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Location: Prospect Park, Reading
Event: 21 October 2012
Andy Hargroves (Hargroves Cycles) eased to a comfortable win on a very muddy and tricky course from Michael Cotty (Wheelbase) by more than 30 seconds.
The two riders had eased away from the rest of the field after one lap and the two extended their lead throughout the race.
The course was set out on park land to the west of Reading which include a tricky orchard with a few slippery tight corners to catch out the riders. Due to the heavy rain during the week parts of the course were very muddy and the open grass was slippery and soon cut up as the day progressed.
Once all the riders had navigated the starting loop, Andy and Michael had built up a large lead working together to select the fastest way through. Behind the leaders were Richard Lewis (CC Basingstoke), Ian Legg (Primera/ Specialized), and James Cotty (Wheelbase) along with team mate Richard Phillips-Schofield.
As the conditions took their toll on bikes, chains and rear mechs several riders retired. One causality early in the race was Dan Smith (GWR Team) who rolled a tub half way round the first lap, he got a front wheel in the pits only then to see his rear mech break on the last lap meaning he once again ended up shouldering his bike to the finish line.
So the race was won by Andy Hargroves with Michael Cotty 34sec behind but he was ahead of two other team mates in Richard and Michael’s brother James.
The combined Vet/Junior/Women’s race was won by Mike Simpson (GS Henley) from Keith Sheridan (Cotswold Veldrijden) by 44secs. From the start Mike got some clean air and left the rest in his tyre tracks.
Keith, Sean Williams (Wightlink Offshore), Harvey Lowe (Hargroves Cycles) and Will Girvan (NHRC). While Harvey dropped back another rider Matt Woods (Hargroves Cycles) was also slipping back the wrong way.
Leading the Women’s race was Tamina Oliver (Hargroves Cycles), who was clear of Claire Smith (Cotswold Veldrijden) and Sarah Barber (NHRC). Mixing in the junior race was Sam Harper (Sotonia) and local rider Jason Pitt (AW Cycles).
The youth race was closely run until Dan Rothwell (Swindon RC) decided to attack on lap two and he soon distanced himself from Edward Gronbech (Oxford City RC) by 50secs who in turn was clear of third place Elliott Lassiter (SRC) by over 30secs.
The fourth rider in the mix again this week was Dan Tuley (Chapel tri Stars) but he was slipping backwards and now he was 1min 30secs back. The girls race was easily won by Zoe Sheehan (SRC) from Emma Pitt (AW Cycles) and Ciara Hutchinson (SRC).
In the under 12s race it was the usual three boys at the front with Jay Allen and Angus Hawkins both from PPV in a tussle with Harry Dridge (Southdown Velo).
These three soon had a big lead as they slipped past the back markers with ease. Jay and Angus managed to put some distance over Harry as they selected a clear path through the mud and over the tree roots.
In the girls race there was another race within a race as Alderney Baker (Southdown Velo) had Abbie Manley (Chapel tri Stars) for company all race but on the last turn Alderney had a lead and was not going to give it up.
The two leaders came through the finish line at the bell together, but in the wooded part of the course Angus had a slip and collided with a tree but got back up to finish ahead of Harry.
Results:
Seniors:
1st Andy Hargroves Hargroves Cycles 1hr 00mins 4secs
2nd Michael Cotty Wheelbase/ Cannondale @34secs
3rd Richard Phillips-Scofield Wheelbase/ Cannondale @7mins 3secs
4th James Cotty Wheelbase/ Cannondale @ 7mins 51secs
5th Ian Legg Primera Specialized @8mins 21secs
Veterans/Women/Juniors:
1st Mike Simpson GS Henley 43mins 42secs
2nd Keith Sheridan Cotswold Veldrijden @44secs
3rd Sean Williams Wightlink Offshore @1min 3secs
4th Harvey Lowe Hargroves Cycles @2mins 9secs
5th William Girvan NHRC @2mins 44secs
Junior:
1st Harvey Lowe Hargroves Cycles
2nd Matt Woods Hargroves Cycles
3rd Sam Harper Sotonia
4th Jason Pitt AW Cycles
5th Joe Andrews unattached
Women:
1st Tamina Oliver Hargroves Cycles
2nd Claire Smith Cotswold Veldrijden
3rd Sarah Barber NHRC
4th Mellisa Brand Pretoius Bikes
5th Corrine Clark Cotswold Veldrijden
Youth:
1st Dan Rothwell Swindon RC 20mins 55secs
2nd Edward Gronbech Oxford City RC @48secs
3rd Elliott Lassiter Swindon RC @2mins 23secs
4th Dan Tuley Chapel tri Stars @2mins 24secs
5th Jack Saunders Swindon RC @3mins 33secs
Girls:
1st Zoe Sheehan Swindon RC
2nd Emma Pitt AW Cycles
3rd Ciara Hutchinson Swindon RC
Under-12s:
1st Jay Allen PPV
2nd Angus Hawkins PPV
3rd Harry Dridge Southdown Velo
4th Alderney Baker Southdown Velo
5th Abbie Manley Chapel tri Star
6th Conor Hutchinson Swindon RC
Please credit www.britishcycling.org.uk and link back if you use any of our race results.
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.
