SPIRIT ROAD RACE
Sunday, 09 Sep, 2012
BC Spirit Bikes
Road Race Cranfield Circuit
Sunday 9 Sept 2012
80km/50 miles 22 laps of 3.6/2.25 miles)
The weather forecast of calm conditions, plenty of sun and warm temperatures proved ideal for the short circuit of Cranfield and made for fast racing on which is virtually a kermesse or criterium circuit.
The roll out to the start was quite short, slightly less than a mile, and the race started in earnest at 10.05. At the end of the first lap, Michael Cowland (St Ives CC), had made an attack and crossed the line with a slender 5 second advantage with seven other riders just ahead of the bunch. The first Prime was on lap 3 and after a rapid 4min 35 sec lap was won by Robert Fletcher (Arbis LLP Roy Pink Cycles) with Simon Alexander (Southend Wheelers), Stuart Sargeant (Arbis LLP Roy Pink Cycles) and Edward Farnell (Cambridge CC) in close attendance. These four riders had in fact taken over a minutes lead on the chasing bunch.
On the following lap another attack was made, this time by Toby Parnell, also of the Cambridge CC but he only managed to make a 15 sec gap over the peloton. Unfortunately riders were already finding the going hard with three at 30 secs and another two at 1 min 50 secs.
The pace dropped off considerably on the following two laps as the bunch crossed the line in slow time.
The second Prime was a very fast bunch sprint with Ben Homa (Beeline RT) just edging out the rest. Unfortunately, on this lap, Stuart Sargeant had the misfortune to puncture and was out. Lap 8 saw an attack by Simon Henley (Team Corley Cycles) who managed to make a gap of 8 secs but this was short lived as he was soon caught and the following lap saw the bunch all together again. Douglas Coleman (CC Luton) tried to get away but over the line on the next lap he had only made a slender 4 secs gap and was rapidly dragged back next time round.
The pace was slackening off, probably due the heat, as the temperature was now hitting the upper twenties. The earlier laps had been timed at roughly 4 min 35secs/4 min 50 secs but were now at 5 min 15 secs/5 min 20 secs. This however did not stop a two lap attack by David Palmer (Spin-Rotor RT) on laps 12 and 13.
The third and final Prime on lap 14 was disputed by six riders with Simon Henley just taking the prize.
The speed increased on the next two laps as the peloton were well and truly strung out which made it very difficult for anyone to get away.
Tim Carter (Virgin Active) along with Oliver Glackin (East London Velo) made a break for it on lap 17 and managed a 15 secs gap but on the following lap Oliver was unable to stay with Tim and over the line there was a 5 secs gap between these two with Douglas Coleman another 5 secs adrift followed by a hard charging bunch a further 5 secs down.
The next five laps were run off at pace as the bunch tried to catch a hard riding Tim Carter who was maintaining a slender 10 secs gap out in front but at the finish his efforts came to naught as the massed charge for the line was won by James Norris (High Wycombe CC) with Douglas Coleman, who had been active throughout the race, second and Vince Devine (Finchley Racing Team) third.
Everyone retired to the HQ for refreshments while the results team interrogated the video action for the results. There was some delay as the numbers on the vests of some of the riders were difficult to see but the team eventually came up with the following list down to 36th place!
Results
1 50 James Norris High Wycombe CC
2 18 Douglas Coleman CC Luton
3 19 Vince Devine Finchley Racing Team
4 5 Edward Ashby Private Member
5 8 Ben Homa Beeline RT
6 73 Gray Turnock Finsbury Park CC
7 11 Justin Belcher Banbury Star CC
8 10 Lubomir Belak Welwyn Wheelers CC
9 62 Jack Steven East LondonVelo
10 38 Phillip Holloway Southend Wheelers
Sunday, 09 Sep, 2012
BC Spirit Bikes
Road Race Cranfield Circuit
Sunday 9 Sept 2012
80km/50 miles 22 laps of 3.6/2.25 miles)
The weather forecast of calm conditions, plenty of sun and warm temperatures proved ideal for the short circuit of Cranfield and made for fast racing on which is virtually a kermesse or criterium circuit.
The roll out to the start was quite short, slightly less than a mile, and the race started in earnest at 10.05. At the end of the first lap, Michael Cowland (St Ives CC), had made an attack and crossed the line with a slender 5 second advantage with seven other riders just ahead of the bunch. The first Prime was on lap 3 and after a rapid 4min 35 sec lap was won by Robert Fletcher (Arbis LLP Roy Pink Cycles) with Simon Alexander (Southend Wheelers), Stuart Sargeant (Arbis LLP Roy Pink Cycles) and Edward Farnell (Cambridge CC) in close attendance. These four riders had in fact taken over a minutes lead on the chasing bunch.
On the following lap another attack was made, this time by Toby Parnell, also of the Cambridge CC but he only managed to make a 15 sec gap over the peloton. Unfortunately riders were already finding the going hard with three at 30 secs and another two at 1 min 50 secs.
The pace dropped off considerably on the following two laps as the bunch crossed the line in slow time.
The second Prime was a very fast bunch sprint with Ben Homa (Beeline RT) just edging out the rest. Unfortunately, on this lap, Stuart Sargeant had the misfortune to puncture and was out. Lap 8 saw an attack by Simon Henley (Team Corley Cycles) who managed to make a gap of 8 secs but this was short lived as he was soon caught and the following lap saw the bunch all together again. Douglas Coleman (CC Luton) tried to get away but over the line on the next lap he had only made a slender 4 secs gap and was rapidly dragged back next time round.
The pace was slackening off, probably due the heat, as the temperature was now hitting the upper twenties. The earlier laps had been timed at roughly 4 min 35secs/4 min 50 secs but were now at 5 min 15 secs/5 min 20 secs. This however did not stop a two lap attack by David Palmer (Spin-Rotor RT) on laps 12 and 13.
The third and final Prime on lap 14 was disputed by six riders with Simon Henley just taking the prize.
The speed increased on the next two laps as the peloton were well and truly strung out which made it very difficult for anyone to get away.
Tim Carter (Virgin Active) along with Oliver Glackin (East London Velo) made a break for it on lap 17 and managed a 15 secs gap but on the following lap Oliver was unable to stay with Tim and over the line there was a 5 secs gap between these two with Douglas Coleman another 5 secs adrift followed by a hard charging bunch a further 5 secs down.
The next five laps were run off at pace as the bunch tried to catch a hard riding Tim Carter who was maintaining a slender 10 secs gap out in front but at the finish his efforts came to naught as the massed charge for the line was won by James Norris (High Wycombe CC) with Douglas Coleman, who had been active throughout the race, second and Vince Devine (Finchley Racing Team) third.
Everyone retired to the HQ for refreshments while the results team interrogated the video action for the results. There was some delay as the numbers on the vests of some of the riders were difficult to see but the team eventually came up with the following list down to 36th place!
Results
1 50 James Norris High Wycombe CC
2 18 Douglas Coleman CC Luton
3 19 Vince Devine Finchley Racing Team
4 5 Edward Ashby Private Member
5 8 Ben Homa Beeline RT
6 73 Gray Turnock Finsbury Park CC
7 11 Justin Belcher Banbury Star CC
8 10 Lubomir Belak Welwyn Wheelers CC
9 62 Jack Steven East LondonVelo
10 38 Phillip Holloway Southend Wheelers
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