024 Race
- Men’s Tour of Britain Route Revealed (Stages 5 & 6)
- NEWS: Women’s UCI Drops Team to Close
- Startlist: Youth and Junior Track Championships 2024
- Startlist: RTTC National 25 Mile Championship (Women/JuniorsYouth)
- Startlists: RTTC National 25 Mile Championship (Men)
- Hill Climb Championships: Change of Course
- TT Result: Ross-On-Wye & Dist CC 25m TT
- News: Men’s Tour of Britain Route (Stage 1 & 2)
- GB News: Paracycling Squad for Paris 2024
- Ribble Redefines Road with launch of Allroad
- BMCR: National Road Bike Time Trial Championship
- SUNDAY: Bath Road Club Junior National Series Road Race
- TLI CYCLING FEATURE: SUPER4SERIES
- NATIONAL CIRCUIT SERIES UPDATE 2024
- News: Josh Tarling Extends Contract at Ineos
- Tour of Britain for Men 2024
- News: Connor Swift Extends Contract with Ineos
- Updated GB Olympic Team News
- Sunday: 2024 Youth Circuit Race Championships (Cyclopark)
- ROBBED BY THE HIGHWAYS AGENCY – National Highways
- Startlist: BMCR National Road Championships E/F/G/H
- OLYMPIC NEWS – Team GB Announces First Riders for Olympics
- News: Alex Richardson Retires
- New Releases from Shutt Velo Rapide
- STARTLIST: Men’s British Road Race Championships