Location: Sparsholt Agricultural College, Winchester
Event: 15 December 2013
Michael Cotty (Wheelbase Cannondale) mastered the poor conditions to win the latest round of the Wessex League in Winchester by over two minutes.
The event was held at the Sparsholt Agriculture College just to the west of Winchester. It was a very windy and the rain was relentless throughout the day. The course was a mixture of grass land and technical woods.
Cotty started quickly and soon had a small lead along with Matt Macdonald (Hargroves Cycles) and in turn they had a large lead over third place Chris Minter (Pedal On).
Other riders making the most of the poor conditions was James Cotty (I-ride.co.uk), James Brett (LCM Systems Wightlink) and Richard Lewis (CC Basingstoke) although he had a puncture and was having to run half a lap to get a spare bike, however he did manage to make up time later in the race.
On the second of five laps Michael had a lead of 16secs over Macdonald with the chasers already over 1min 35 back and all losing time. Richard Lewis was now back on a working bike and beginning to pick off riders as he climbed back up the leader board.
Laps three and four saw Michael Cotty extend his lead despite a trip into the course tape but was still over a minute up on Macdonald and nearly two minutes up on third place Minter. On a clean bike Cotty started the last lap and further extended his lead to nearly 1min 30secs. As the weather worsened and the light began to fall away Cotty was clear but was not slowing down until the line. Matt Macdonald was a clear second and Chris Minter third.
Sean Williams (Wightlink Offshore) also found the conditions to his liking and once the first lap was done he pulled away was Tim Hyde (GS Henley) and Pete Scott (Cotswold Veldrijden). Joseph Andrews (Fareham Wheelers) was also very strong and the junior rider was fourth and he had Andy Roberts (Cotswold Veldrijden) for company. Tim Costello (Southdown Velo) was also in the mix and he soon managed to get past Joe and Pete to be in third.
On the third lap Williams was already over a minute up on Tim Hyde with Costello a further 25secs back. Andrews was still the leading junior and Tracey Cornell was the leading women. At the bell the order remained the same with Scott and Roberts closing out the top six.
Elliott Lassiter (Cotswold Veldrijden) took a commanding lead of the youth race with Tom Sewell (Cotswold Veldrijden) and Charlie Cooper (Chapel Tri-Stars) the leading three. These three had the race virtually sewn up but for Tom how had to run half a lap with a puncture only to then have to run another half lap to this finish when his spare bike developed a mechanical.
Charlie Cooper took full advantage of his rival’s problems and took second place all be it 21secs adrift with Sewell coming in 58secs down.
Provisional Results
Seniors
1st Michael Cotty Wheelbase Cannondale 58:50
2nd Matt Macdonald Hargroves Cycles @ 2:28
3rd Chris Minter PedalOn @ 3:10
4th James Cotty I-ride.co.uk
5th Richard Lewis CC Basingstoke
6th James Brett LCM Systems Wightlink
7th Jorge Millan Wight Mountain
8th Stuart Waite
9th Oscar Hutchings VC Venta
10th Alex Forrester Hargroves Cycles
Vets Junior Women
1st Sean Williams Wightlink 49:10
2nd Tim Hyde GS Henley @ 1:47
3rd Tim Costello Southdown Velo @ 2:56
4th Joe Andrews Fareham Wheelers and 1st Junior @ 3:09
5th Pete Scott Cotswold Veldrijden @ 3:10
6th Andy Roberts Cotswold Veldrijden @ 3:20
7th Gary Barlow Reading CC @ 3:30
8th Martyn Dymond Wight Mountain
9th Nigel Brown Westbury Wheelers
10th Pete Hutchinson Cotswold Veldrijden
Women: Tracey Cornell NHRC
Youth
1st Elliott Lassiter Cotswold Veldrijden
2nd Charlie Cooper Chapel Tri-Stars
3rd Tom Sewell Cotswold Veldrijden
4th Angus Hawkins PPV
5th Erin Baker Southdown Velo
Youth Girls
1st Alderney Baker Southdown Velo
2nd Abbie Manley Chapel Tri-Stars
3rd Rebecca Hurst Poole Wheelers
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.
