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Location: Brooks University, Oxford
Event: 10 November 2013
On a bright sunny day in Oxford Adrian Lansley (Pedal On) had just too much power and held off Michael Cotty (Wheelbase Cannondale) by just one second after riding neck and neck for the whole race.
The race, held at the Brooks University just to the west of the city, was laid out on the sports fields and a large wooded section which was rather boggy causing all sorts of problems as riders had to dismount the scrape large clumps of mud of.
With a large turnout of riders on a nice chilly day the Commissaires decided to cut out the wooded section on the opening lap to help the field to spread out. It was Cotty who lead the riders up the side of the woods along with Darren Atkins (Team Jewson), Lansley and Scott Chalmers (Dream CC).
As soon as the crossed the line to start the second lap gaps were starting to appear and riders were soon spread all over the course.
Cotty lead Atkins on lap two but Lansley had made up ground and was third with visiting rider Chris Metcalfe (Charge Bikes) from Derbyshire mixing it with the ‘locals’. This group was followed by Chalmers, Danny Bell (Ellmore Factory Racing), Chris Minter (PedalOn) and Peter Kench (Banjo Cycles).
As the laps ticked down Lansley got past Atkins to join Cotty at the front and these two riders pulled away opening up a 15secs lead over Atkins with Metcalfe at 47secs fourth. Next came three riders locked together with Minter, Kench and Bell locked together as one. This trio were to remain locked together right to the finish line.
At the bell Lansley lead Cotty through the line and onto the final lap, other gaps were getting larger as the leaders pulled away. When the leaders came back to the sports fields it was Lansley leading.
The switch back turns leading to the finish did not help Cotty as Lansley was able to control the race and with no back markers in the way it was down to the sprint out of the last turn with 50meters to go. Lansley won from Cotty by 1sec, Atkins came in 51secs back, and Metcalfe was at 1min 34secs. However the best sprint of the race came between Minter, Kench and Bell with the three riders covered by a single second on the line.
The earlier combined race for Vets/juniors and Women was again won by Crispin Doyle (Hargroves Cycles) although he didn’t have it all his own way as he was pressured by Lewis King (Beeline Cycles). Another rider revelling in the conditions was Mike Simpson (GS Henley) who had led the race at the start of the second of four laps.
As the race started its last lap Doyle led King with Simpson at 10secs, this order remained until the finish when Doyle crossed the line not realising it was the last lap, and King was second at 15secs and Simpson now 44secs down.
Joe Andrews (Fareham Wheelers) with the junior league already sewn up was not having any luck as he struggled with mud clogging up his brakes and drive chain. This allowed Isaac Anstee (Beds RC) to pass to take the junior win. Merce Pacios (Blue Motors) was first women ahead of Claire Smith (Cotswold Veldrijden) and Phoebe Sneddon was third.
The youth race was won by Christopher Rothwell (SCRA), he set off at a very strong pace and was soon clear of Edward Gronbech (Oxford City RC) with Elliott Lassiter (Cotswold Veldrijden) in third.
The morning got underway as 64 under 12s signed on to race a smaller course mainly around the sports fields. The winner was Luke Simmonds (Stratford CC). First girl was Alexa Hawkins (Palmer Park Velo) who also finished second just ahead of Rowan Turner (Poole Wheelers).
Provisional Results
Seniors
1st Adrian Lansley Pedal On
2nd Michael Cotty Wheelbase Cannondale @1sec
3rd Darren Atkins Team Jewson @51secs
4th Chris Metcalfe Charge Bikes @1min 34secs
5th Chris Minter Pedal On
6th Peter Kench Banjo Cycles
7th Daniel Bell Ellmore Factory Racing
8th Scott Chalmers Dream Cycling
9th Gavin Barnes Jiff Cycles
10th Chris Herring East London Velo
Vets
1st Crispin Doyle Hargroves Cycles
2nd Lewis King Beeline Cycles
3rd Mike Simpson GS Henley
4th Sean Williams Wightlink Offshore
5th Robin Wilmott Cotswold Veldrijden
Women
1st Merce Pacios Blue Motors
2nd Claire Smith Cotswold Veldrijden
3rd Phoebe Sneddon
Juniors
1st Isaac Anstee Beds RC
2nd Joe Andrews Fareham Wheelers
3rd Michael Ponzo Swindon RC
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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.
