Liam Killeen, Hannah Payton and Steve Knight were among the nine riders crowned Midlands regional champions in a packed day's racing at Shrewsbury Sports Village. Andy Whitehouse reports.
Above: Liam Killeen (Giant Factory) rolls across the line to take the senior Midlands title.
Images: Youth | Veteran & Junior | Senior & Women
Killeen bags senior title
Liam Killeen (Giant Factory) took the chequered flag and the Midlands title today in the Midland Cross Championships held on a demanding course at Shrewsbury Sports Village. The Malvern based rider crossed the line in just over a minute ahead of second placed Roger Hammond (Garmin-Cervelo) with Hope Factory's Dave Collins taking the bronze medal.
A rapid start on the tarmac road saw Collins head the field up to the main area of the circuit with Killeen, Hammond and Lee Westwood (Cycleshack-Forme) in close quarters and with Luke Grivell-Mellor (Mid Shrops) and Mark Cotton (Bycka Sport) keeping the front runners in view the main thrust of the race would be focused on those leading six riders.
With dark clouds rolling in during the previous races it would be the seniors who would suffer the wet conditions and the rain began to fall on lap two which would prove to dish up a tricky adverse camber leading up to the finish line. Killeen, who was racing on three weeks training after a long lay off took the race to Hammond on the third lap pulling out a useful gap which he increased lap on lap.
Early leader Collins was holding third spot with Cotton and Westwood in tow but couldn't bridge the gap to Hammond. Grivell-Mellor was holding his own in sixth spot but was unable to make headway into the Collin's trio. The rain had now soaked the course and the adverse camber was proving to be a test for the majority of the field much to the delight of the now gathered crowd.
Both Killeen and Hammond succumbed to the slope but with the gaps would not lose their positions.With fifty minutes gone it was Killeen who took the bell for the final lap and ultimately the victory, Hammond although losing, time knew what he had to do and held his spot to take second place, a spirited ride by Collins gave the Hope rider the bronze medal and Mark Cotton had to be content with fourth. Lee Westwood held his fifth position to take top spot in the Under 23s holding off Grivell-Mellor by twelve seconds.
Perfect performance from Knight secures vet victory
Steve Knight rode a faultless race to the take the overall and the Over 40s category in the Vets race. The Jewson Thule Kinesis rider stole the show with a classy display of cross riding making the course look like a stroll in the park. Riding in the lead group on the opening lap alongside, amongst others, Duncan Walmsley (Zepnat.com) and Johnathan Marshall (Zepnat.com) the local rider as always rode his race and by the third lap had started to wind up the engine and was pulling a useful lead over the chasing Zepnat team mates. Matthew Crouch (Derby Mercury) and Time RT's Adam Elis were up with the Zepnat pair but all eyes were on Knight's demolition of the field.
Knight was increasing his lap times on a chasing group of seven riders who were unable to make inroads to the lead rider and had to be content to fight out the remaining two steps of the podium. With the bell ringing out Knight put in the fastest lap of the race just to rub salt in the wounds and the quiet rider rolled over the line almost fifty seconds ahead of Walmsley and third place Marshall.
Results
Senior
1 Liam Killeen Senior Giant Factory Off Road
2 Roger Hammond Senior Garmin - Cervelo
3 Dave Collins Senior Hope Factory Racing
4 Mark Cotton Senior Bycka Sport Racing Gipiemme
5 Lee Westwood SU23 Cycle Shack Forme Coaching
6 Luke Grivell-Mellor SU23 Mid Shropshire Wheelers
7 Christopher Metcalfe Senior Charge Bikes
8 Andrew Naylor Senior Ashfield RC
9 Andrew Stuart Senior TFN Tri Club
10 Tom Payton SU23 Cult Racing
11 James Furniss Senior Zepnat.Com/Kuota/GSG
12 Lee Shunburne Senior Matlock CC
13 Lawrence Frost SU23 Ashfield RC
14 Jonathon Wells Senior VC Lincoln
15 Robert Burns Senior Wolverhampton Wheelers
16 Gareth Whittall Senior Clay Cross RT
17 Neil Hayward Senior Sportstest.co.uk
18 Colin Miller Senior Coventry Road Club
19 Richard Fairholme Senior Kenilworth Wheelers
20 Robert Wimble Senior Zepnat.Com/Kuota/GSG
21 William Penn SU23 Mamouth Lifestyle
22 Andrew Tamplin Senior WrekinSport CC
23 Steven Bloor Senior South Pennine RC
24 Ben Eedy Senior Empella Cyclo Cross.Com
25 Lewis Tarnai-Wilson SU23 Ashfield RC
26 David Mole Senior Stourbridge CC
27 Leon Plews Senior Worcester Cycle Centre
28 Ben McCabe Senior Team Monkey Mafia
29 Richard Hamblin Senior Sleaford Wheelers
30 Andy Prince Senior Stafford Road Club The Boulangerie
31 Matthew Harris Senior Halesowen A & CC
32 Pedro Havelock Senior None
33 Simon Lees Senior Stone Wheelers
34 Marcus Willday SU23 Mid Shropshire Wheelers
35 Oliver Claydon SU23 Halesowen A & CC
36 Matthew Smart Senior Coventry Road Club
37 Matt Bishop Senior Lincoln Wheelers
38 Dan Barnshaw Senior None
39 Chris Ife Senior Coalville Wheelers
40 Gareth Scott Senior Beacon Roads CC
41 Patrick O'Donovan Senior Pod RT
Veteran 40+
1 Stephen Knight V40 Jewson Thule Kinesis CNP
2 Duncan Walmsley V45 Zepnat.Com/Kuota/GSG
3 Jonathan Marshall V40 Zepnat.Com/Kuota/GSG
4 Matthew Crouch V40 Derby Mercury RC
5 Graham Clark V45 Time RT
6 Adam Ellis V40 Spalding CC
7 Anthony Goldstraw V40 Empella Cyclo Cross.Com
8 Lee Edmonds V45 Welland Valley CC
9 Dean Barnett V40 Welland Valley CC
10 David Perry V40 Gabby Day Cyclesport.Com
11 Bryan Healy V40 Halesowen A & CC
12 Mark Garrett V45 Coventry Road Club
13 Gary Strickland V40 Cycle Shack Forme Coaching
14 Nick Popham V40 Cycle Shack Forme Coaching
15 Greg Slater V45 Lichfield City CC
16 Jason Hawkins V40 Coventry Road Club
17 Lorenzo Buratti V40 Jewson Thule Kinesis CNP
18 Stephen Booth V45 Matlock CC
19 Mark Farrar V40 Coventry Road Club
20 Garry Townsend V45 Rugby Velo
21 David Garrett V45 Rugby Velo
22 Paul Parker V45 Heanor Clarion CC
23 David Banks V45 Derby Mercury RC
24 Keith Peters V45 Worcester St Johns CC
25 Peter Bromwich V45 WMCCL
26 Matt Rootkin-Gray V40 Solihull CC
27 Philip Bromwich V40 Evesham Wheelers
28 Stephen Clayton V45 Lichfield City CC
29 Paul Millington V45 Heanor Clarion CC
30 Shane Norton V40 Spalding CC
31 David Watts V45 Here Come the Belgians
32 Neil Mansfield V40 Nottingham Clarion CC
33 Adrian Ravenscroft V45 Birmingham CC
34 Paul Askey V45 Lichfield City CC
35 Simon Hookway V40 Sherwood Pines Coop Motor Group
36 Nick Bates V45 Belper BC
37 Gareth Cann V40 Halesowen A & CC
38 Adrian Leach V45 Redditch R & PCC
39 Duncan McNutt V40 Team Midland Racing
40 Stephen Mayhew V45 Solihull CC
41 Garry Bolton V40 Wolverhampton Wheelers
42 Paul Stewart V40 Solihull CC
43 Steve Croggan V45 Beacon Roads CC
44 Jim Crew V45 Derby Mercury RC
45 Andrew Wood V45 Welland Valley CC
46 Nick Jones V45 V.L.C
47 Neville Gunn V45 Solihull CC
48 Chris Hunt V45 TFN Tri Club
49 Richard Lewis V45 Kenilworth Wheelers
50 Adrian Killworth V40 Welland Valley CC
51 Dan Dainty V40 None
52 Paul Salkeld V45 Redditch R & PCC
53 Jonathan Todd V45 Rugby Velo
54 Carl Taylor V45 Stratford CC
55 Terry Richardson V40 Redditch R & PCC
56 Andy Mortimer V45 Mid Shropshire Wheelers
57 Tony Crossland V45 Redditch R & PCC
58 Mark Lewis V40 Wolverhampton Wheelers
59 Dave Walker V45 Elizabethan CC
60 Stephen Bullin V45 Mid Shropshire Wheelers
61 Tim Gordon V40 Solihull CC
62 David Simmons V45 Wolverhampton Wheelers
63 David Whymark V45 None
64 Ian Morris V45 Wolverhampton Wheelers
65 Philip Richardson V45 Wolverhampton Wheelers
66 Andrew Lloydlangston V40 Birmingham CC
67 Nick Wetherall V40 Heanor Clarion CC
68 John Potts V40 Redditch R & PCC
69 Mike Arthur V45 None
70 Mike Welburn V45 Lichfield City CC
71 Steven Boon V40 Belper BC
72 Nick Barnett V45 None
73 Dave Fenton V40 Worcester St Johns CC
74 John Ireson V45 Wolverhampton Wheelers
Veteran 50+
1 Peter Harris V50 Pearce Cycles
2 Mick Davies V50 Pedal Power Loughborough
3 Ian Wright V50 Cycle Shack Forme Coaching
4 Kevin Payton V50 Stourbridge CC
5 Andy Webb V50 Kenilworth Wheelers
6 Timothy Stowe V50 Jewson Thule Kinesis CNP
7 John Rice V50 Beacon Roads CC
8 David Smith V55 Empella Cyclo Cross.Com
9 Michael Perrin V50 Ashfield RC
10 Andy Jones V55 Wolverhampton Wheelers
11 Peter Turner V50 Derby Mercury RC
12 Mervyn Dudley V50 Sherwood Pines Coop Motor Group
13 Alessandro Toso V50 Halesowen A & CC
14 Philip Heyes V50 Skegness Wheelers
15 Paul Dalton V50 Matlock CC
16 Gary Rowing-Parker V50 Solihull CC
17 Kevin Bodley V50 None
18 Richard Tyler V50 Coventry Road Club
19 Graham Atkins V50 Welland Valley CC
20 Quinn Bytheway V50 Stourbridge CC
21 Alistair McAdam V50 Macclesfield Wheelers
22 Christopher Thacker V50 TFN Tri Club
23 Martin Tinsley V50 Halesowen A & CC
24 Greg Elson V55 Rugby Velo
25 Terence Tuckley V55 WMCCL
26 John Byatt V50 Wrekinsport CC
27 Neil Lawford V50 Lichfield City CC
28 Nik Bettam V50 B.R.A.T
29 Peter Carman V55 Mammoth Lifestyle RT
30 Peter Ward V55 Solihull CC
31 Alastair Grant V55 Halesowen A & CC
32 John Claydon V55 Halesowen A & CC
33 Robin Goundry V55 WMCCL
34 Gary Davis V50 Redditch R & PCC
35 Martin Stephens V55 Mid Shropshire Wheelers
Veteran 60+
1 Victor Barnett V65 Welland Valley CC
2 Peter Mooney V60 Rugby Velo
3 David Miller V65
4 Bryan Hedges V65 Stourbridge CC
5 John Gabriel V60 Jewson Thule Kinesis CNP
6 Martin Hackley V60 Jewson Thule Kinesis CNP
7 Michael Ives V70 Jewson Thule Kinesis CNP
8 Stuart Walters V70 Kettering CC
9 Ian Forrester V60 Kenilworth Wheelers
10 Mike Cooper V60 WMCCL
11 Gerald Blackmoor V70 WMCCL
12 Tony Summerfield V70 Elizabethan CC
Women
1 Hannah Payton WJ Kinesis Morvelo Project
2 Louise Robinson WV45 Stourbridge CC
3 Lucy Garner WJ Motorpoint Pro Cycling
4 Isla Rowntree WV40 Stourbridge CC
5 Jess Stone WU23 Trek Gravity Girls
6 Helen Clayton WU23 Lichfield City CC
7 Diane Lee W Zepnat.Com/Kuota/GSG
8 Elizabeth Clayton WV45 Lichfield City CC
9 Sarah Naylor W Ashfield RC
10 Ruth Eyles WV40 Beacon Roads CC
11 Phoebe Sneddon W Mule Bar Girls
12 Rebecca Keogh WU23 Solihull CC
13 Alison Holmes WV40 Lichfield City CC
14 Caroline Mansfield WV40
15 Virginia Rootkin-Gray W Solihull CC
16 Carul Gibson WV45 Halesowen A & CC
17 Vanessa Carman WV50 None
Junior
1 Alex Welburn Junior Cycle Shack Forme Coaching
2 George Thompson Junior Sleaford Wheelers
3 Joe Fox Junior Rapha Condor CC
4 Jacob James Junior Halesowen A & CC
5 Joe Kirkham Junior Hargroves Cycles
6 Joe Atkins Junior Coventry Road Club
7 George Appleby Junior Stourbridge CC
8 Luke Markham Junior Rugby Velo
9 Jordan Gell Junior VC Lincoln
10 George Rowlands Junior Mid Shropshire Wheelers
11 James Garrett Junior Rugby Velo
12 Gregory Dighton Junior Beacon Roads CC
13 Courtney Ricketts Junior Mid Shropshire Wheelers
14 James Peckover Junior Nottingham Clarion CC
15 Alastair Parker Junior Heanor Clarion CC
16 Adam Lewis Junior Wolverhampton Wheelers
Youth Under 16 Boys
1 James Shaw Heanor Clarion CC
2 Thomas Weeds Derby Mercury RC
3 Chris Welburn Lichfield City CC
4 Ethan Lee Solihull CC
5 Ryan Phillips Wolverhampton Wheelers
6 Henry Thompson Sleaford Wheelers
7 Callum McBrearty Nottingham Clarion CC
8 Preslav Dimitrov Stratford CC
9 Anthony Neave Stourbridge CC
10 James Ireson Wolverhampton Wheelers
11 Thomas Lane Stratford CC
12 Samuel Bentley Spalding CC
13 Alex Gordon Solihull CC
14 Jake Peel Spalding CC
15 James Garratt Welland Valley CC
16 George Evans Mid Shropshire Wheelers
17 Harvey Wadsworth Solihull CC
18 Callum Warrilow Wolverhampton Wheelers
19 Joseph Stanton Solihull CC
20 Abel McLinden Redditch R & PCC
21 James Ellmore Mid Shropshire Wheelers
Youth Under 14 Boys
1 William Gascoyne Heanor Clarion CC
2 Ewan Grivell-Mellor Mid Shropshire Wheelers
3 Harry Yates Lichfield City CC
4 Oliver Peckover Nottingham Clarion CC
5 Joshua Waters Plan B Racing Team
6 Bailey Wilmot Derby Mercury RC
7 Louis Killworth Welland Valley CC
8 Joshua Gunn Solihull CC
9 Scott Hookway Sherwood Pines Coop Motor Group
10 Ozzie Chmiel Nottingham Clarion CC
11 Jake Stewart Solihull CC
12 Dan Hersee Mid Shropshire Wheelers
13 Cameron Biddle Halesowen A & CC
14 Keir Lewis Stratford CC
15 Max Williamson Lincsquad
16 Elliot Dudley Sherwood Pines Coop Motor Group
17 Josef Feiven Halesowen A & CC
18 Oliver Dighton Beacon Roads CC
19 George Cann Halesowen A & CC
20 Bailey Waters Plan B Racing Team
21 Scott Aitken Solihull CC
22 Daniel Bradbury Solihull CC
23 Jake Rogers Mid Shropshire Wheelers
24 Alfie Mortimer Mid Shropshire Wheelers
25 Andy Jones Mid Shropshire Wheelers
26 Vini Crighton-Poli Mid Shropshire Wheelers
27 Sam Morris Wolverhampton Wheelers
28 Elliot Randalls Halesowen A & CC
29 Oliver Evans Stratford CC
30 Max Sillfant Welland Valley CC
31 Adam Aitken Mid Shropshire Wheelers
32 Jack Mansfield Nottingham Clarion CC
33 Martin Whyatt Mid Shropshire Wheelers
34 Morgan Smith Solihull CC
35 Oliver Haines Welland Valley CC
36 Ryan Williamson Malvern Cycle Sports
37 Alex Taylor Mid Shropshire Wheelers
38 Xavier Sullivan-Touye Halesowen A & CC
Youth Girls
1 Grace Garner YG RST Trigon
2 Charlotte Broughton YG14 Leicester RC
3 Sarah Lomas YG Matlock CC
4 Rosie Crumpton YG Halesowen A & CC
5 Sophie Capewell YG14 Lichfield City CC
6 Jade Mobbs YG14 Welland Valley CC
7 Jessie Ansell YG Wolverhampton Wheelers
8 Isabelle Boon YG14 Belper BC
9 Chloe Ralph YG14 Redditch R & PCC
10 Eve Lyon YG14 Nottingham Clarion CC
11 Amy Garner YG14 Welland Valley CC
12 Rebecca Simmons YG14 Wolverhampton Wheelers
13 Georgia Toner YG14 Welland Valley CC
14
15 Ciera McKeown YG14 Solihull CC
16 Olivia Salkeld YG14 Redditch R & PCC
17 Ria Mobbs YG14 Welland Valley CC
18
19 Alice Law YG14 Wolverhampton Wheelers
British Cycling would like to thank the organising team, officials and everyone else who helped promote this event. Our sport could not exist without the hundreds of people, many of them unpaid volunteers, who put in many hours of hard work running events, activities and clubs.
